THAIS RALLY AGAINST DRUG TRADE

BANGKOK, Thailand - Thousands of Thai villagers rallied near the
northern border with Myanmar against the drug trade in their
communities, officials said Wednesday.

It was a show of support for Thai authorities trying to stem the flood
of methamphetamines from neighboring Myanmar, also known as Burma,
following the release last week of a major drug trafficking suspect.

As many as 5,000 villagers gathered on Tuesday outside the government
district office in Mae Ai, 400 miles north of Bangkok, newspaper
reports said.

Kritsada Boomraj, the district chief, told The Associated Press the
villagers were upset that a court approved bail for Laota Saenli, 62,
an influential Lisu tribesman who was arrested at his home near the
Thai-Myanmar border in late July.

Laota is allegedly linked to Wei Hsueh-kang of the United Wa State
Army, reputed head of the biggest drug trafficking ring in Southeast
Asia's infamous Golden Triangle.

Assault rifles and ammunition but no drugs were found at the house of
Laota. The court granted bail of $25,300.