CHIANG MAI, Thailand, March 2 (Kyodo) -- U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright arrived in the northern Thai city Chiang Mai on Tuesday from
Beijing on the second leg of a three-nation Asian tour.

Both Thai and U.S. officials said bilateral relations on narcotics
cooperation, Myanmar and Cambodia will be high on the agendas for the
meetings with Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai and Foreign Minister Surin
Pitsuwan.

Chiang Mai is in the infamous Golden Triangle around the borders of
Thailand, Myanmar and Laos where much of the world's opium is cultivated
and heroin is produced.

On Wednesday she is to observe a program in the suburbs of Chiang Mai to
substitute commercial crops for opium cultivation, as well as discuss with
Thai nongovernmental organizations programs to assist young women to avoid
being dragged into prostitution.

According to a recent U.S. government report on narcotics, Thailand's opium
production in 1998 declined 36% to 16 tons and cultivation decreased 18%.

She will have an audience with Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Wednesday
evening.

Albright is also to meet the prime minister and the foreign minister
Thursday before leaving later in the day for Indonesia.