GENERAL INVOLVED IN AMPHETAMINE CASE

Police said they found hard evidence linking an army general currently
attached to Supreme Command headquarters to the notorious Surachai "Bang
Ron" Ngernthongfoo, an accused amphetamine trafficker. Mr Surachai
reportedly fled to Burma to seek refuge with the Wa ethnic minority group,
who are the main manufacturers of amphetamine tablets.

Detectives searched the home of Army Lance Corporal Vitoon Klinachorn. They
found purchase orders for thousands of amphetamine pills, as well as
several bank accounts showing transfers of huge amounts of cash. Cpl Vitoon
is a known close associate of a major-general of the Supreme Command
headquarters, who has still not been named publicly by authorities. The
Bang Ron drug syndicate is reportedly worth 500 million baht a year and
involves a vast, corrupt network of military officers and men.