LARGE DRUG BUST IN CHIANG MAI NETS DEALERS AND AGENTS

Extra-Judicial Killing in Chai Prakan District, Chiang Mai

Pha Muang Task Force seized over 400,000 ya ba pills from two agents in
Chiang Dao and Chai Prakan districts and confiscated the dealers'
properties valued at 20 million baht.

A joint press conference was held on October 16 at the Pha Muang Task Force
by Pol Lt Gen Watcharapol Prasarnratchakij, commander of Narcotic
Suppression Bureau, Maj Gen Manus Paorik, the commander of Pha Muang Task
Force, and Pittaya Jinawat, director of the Office of Narcotics Control
Board (ONCB), Northern Office.

The ya ba was produced in Burma, some time ago and was smuggled into the
kingdom through Ban Na Kong Moo-Pong Pa Khaem, in Thai Yai occupied areas
and then via Chiang Dao district in Chiang Mai.

The Pha Muang Task Force had been tipped off that the ya ba shipments would
be smuggled into Chiang Dao and Chai Prakan districts. Two teams of
soldiers and drug suppression police were sent to stop the transfers and
arrest the two groups of traffickers.

The information was that the first rendezvous would take place at 1 p.m. at
the Ban Rin Luang - Muang Na roadside in tambon Mae Na, Chiang Dao
district. The plainclothes soldiers pretended to purchase the ya ba from a
Thai Yai dealer named La. They then seized 300,000 ya ba pills and arrested
him.

On the same day, at 5 p.m., it was arranged that another three dealers,
Soonthorn Phibarnkij, 36, Nafu Phibarnkij, 40, and Jawa Laojang, 23,
residents of Chai Prakan district, would supply ya ba to the plainclothes
police at Ban Pha Hong in tambon Sri Dong Yen, Chai Prakan district.
Soldiers and police therefore co-planned to arrest the three dealers.

The three dealers rode up on a motorcycle but twigged that this was a
set-up and began firing on the police. In the ensuing gun battle, Soonthorn
was killed, but Nafu and Jawa were arrested and over 100,000 Ya Ba pills,
one shotgun, and a motorcycle were seized.

After the arrest, the authorities confiscated properties belonging to
Soonthorn and Nafu that included 200,000 baht cash, a title deed, a house
located on 1 rai land, four deposits for land in tambon Sri Dong Yen, a
bank deposit account, a longan drying factory on 2 rai, along with eight
drying ovens, 10 rai of longan plantations and a Toyota pickup truck. The
combined value was 20 million baht.

Pol Lt Gen Watcharapol said that drug busts have gradually decreased from
260,000 cases in 2002 to 160,000 cases in 2003 and 70,000 cases this year.