GERMANY VOLUNTEERS TO ENLIST IN THAILAND'S WAR
ON DRUGS

Germany has signaled its willingness to help Thailand eradicate the
production of opium in the Golden Triangle.

Germany's Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Health
and Social Security toured the Drug Rehabilitation Center in Chiang Mai and
said she was willing to cooperate with Thailand to help eradicate the drug
scourge.

As part of an official visit to observe Thailand's drug suppression and
AIDS operation and prevention, Marion Caspers-Merk visited the
rehabilitation center of the Public Health Ministry in Mae Rim district on
October 7.

Pittaya Jinawatra, director Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB),
Northern Region and Dr Thirawat Wongtan, director of the Drug
Rehabilitation Center, welcomed her.

Germany has previously assisted Thailand in attempting to solve the problem
of opium plantations, through the Thai-German Highland Development Program
for 17 years, and still maintains an interest in the government's "War on
Drugs".

Pittaya said that the state secretary had shown keen interest in the ONCB's
joint work in drug suppression with neighboring Myanmar and Laos,
particularly a project called "Yong Kha" that had been initiated in Myanmar.

The German government was also interested in AIDS prevention and operations
in Thailand, following the recent International AIDS Conference, Pittaya said.

German economic support to fight drugs had been reduced after the Thai
economy strengthened, but it might resume increased assistance after this
official visit, Pittaya predicted.

Germany, with a population of 80 million, had 100,000 drug addicts. It was
not clear whether most of the drugs came from Thailand as other countries
such as China were suspected of being a primary source of drugs coming from
Myanmar, she said.