NCB: BORDER LIAISON KEY TO HALTING DRUGS

Phuket, Thailand has proposed the setting up of 10 more border liaison
offices in the four Mekong countries and an increase in the frequency of
patrols along the Mekong river in a bid to stem the flow of illicit drugs.

The proposal was tabled during a four-day meeting of representatives of
drug suppression agencies from Thailand and Burma. The meeting, which began
Sept 5 and ended yesterday, was co-chaired by Narcotics Control Board (NCB)
secretary-general Pol Gen Chidchai Wannasathit and Burma's police chief Pol
Maj-Gen Khin Yin.

Pol Gen Chidchai said more border liaison offices should be set up in
China, Laos, Burma and Thailand for better drug suppression coordination.
To prevent gangs from smuggling drugs into the four countries, he proposed
that patrols along the river be increased.

Earlier, three Thai-Burmese border liaison offices were set up in Mae
Sai-Tachilek, Mae Sot-Mywaddy and Kawthaung-Ranong.

Thailand's fierce drug suppression drive in the North has forced drug gangs
to switch their smuggling routes.

A special envoy will soon be posted at the Thai embassy in Rangoon to
coordinate work with anti-drug agencies.

Maj-Gen Khin Yin said Burma had cooperated well with Thailand in the drug
crackdown. In the past months, Rangoon had arrested many traffickers,
handing them over to Thai authorities, he said.