PM REOPENS WAR ON DRUG TRAFFICKERS

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra yesterday kicked off what he called the
second round of the war on illicit drugs, vowing to leave no stone unturned
in the search for traffickers and users.

The 60-day battle is aimed at eliminating illicit drugs from the country
before December 3 to please His Majesty the King, Thaksin said. The premier
said the second round would be much more difficult than the first - which
lasted from February to May - because the government would have to
scrutinise all areas for the "remaining 20 per cent" involved in drugs.
Thaksin said the first round had been very successful, leading to the
arrest of 80 per cent of drug traffickers and users in the country. "Now we
will have to use nets with finer mesh to catch the remaining 20 per cent,"
he said. "In the 60 days from now I would like to ask all Thais to join the
fight and clean up all narcotics before December 5, which is the birthday
of His Majesty. We must finish our war." Thaksin also said he would like to
thank the 46 officials who were killed, and the 60 injured, among others,
for their contribution in the first phase of the campaign.

He said the second round would be even harsher and more decisive. "We can't
take it lightly. We will play hard and scan every square inch of the
country to root out drug abusers and traffickers from Thai society,"
Thaksin said.

The government came in for much criticism during the first phase, which saw
more than 2,500 people killed in incidents suspected to be related to the
crackdown.

Thaksin said authorities would also try to seize more assets from drug
suspects. If anti-money laundering laws could not be applied, Revenue
Department checks would be used.

Police General Chidchai Wannasathit, secretary-general of the Narcotics
Control Board, said the first war had damaged many drug networks. Officials
had seized 36 million methamphetamine pills and Bt3 billion worth of assets.

Justice Minister Pongthep Thepkanchana said he had instructed the Narcotics
Control Board and the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) to speed up
investigations against drug suspects.

A source from the coordination centre for the war on drugs said special
teams would be set up to carry out secret operations, which would be
"finer" in order to prevent criticism from human-rights activists. AMLO
secretary-general Peeraphan Premputi said his office aimed to seized
another Bt3 billion.