DRUGS OFFICIAL GIVES WARNING

Unstable political situations in neighbouring countries have caused
ethnic minorities to produce more methamphetamine tablets to be sold
in Thailand, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) said
yesterday. ONCB secretary-general Kitti Limchaikij said the
methamphetamine problem has returned. Although the problem may not be
as serious as in the past, it could get worse if officials turn a
blind eye to it.

Faced with an uncertain future, ethnic minorities in neighbouring
countries are producing more methamphetamines in order to make money
to fund their own development schemes, and their main market is
Thailand, he said.

Mr Kitti backed his claim with the ONCB's finding that more than five
million methamphetamine tablets were waiting to be smuggled across
the border. But he refused to give more details.

He also said more women, both Thai and foreign, were being employed
as traffickers. From January to April, China arrested 33 Thais on
drug trafficking charges, 31 of them women, according to the ONCB.