SMUGGLERS COULD TURN TO AIRCRAFT

Smugglers could turn to using small planes now the army has moved to seal
tight the northern border, Third Army commander Lt-Gen Udomchai Ongkhasingh
said yesterday.

The possibility had been raised by the Office of the Narcotics Control
Board, given the increased difficulty of bringing drugs into Thailand by
land.

The United Wa State Army, or Red Wa, the leading drug producers and
traffickers on the Burmese side had recently opened five new methamphetamine
plants along the Mekong river opposite Chiang Rai's Chiang Saen district and
three more opposite Tak.

Pro-Rangoon Democratic Karen Buddhist Army fighters had been hired to guard
the new factories, he said.

Reports indicated at least 100 million speed pills had already been
stockpiled along the border with another 700 million expected to be produced
this year.

Lt-Gen Udomchai said the military was keeping a close eye on Chinese Haw
people in Piang Luang and Arunothai villages in Chiang Mai, as they were
known to have good connections with the Red Wa in Burma.

Army commander Gen Somdhat Attanand said he had ordered border forces to
refrain from shooting drug traffickers unless in self defence.

Chief-of-staff Gen Veerachai Iamsa-ard said the army was hoping to block the
smuggling of about 60 million speed pills each month.