THAI ARMY CHANGES ROLE OF ELITE ANTI-DRUGS UNIT - REPORT

BANGKOK (AP)--A U.S.-trained elite unit of the Thai army will no longer be
taking aggressive action to stop the narcotics deluge from Myanmar for fear
of worsening relations between the neighboring countries, a newspaper
reported Thursday.

To dispel Myanmar's suspicions and because of budget problems, the army has
decided to relieve Task Force 399 of its drug-suppression duties, the
Bangkok Post quoted Defense Minister Thammarak Isarangkura na Ayudhaya as
saying Wednesday.

The task force, which includes special warfare troops, infantrymen and
border patrol police, was set up in early 2001 and deployed along the
northern Thailand border with Myanmar, also known as Burma. U.S. Special
Forces assisted in training the elite unit.

An army spokesman confirmed that the anti-drug unit would be redeployed, but
declined to say whether relations with Myanmar were involved in the
decision.

"With the help of training from the U.S., the task force achieved
significant success in drugs suppression, but since other agencies
responsible for drugs suppression also exist, the task force should be used
for intelligence work, which is vital to anti-drugs operations," Col.
Somkuan Saengpataranet said.

Since Task Force 399 was thrown into the war on drugs , Thailand has netted
major gains including seizures of millions of speed pills and the killings
of a number of suspected traffickers from Myanmar.

In May, Myanmar accused Thailand of sending the task force into its
territory on the pretext of carrying out drug suppression. Bangkok denied
the accusation, saying the Thai army was conducting an exercise along the
border. But shortly thereafter then-Defense Minister Gen. Chavalit
Yongchaiyudh ordered the troops to pull back from the border region and
abruptly ended the exercise.

The Thai government has tried to mend fences with Myanmar despite periodic
border conflicts, but some in the Thai military believe in a more aggressive
policy, arguing that vast quantities of drugs are being smuggled into the
country from its neighbor.