Drug Rehabilitation

GOLDEN TRIANGLE LIKELY TO YIELD MORE DRUGS

Drug problems in Thailand will intensify this year with increases in
methamphetamine production and opium poppy cultivation in the Golden
Triangle area, an anti-drug agency deputy chief predicts.

Thirapat Santimetaneedol, deputy secretary-general of the Narcotics
Control Board, said more speed pills were being produced as several
new smuggling routes opened in the region, including in Cambodia's Koh
Kong province.

The Golden Triangle would become the world's largest opium source, he
said, because the opium production capacity in Afghanistan had dropped
to 17,000 rai last year from 40,000 rai in 2000 as a result of the
fighting in that country.

"So, more opium will be cultivated in the Golden Triangle area from
northern Thailand to Burma and Laos. It is estimated the amount will
rise to 2,500-3,000 tonnes from 1,000 tonnes last year," he said.

Mr Thirapat said more than 250 tonnes of heroin could be produced from
some 3,000 tonnes of raw opium.

Satellite surveys on Jan 18 showed some 5,500 rai of opium cultivation
in the North, he added.

Thailand receives a 25-million-baht subsidy from the US each year in
support of anti-opium operations.

Meanwhile, Lt-Gen Pongthep Thetpratheep, deputy army chief-of-staff,
confirmed news reports that the Red Wa ethnic minority group in Burma
was increasing its capacity to produce more than 700 million speed
pills and more heroin this year.

"But we are still confident the army will do better than last year
since the Special Task Force 399 has been well-trained by the US and
has modern equipment. This will ensure efficiency for methamphetamine
suppression," Lt-Gen Pongthep said.