SPECIAL TEAM TO INVESTIGATE POLITICIANS

BANGKOK - Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has set up a special team to
investigate politicians and government officials who are allegedly involved
in the drug trade and other illegal businesses.

The Bangkok Post reported yesterday that the team was headed by Mr
Thaksin's adviser on drug suppression, Police Major-General Inthadet
Pornpeerapan.

The team, which will report directly to the prime minister, will examine
the records of government officials and politicians suspected of links with
drug rings and other illegal businesses.

The Bangkok Post quoted a source as saying that Mr Thaksin had obtained a
list with the names of many officials and politicians with alleged links to
drugs and other illegal businesses.

A list compiled by Thailand's Internal Security Operations Command names
600 suspected drug dealers. Most of them were reported to be police
officers, government officials, and politicians including former cabinet
ministers, the paper said.

Last year, 290 officials were sacked for involvement in the drug trade.