Myanmar, Vietnam get drugs blame

News > Security

Myanmar, Vietnam get drugs blame

Chalerm says neighbours fuelling narcotics trade

Published: 7 Sep 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung blamed Myanmar and Vietnam yesterday for a massive influx of drugs flowing into the country.

His comments came after Wednesday's seizure of 3.29 million methamphetamine pills with an estimated value of 1 billion baht in Nakhon Pathom's Buddha Monthon district.

He said the methamphetamine production bases are in Myanmar while the precursor chemicals used to manufacture the drugs come from Vietnam.

This article is older than 60 days, which we reserve for our premium members only.You can subscribe to our premium member subscription, here.

Forum

Your comments

Lazarisbk
Post : 224
Send message

Discussion 13 : 07 Sep 2012 at 10.1113
Post this to my Facebook
Is'nt he an embarrasment to Thai people?
Like dislike 42 people liked / 7 people disliked this comment
capealava
Post : 24
Send message

Discussion 12 : 07 Sep 2012 at 09.2712
Post this to my Facebook
Drugs have been politicized. Chalerm is making the most of this. I agree it smells of “McCarthyism”. He want o execute people within 15 day. This guy is an extremists. Thailand has some of the most draconian drug laws in the world as it is. Thailand’s prison are over flowing with 252,044 inmates in 2011. This ‘War on Drugs” is obviously not working worldwide. The USA has 2.4 million in prison with 60% drug related. The costs are astronomical both socially and financially. Time to move toward decriminalization and legalization.
Like dislike 23 people liked / 12 people disliked this comment
montreal11
Post : 107
Send message

Discussion 11 : 07 Sep 2012 at 09.1611
Post this to my Facebook
Its always easy to blame the other country when you dont want to do your job....you know the problem in chiang rai and you also know who is in charge in that region ....everybody knows about the large quantity of drug in Thailand but no arrest in bkk area except a few small dealer..the big chief r friends so who will arrest them ????? not the police ...so nobody to arrest them but its ok they r friends
Like dislike 36 people liked / 5 people disliked this comment
bern1005
Post : 686
Send message

Discussion 10 : 07 Sep 2012 at 09.1010
Post this to my Facebook
I can see how blaming our neighbours may be used to try to shift the blame away from what Thailand is doing (and failing to do) but I can not understand how it will get more/better cooperation.

"The ASEAN way" does have severe limitations about how successful it can be, but it absolutely does not include public statements that are offensive to other members.
Like dislike 38 people liked / 4 people disliked this comment
bkk-farang
Post : 2,301
Send message

Discussion 9 : 07 Sep 2012 at 09.089
Post this to my Facebook
Chalerm this and Chalerm that: it almost seems like PT has only one politician – except the boss of course.
Chalerm is since about a year in charge of the Thai police. How many corrupt officers were prosecuted since he is in charge? How many mafia bosses have been prosecuted under his command? Chalerm is obviously the wrong man for that job - or any other decent job I can think of.
Clean up the corrupt police and the crime rate will go down at least by 50% or probably more like 90%. We all know where the problem is but it seems like this or any other Thai government is not willing to really solve the problem.
Like dislike 55 people liked / 6 people disliked this comment
robins
Post : 691
Send message

Discussion 8 : 07 Sep 2012 at 08.568
Post this to my Facebook
Chalerm and his drug crusade is becoming eerily similar to Senator Joe McCarthy and his anti-communist rants in the USA 60 years ago. Drug are simply not the greatest problem facing Thailand now and do not merit the excessive and manic attention they are getting. Does he really think any foreign government is going to care what he says?
Like dislike 56 people liked / 10 people disliked this comment
pjt
Post : 903
Send message

Discussion 7 : 07 Sep 2012 at 08.157
Post this to my Facebook
Seems Khun Chalerm has only just realised what others such as ONCB have known all along and trying to engage our neighbours to solve. Perhaps the Foreign Minister should also get engaged and do something useful for once to orchestrate some international and ASEAN pressure on Burma and Vietnam to deny the drug makers a production base
Like dislike 34 people liked / 4 people disliked this comment
bkposter
Post : 1,316
Send message

Discussion 6 : 07 Sep 2012 at 08.156
Post this to my Facebook
RE: D4. cocoricco..you are correct that many of those you mentioned are directly involved in the trade themselves or are paid to look the other way. I think all of the political parties are actually trying to address it but it is not easy when there are billions of dollars are involved.
TS took a very hard stance in dealing with these people and look where it got him. He was accused of killings that were actually the same people you mention killing each other, and anyone that knew anything so they can not tell. If you think the drug problem is bad in Thailand then look to south America and Mexico and you will see just how bad it can get.
Like dislike 17 people liked / 46 people disliked this comment
rontorr
Post : 669
Send message

Discussion 5 : 07 Sep 2012 at 07.415
Post this to my Facebook
if you are so brilliant, why do you find it so difficult to say something that makes sense. The problem is where the drugs are made, not in the transit areas, a lot of them come through in Chiang Mai too, they have been making some large busts up here lately, and a lot of our neighborhood problems are currently in jail.
Like dislike 25 people liked / 13 people disliked this comment
cocoricco
Post : 182
Send message

Discussion 4 : 07 Sep 2012 at 07.404
Post this to my Facebook
He fails to mention corrupt police , military and bureaucrats in Thailand that facilitate the trade. In all the years of drug suppression in Thailand or Asean only mules are caught and scapegoated in the drug trade. There's never been a mastermind or big fish caught because the same governments that declare their war on drugs protect the influential that trade in drugs, human trafficking and anything else a quick buck can be made. In Nana all the above are right in your face yet nothing matches the hot air lip service. This government practices propaganda not policy, the poor bottom feeders are the only ones punished.
Like dislike 115 people liked / 3 people disliked this comment