The national anti-drug agency has asked Nay Pyi Taw to track down 10 key drug suspects believed to be hiding in Myanmar, including the notorious Lt Col Yi Se.
The Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) has given arrest warrants for the 10 suspects to Myanmar authorities, whose help is needed if the suspects are to be brought to book in Thailand, ONCB secretary-general Permpong Chaowalit said yesterday.
Arresting these suspects has proven difficult because they fled and sheltered with armed ethnic minority groups in the neighbouring country. Myanmar authorities will have to help track them down, Mr Permpong said.
Lt Col Yi Se, also known by his Thai name Chaiwat Phonsakunphaisan, is a former aide of the late drug warlord Khun Sa, the ex-leader of the defunct Mong Tai Army rebel group. Lt Col Yi Se is now the chief of an armed Muser group and is believed to be linked with the Wa ethnic group, allegedly a major drug producer, Mr Permpong said.
Thai authorities believe Lt Col Yi Se's group has occupied areas known in Thai as Ban Nampung Mai and Ban Sampi, which are opposite tambon Thoet Thai in Chiang Rai's Mae Fa Luang district. Drugs from production sites in the areas have been smuggled into northern Thailand.
Also on the list of 10 suspects is Methi Hongsakham, who allegedly works as a go-between for drug producers and traders in Chiang Mai's Fang district. He was implicated as a drug suspect by his associate Witthaya Wichiankongkan, who was arrested in 2000. Authorities seized two million methamphetamine pills belonging to his gang. Police tried to arrest Mr Methi in 2003, but he managed to escape.
The eight other suspects are five males and three females. The men are Sutkhet Sakpanchakhan, Phairat Daenchutimaphanit, Chaimun Thaomunla, Yongsin Sae Ma and Wira Muenchada. The women are Fong Pathumni, Suchada Thuipha and Samphao Daenchutimaphanit.
The ONCB has also identified another 14 drug suspects whose seized or frozen assets are valued at 222 million baht. Among them is Utsaman Salaemang, a Narathiwat resident, whose drug network allegedly covers parts of northern and southern Thailand as well as Malaysia. Officials believe he lives in the Sikhottabong district of Vientiane, Laos.