Thailand and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have agreed to work together to deal with the smuggling of precursor chemicals used in the manufacturing of illicit drugs along economic routes connecting Thailand, Myanmar and China.
The decision was made at a meeting between Jeremy Douglas, the Regional Representative of the UNODC for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, and Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya on Thursday to discuss the cooperation.
Gen Paiboon said the ministry will focus on hampering the movement of precursor substances from countries that produce them.
The progress of the Safe Mekong Coordination Centre's operation, a centre to prosecute and block illegal drug smuggling in the region, which is currently in phase 2 of its preparation, was also reported to the UNODC.
The operation needs financial support from Asian Development Bank and the UNODC.
Gen Paiboon said representatives from the UNODC, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board and the Mekong Centre also inspected Route R3B, which connects Thailand, Myanmar and China, last week in bid to devise better measures to crackdown on drug smuggling rings.