Intelligence
covering burma and southeast asia
Friday, March 29, 2024
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Intelligence


By The Irrawaddy APRIL, 2000 - VOLUME 8 NO.4/5


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War on Drugs, War on the Wa

In April, Thailand and Burma held a high-level meeting in Tachilek, where Burmese officials agreed to cooperate in fighting the flow of drugs into Thailand. But as it becomes increasingly apparent that Rangoon has no intention of delivering on its promise, Thailand may be looking to take matters into its own hands.

In recent months, Thai officials have expressed increasing concern about the massive rise in methamphetamine trafficking into Thailand and abuse of the drug by Thai youth. They predict that more than 600 million methamphetamine tablets will be imported into Thailand this year.

These days harsh criticism of Burma has been coming from Thai army chief Gen Surayud Chulanont. He has often been seen inspecting Thailand’s northern border with Burma. Unlike previous army chiefs, Surayud is not close to the Rangoon generals.

Border-based Burmese soldiers have not been receiving rations from their headquarters, according to sources. Because of this, Thai army sources said that Burmese soldiers are encouraged to join the drug business.

“The Thais are worried,” said Rodney Tasker, a Bangkok-based regional journalist. “Ten years ago Thailand was used as passage to transport heroin and opium produced from Burma’s Shan State.” Most of this heroin was sent abroad, but now yaa baa, or methamphetamines, coming from Wa-controlled areas in Burma is flooding Thailand’s domestic market, turning more and more Thai youth into addicts.

However, complicity is not limited to the Wa and Burmese. Recently, a Thai special forces soldier was arrested in northern Thailand’s Fang district for possession of 1.2 tons of ephedrine, a chemical used in the production of amphetamines. It appears that he was smuggling it to the Wa area on the border. The amount would have been enough to make 500 million methamphetamine tablets.

With the help of Chinese-Dutch chemists, the United Wa State Army is preparing to produce high quality ecstasy pills in its factories along the northern Thai-Burmese border, according to Thailand’s Office of the Narcotics Control Board. Ecstasy, popularly known as yaa ee in Thailand, has been a popular drug of choice for young partygoers in Thailand. The cost ranges from 700 to 1,500 baht.

Top Thai officials led by the Foreign Ministry have been holding inter-agency meetings. Carrying out cross-border raids to destroy yaa baa factories is one option that has been considered, although it would have serious political implications.

Now, many more Thai troops man the border with Burma. Visitors can clearly see well-equipped and tough-looking Thai soldiers driving humvees.

In addition, the Thai military is also buying two Black Hawk helicopters from the US to patrol the border and to suppress illicit drugs. Meanwhile, reports show that Wa rebels have recently acquired SAM-7 missiles off the black market in Thailand.

Well-placed sources said border skirmishes are expected.

Chinese Engineers to Help With Bases

Two delegations of engineers from China’s armed forces recently met with Burmese military officers at a navy base in Tenasserim Division from May 2 to 5, according to a report from Radio Free Asia. The meetings focused on the construction of two bases in the area with assistance from the Chinese Navy and Air Forces

Maj Gen Sit Maung, Coastal Region Military Command, Gen Kyi Min, Chief of Staff (Navy), Gen.



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