The Nation / 3 September 1998  

Thai police director accuses Myanmar, Laos of sheltering 
narcotics labs  

posted at 16:00 hrs (Bangkok time)  

   BANGKOK, Sept 3 -- Thailand national police director 
Thursday accused neighbouring Myanmar and Laos of allowing 
large numbers of illicit amphetamine factories to operate 
on their soil.
   "Everybody knows that our two neighbouring countries, 
Myanmar and Laos, are major producers of amphetamines," 
General Pracha Promnok said after attending a high-level 
anti-narcotics meeting chaired by Premier Chuan Leekpai.
   "Myanmar and Laos have no problems because they are 
receiving money, and their laws are allowing them to do 
so," Pracha said.
   He said he know of eight drug plants located three to 
five kilometers (one to three miles) from Thailand's 
borders with Myanmar and Laos, which he estimated would 
produce some 200 million tablets this year to be smuggled 
into Thailand.
   Pracha said Thailand would rely on bilateral meetings 
with officials from both countries to pressure them to 
close the factories.
   Thailand has already begun cooperating with Chinese 
authorities in cracking down on plants producing chemicals 
used in amphetamine production operating on Chinese soil.
   The Thai government has recently set up national drug 
operation centers, staffed by military, police, interior 
ministry and customs officials, in Bangkok and all 76 
provinces. (AFP)