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Published: 3/03/2009 at 12:00 AM
F oreign Minister Kasit Piromya must take up the invitation by Burmese counterpart Nyan Win for an official visit before the end of the month. The new government, Mr Kasit in particular, should engage the military regime in straight talk. Now, more than ever, Burma is dragging heavily on bilateral relations, progress by Asean and - especially - the efforts to combat major drug trafficking rings.
For the first time in a decade, the Thai government has a greater stake in promoting human rights, democracy and rule of law in Burma than in doing business with the military rulers.
While Asean was holding its summit last weekend, the US State Department issued its annual no-nonsense report on drug trafficking worldwide. This two-volume report has become a standard for anyone with even a cursory interest in the subject. It is objective enough that the US lists itself (and Thailand) as countries that help international criminals by helping money laundering. So this report deserves to be taken seriously when it says that Burma is not just one of the top three drug trafficking nations, but that its government has failed miserably to try to adhere to international obligations to stop it.
Many countries have serious problems with international crime, but most governments try to stem and stop the problem. There has long been a serious question whether Burma takes its international responsibility at all seriously. The military regime has made dozens of economic deals with big-time drug traffickers, including Lo Hsien-Han and the late Khun Sa, both of whom were on the most-wanted list of criminals in Thailand and the United States. According to the US report, the Burmese government "does not consistently enforce" the drug laws against the world's biggest methamphetamine gang, the United Wa State Army. It notes correctly that the yaa baa trade has had a devastating impact on tens of thousands of Thais.
The Burmese foreign minister reportedly told Mr Kasit at the weekend that Burmese troops and police have simply been unable to find any bases that produce methamphetamines. Mr Kasit's reply, if any, is not known. According to every available report, however, the trade in methamphetamine pills increased last year. The more than 14 million pills seized by security officials last year came from somewhere, and everyone in Thailand believes they originated in Burma.
Mr Nyan Win moved to higher ground when he discussed opium with Mr Kasit. The Burmese minister said Burma was taking regular steps to reduce the opium crop. This is partly true, but the problem is what a terrible job it is doing. The heroin trade from Burma continues to grow, and the recent evidence is that the military authorities have slowed the campaigns to help farmers move away from opium into more competitive crops. Just a month ago, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime called Burma the world's second greatest producer of opium for heroin, with 28,500 hectares (178,125 rai) under poppy cultivation. The UN report made a point of noting: "Opium farmers are poorer than the non-opium farmers", with lower food security.
This was first noted more than 40 years ago by His Majesty the King. The drug trade, far from making farmers prosperous, impoverishes them and enslaves them in the service of the drug gangs, who are the only customers for the crops. These are the greatest reasons for the success of agricultural replacement programmes in northern Thailand and around the world.
Source: Bangkok Post
