"Thai opium crop substitution program in Burma hits problems... A Thai project under royal patronage to wean farmers in Burma?s Shan State away from opium production is encountering problems because of political changes in Rangoon. Since the fall of prime minister and military intelligence chief Gen Khin Nyunt, staff of the Mae Fah Luang Foundation in northern Thailand have been denied direct access to the project, known as Doi Tung 2, established at Yong Kha in southeastern Shan State. Project staff say the four-year-old crop substitution project is still functioning, but with local supervision..."