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SCMP-Burma Leader arrives in Thaila



Subject: SCMP-Burma Leader arrives in Thailand for talks on drugs

Monday  March 8  1999
Burma Leader arrives in Thailand for talks on drugs

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Updated at 3.40pm:
The leader of Burma's military government arrived in northern Thailand on
Monday as democracy activists in Bangkok protested against his two-day state
visit.

General Than Shwe arrived in the city of Chiang Rai, 680 kilometres north of
Bangkok accompanied by his intelligence chief, General Khin Nyunt, and a
delegation of military officials.

The two were due on Monday to meet Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai, who has
said he will seek more vigorous cooperation from General Than Shwe to stem
the flow of drugs from Burma.

General Than Shwe is the first Burma leader to make a bilateral state visit
to Thailand since the country's military government crushed a democracy
uprising in 1988, gunning down thousands of protesters.

About 50 Thai and Burma democracy activists chanted slogans in front of
Government House in Bangkok denouncing the visit and what they say is
continuing repression in Burma.

Burma is the world's largest producer of opium, the raw material for heroin.
Thailand is a chief smuggling route for the drug. A flood of amphetamines,
also produced mainly in Burma, has also engulfed Thailand.

The amphetamine problem is so serious, the Thai government has upgraded
ppenalties for trafficking amphetamines to the same level as for trafficking
heroin.

Chiang Rai is part of the infamous Golden Triangle, where the borders of
Burma, Thailand and Laos converge, and most of the region's opium is grown.

General Than Shwe was also scheduled to visit a village near Chiang Rai that
is part of the opium crop substitution program sponsored by Thailand's royal
family.

Last week, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright lauded the Thai
programme and criticised Burma for not having the same kind of success.

Burma has said it has a programme in place and its goal is to eradicate
opium growing by 2014.

Mr Chuan is also expected to discuss a recent series of naval clashes
between the two countries. They were sparked by disputes over fishing
boundaries.