Golden Triangle output falling, say

[suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: Golden Triangle output falling, says drug agency 


Headlines 

Golden Triangle output falling, says drug agency


AS Thailand joins the rest of the world to celebrate the International Day
Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking today, the national drug
suppression
agency claimed the production of narcotics from the infamous Golden
Triangle is
declining. 


The Golden Triangle straddles the borders of Thailand, Burma and Laos and is
the world's top opium producing area. 


The deputy secretary-general of Thailand's Organisation of Narcotics Control
Board (ONCB), Sorasit Sangprasert, told reporters that better cooperation,
especially from Burma, had improved prospects for reduced drug production in
the triangle. 


International anti-drug agencies believe that 70 per cent of the world's
heroin
supply originates from the area. 


Burma has been seen by the agencies as one of the world's main sources of
heroin. 
The ONCB estimates some 300 million amphetamine tablets are produced annually
in the Burma section of the triangle. 


''With the close cooperation from countries in the region taking place now, I
hope drug production will decrease,'' Sorasit said at a ceremony to burn
seized
drugs on the outskirts of Bangkok. 


At the drug burn, some 335 kilogrammes of heroin, 981 kilogrammes of opium and
250,000 amphetamine tablets were torched in an environment-friendly, smokeless
oven. 


Sorasit said intense cooperation was now being given by enforcement agencies
from Cambodia, Laos, China, Burma and Vietnam to curb drug production. 


''Especially Burma. It is seriously cracking down on the drugs problem. They
seized 16 million amphetamine tablets last year while in Thailand we seized 33
million,'' he added. 


''Before, Burma used to be less concerned but now they are very serious and we
are working together closely, especially in cross-border cooperation,'' he
said. 


Such close cooperation had also enabled Australian anti-narcotic agencies to
make their biggest seizure -- 400 kilogrammes of heroin originating from the
Golden Triangle -- last year, he said. 


Meanwhile, the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP)
announced yesterday the launch of a music competition among school students to
be held in Bangkok and the municipality today. 



The contest will be conducted under this year's slogan ''Turn On Music, Turn
Off Drugs'', which is aimed at encouraging youngsters to turn to music as an
alternative to drugs. 


The announcement came in the wake of widespread use of drugs by school
children
both in urban and rural areas. 


Three winners will be selected to receive UNDCP educational awards and
certificates. Their music will also be recorded and distributed, as part of
training material in drug prevention, to schools throughout the country. 


UNDCP has also planned post-event activities, including youth camps and
seminars in which professional music instructors and singers will participate.
Drug prevention will also be high on the agenda. 


It is expected that once students return to schools, they will share their
knowledge and experience with their peers. 


The process will help to create and strengthen youth networking which is
essential for effective school-based drug prevention, say the organisers. 


Besides music-related activities, there will also be a parade on the Rama 9
bridge and an exhibition related to drug prevention. 


The UNDCP is also creating a youth corner at its Website in a bid to encourage
greater participation 
by young people in the prevention of drug abuse. 


Reuters, The Nation