U.S. supports construction of drug checkpoint in Thai North

LAMPANG, April 3 (TNA) - The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has supported Thailand's construction of an international checkpoint against narcotics in the northern Lampang province. Thai National Police Chief Police General Priewpan Damapong and DEA officials on Monday jointly inspected the 20-rai construction area of the new international drug checkpoint, located along the Asian Highway in Mae Phrik district, between Lampang and Tak provinces. The Thai Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives' Royal Forest Department has given a permission for the construction of the new 27-million-baht drug checkpoint, to be financed by the Royal Thai Police and advised by the US-based DEA to meet international standards. The new Mae Phrik drug checkpoint, a most modern one, will be the southernmost checkpoint of the Royal Thai Police's provincial police region 5, whose jurisdiction covers eight upper northern Thai provinces of Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Phayao, Mae Hong Son, Nan, Phrae, Lamphun and Lampang. (TNA)