More surveillance cameras to control drug smuggling in the North

BANGKOK, Dec 29 (TNA) -- The Royal Thai Army will install surveillance cameras along a 100-kilometre-long section of the northern border to control drug smuggling as methamphetamine is spreading to pupils. Lt Gen Wichak Siribansop, the 3rd Army Region Chief, quoted intelligence reports as saying that hundreds of millions of speed pills and large numbers of heroin and crystal methamphetamine or ‘ice’ were ready to be smuggled into the country. “We believe that ethnic groups need money due to pressure from the Myanmar government, so they will have to quickly sell their drugs. So, the military and the Office of the Narcotics Control Board are installing surveillance cameras on a distance of 100 kilometres along the border in Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son provinces and they also cover natural border crossings,” Lt Gen Wichak said. He warned tourists that drug smugglers might try to hide their drug packages on tourists’ vehicles and in travellers’ bags. Lt Gen Wichak also said that methamphetamine already reached Thai pupils. Methamphetamine and heroin were smuggled into the country for local buyers while ‘ice’ was transported through Thailand to other countries, he said. According to him, methamphetamine usually comes from Wa and Lahu tribes and there are more than 2,000 opium poppy plantations on mountains with difficult access. (TNA)