The illegal drug business in Bangkok, involving both locals and foreigners, has been booming but if the authorities have their way, the trade will soon be a thing of the past
Quietly, secretly and behind the scenes, thousands of military personnel, police and civilian officials are working around the clock to suppress the trafficking and distribution of illicit drugs throughout Thailand.
A big emphasis in this respect has been recently turned to Bangkok and its five adjacent provinces - Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon - where a lot of people travel to Bangkok every day to work, for shopping and entertainment.
Covering an area of 7,761 square kilometers and with a population of about 12 million, the drug problem in that vast area is very serious because it makes a lot of cash for drug dealers, creates more addicts and contributes to crime.
To cope with these problems, another step was taken on Dec 13 in a ceremony presided over by Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban in front of Lumpini Park. The event was attended, among others, by officers attached to the Metropolitan Police (MP), the Narcotic Suppression Bureau (NSB), the First Army, the Office of the Narcotic Control Board (ONCB) the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the Department of Special Investigations.
How serious the situation in Bangkok and surrounding provinces is was explained by several Thai law enforcement officers recently interviewed by Spectrum.
''With such a large area and so many people, the Thai anti-narcotic authorities have full hands. And it is not only the Thai people who are involved in the illicit drug trade but foreigners as well,'' said Police Colonel Chatchai Sirisabphya, who is attached to the Royal Thai Police's NSB headquarters in Bangkok.
''My responsibility to not only to oversee the suppression in about 1,900 communities in the Bangkok area with 587 affected with drugs, but also to conduct surveillance and investigations, to arrest people and recruit informants.
''Also, as many foreigners of different nationalities are involved in the illegal drugs trade, I am working hand-in-hand with many foreign law enforcement officers who are stationed in Thailand. We are assisting them to reduce the flow of drugs to their countries.
''When they have the information about their nationals coming here for drugs, they will contact us and we will do whatever we can to assist them, like to give information, to investigate, to conduct surveillance and to arrest,'' Col Chatchai said.
''The policy of the government now is to reduce the amount of illicit drugs coming to Bangkok. In this task we closely cooperate closely with the MP, the Army, BMA and especially with the ONCB.
''Bangkok has over seven million people. So if the drugs continue to come there's more risk to our people, especially youngsters, to take drugs and become addicted with all the negative consequences for their family, education and employment that arises from the habit. Addicts are also committing crimes. The ONCB specialise on the issue concerning the addicts. We don't,'' he said.
The colonel disclosed that many so called high society people consume expensive drugs like ecstasy, cocaine or ice [crystal methamphetamine], while low income people such as truck drivers or factory workers opt for the cheaper ya ba(methamphetamine) pills, marijuana or kratom.
''The cocaine problem originates from Thais who went to the United States or Europe and developed addictions to it. When they returned they always looked for it. That's how it started. The drug is very cheap in South America, but in Thailand one kilogramme costs about three million baht. In Colombia one kilogramme costs about 33,200 baht. So the traffickers can make a lot of money. The price for one ya ba pill right now is about 200 baht, which is 100 baht less compare with last year. This indicates that a lot is coming in.
''Ya ba continues to be produced and smuggled from a neighbouring country. We have made many cases and big seizures lately. Lately there has been an increase in smuggling,'' Col Chatchai said.
''As for heroin, which was in the past very popular with drug addicts, consumption is down a lot, maybe because heroin is now very expensive for Thai addicts. The main problem with heroin is smuggling it out of Thailand,'' he said.
The colonel pointed out that ya ba, ice, heroin and cocaine all come from other countries _ Thailand doesn't produce these.
''Because of our effective suppression work on the northern border, the traffickers smuggle it in from another country to the northeast of Thailand and then to Bangkok.
''As for communities in Bangkok, the biggest problem is still Klong Toey because it is a very large area. We also have some serious drug-related problems in Suthisarn and other areas,'' Col Chatchai said. ''Concerning entertainment venues, the problem in many places is with ice and cocaine. The most troublesome are venues on Ratchadapisek Road, Royal City Avenue on Rama 9 Road and some places along Sukhumvit Road, like Soi Thonglor.
''We would like to obtain more specific information from the police on entertainment venues, like whether they possess a licence, allow under-age people to enter. Some kids who enter are only 13-years-old and they already consume ya ba or ecstasy bought in certain entertainment places.''
Col Chatchai also mentioned that people aged between 17 and 30 are the ones most prone to take drugs and become addicts.
''Many foreigners in Bangkok deal drugs. The biggest headache for us is the people from West African countries, also Pakistani and Iranian nationals as well as those from several Asian countries. As for Australians and Europeans, not so many of them deal drugs locally. They will smuggle it only to their home countries.
''Unfortunately, the smuggling of cocaine to Thailand continues to be organised by groups of people from several West African countries. They are dealing exclusively with foreigners. They are afraid to contact Thais unless introduced by a trusted person as they might be arrested,'' Col Chatchai said.
''This is a very big problem for us as far as the foreigners are involved. It is very difficult to gather intelligence because we can't speak their languages. Sometimes, when they get arrested, they speak English, but they will deny everything and won't talk. We treat them well in an attempt to get their cooperation, but we don't get it.
''As this problem is getting bigger, we recently organised a seminar with anti-narcotic agents from several South American countries, the US Drug Enforcement Administration and officers from other countries to improve cooperation between South American countries and others.''
The colonel said that around 7pm on Dec 12, the NSB, Immigration Bureau, ONCB and the MP sealed off a sub-Soi called ''Double White Horse'' in Soi 3 Sukhumvit where many West Africans known to be dealing drugs and committing other offences gather or live.
''We searched bars and other places. We did some investigation and knew that some people have drugs. About 80 people from West African countries were searched and three were arrested with ice and ecstasy pills. We also seized 24 packages of marijuana dropped by suspects who escaped. Nineteen others were also detained for various immigration offences such as illegal entry and overstaying. They were sent to immigration for further action,'' Col Chatchai said.
''This is not the first time we have conducted this type of operation there and it is not the last one. We also went there to collect passport and other information. We want to have a list of all West Africans and to find out why they are living here and what they are doing.
''They are an international problem. They are all over the world, including in neighbouring countries, South America and so on. If we don't control them now then we will have a really big problem in the future.
''In the past 20 years the West Africans were only couriers, but they developed later to organise the smuggling and selling. They used to live in hotels or guesthouses around the Pratunam area, but now they are scattered all over Bangkok,'' Col Chatchai said.
''They are using Thai women, like their girlfriends, to smuggle cocaine or ice from Latin America. They smuggle the drugs by swallowing about 100 pellets, each containing about 7-10 grammes of cocaine depending on the size of the pellet. Usually they will swallow around one kilogramme of the drug.''
Col Chatchai said it is very difficult to get information on these people and their activities. ''We need West Africans to volunteer to be our informants, but it is almost impossible to recruit them. They stick together. We have some, but they won't tell us everything. They are not so reliable.
''The Pakistanis and Iranians are the next biggest group of foreigners involved in drugs. Customs have made many seizures at Bangkok airport. They are the couriers smuggling mainly heroin from the Golden Crescent as well as ice and cocaine. We are cooperating with the customs people, who give us information after arresting them.''
Pol Lt Gen Atitep Panjamanond, the newly-appointed Commissioner of the NSB, said his main intention is to make sure his subordinates _ about 1,200 of them throughout Thailand _ are well cared for and have all the necessary means to do their jobs properly. ''The volume of work has increased and more funds are necessary as a result. Secondly, we have to reduce addiction,'' he said.
''The drug problem in Thailand originates from a neighbouring country. We must prevent the smuggling of drugs along the borders by employing the Army. In this respect we cooperate closely with them in many fields, including sharing information. If drugs can't enter Thailand will be a drug-free country.
''However, if we can't stop the smuggling then even more people will join them, making it even more difficult for us to prevent,'' Lt-Gen Atitep stressed, adding that more drugs are being smuggled into Thailand than in previous years.
''Many people say that the narcotics trade is run like a business _ demand and supply. This is a wrong assumption. It might be the way a real business is conducted, but it definitely cannot apply to the illegal drug trade. In a business you can control the supply of goods and the price, but when supplying narcotics it doesn't work like that.
''For example, if I seize one million ya ba pills, they will produce two million tomorrow. No one can control the supply. So to protect our country from the supply there must be less addicts, so the demand will go down.''
When asked how many drug syndicates there are in Thailand, Lt-Gen Atitep replied: ''I know but cannot tell you. There are not many big ones, but they are the big fish who hide behind someone.
''We have to block the smuggling of drugs to Bangkok. The ceremony on Dec 13 was intended to highlight this effort. After we accomplish the mission in Bangkok we will concentrate on the regional and provincial areas.
''I would like to ask the public: If you have information on the drug trade, please call 1165.''
Prayong Preeyachitt, Director of the Narcotic Control Office for Bangkok under the ONCB, said his office's duty is to cooperate and coordinate with other government departments in order to reduce the drug problem in Bangkok either by suppression, remedy or prevention by focusing on the spread of drugs.
The ONCB, which is under the Ministry of Justice, has about 1,000 staff.
''Bangkok is a big city and it also has a big illicit drug problem. I am responsible for the Bangkok area and five neighbouring provinces that have a combined number of around 100,000 drug addicts, but not all are hard core. Most of them live in the villages in Bangkok. They need drugs and this contributes to the demand which motivates the smugglers to transport it from the border areas.
''My job is to take care of problems involving drug traffickers, addicts and entertainment places. Bangkok is the biggest area in the country as far as the drug business is concerned. It represents about 30% of all narcotic trade in the country. The Thai drug users mostly consume ya ba, marijuana, thinner and kratom.''
Mr Prayong also mentioned that drugs are smuggled from abroad and there are indications that the volume is going down because of the increased suppression along the borders, but conceded that in some areas it is up and in some down.
He also said that the MP had arrested 51,720 people for drug-related offences so far this year. ''The ONCB and the MP are working closely.
''Addicts represent the biggest problem for us,'' Mr Prayong said, adding that 33,850 addicts have been sent to undergo treatment this year.
''My office has units to arrest people in Bangkok and bring the suspects to the NSB or to the MP, who will conduct the investigation. We don't do that. We are cooperating with the foreign drug law enforcement agencies.''
Mr Prayong said that if the police check various areas for drugs often the trafficking will go down, but if they relax then it will start again.
''The addicts need money to buy the drugs, so they will buy it for resale and become pushers as well. Because of their addictions they cannot get a good job and some are unable to work at all. We will arrest and send them to the court or for treatment.
''One of my major tasks is to make sure that entertainment places are free of drugs. Some places will check the age of the customers, but some don't. Our people who are going around various entertainment places to gather intelligence will go in and make an arrest,'' Mr Prayong said.
He added that the ONCB cooperates closely with foreign anti-drug agencies.
Mr Prayong said that the 'Five Fences Policy' which is a strategy for controlling and reducing the drug problem, has been activated in 441 communities, schools, factories and entertainment venues throughout Bangkok. The five fences are:
- Border Fence: To create activities and a process of work in order to strengthen drug law enforcement measures and interdict drug smuggling in target border areas.
- Community Fence: To create activities and a process of work for all measures in order to strengthen drug immunity in the target villages and communities.
- Social Fence: To create activities and a process of work for integrated social order, and to eliminate all kinds of risk factors to build up drug immunity for all communities/societies.
- School Fence: To create activities and a process of work in order to strengthen schools and educational institutions in building up drug immunity for the new generations.
- Family Fence: To create activities and a process of work in order to strengthen families to be immune to drugs for being a strong unit of the Thai society as a whole.
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