The nation914/7/99)

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Fugitive drug lord Surachai still dealing from across Burmese border

THE trail of fugitive drug kingpin Surachai ''Bang Ron'' Ngernthongfoo has
gone cold following the disappearance of a number of his contacts, though
police say the fugitive is still running drug-trafficking operations from
across the border. 

The only change since Bang Ron has been on the run is the gradual return to
normalcy of the Nong Chok community, once a stronghold of the illicit
amphetamine trade, although some remnants of the Bang Ron gang still peddle
drugs. 

Pol Lt-Gen Nopadol Somboonsap, police assistant commissioner-general,
voiced concern that despite the intensive manhunt Bang Ron remained at
large under the protection of a Burmese minority rebel group and was known
to be living in Tachilek, Burma. 

Nopadol claimed that Bang Ron continued to supervise amphetamine
trafficking from his safe haven, opposite Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district. 

In one of the largest drug hauls, the police's Narcotics Suppression Bureau
(NSB) raided Bang Ron's residence in Nong Chok but met with stiff resistance. 

After the gunfight had died down, police managed to secure the area and
arrested a number of suspects, although Bang Ron escaped while a gang
member was shot dead by police. 

Pol Lt-Col Somsak Vimanrat of Nong Chok police station revealed that days
after his escape the drug kingpin had kept in regular telephone contact
with Somnuek Rasmee, a local administrator. 

As the investigation seemed close to establishing a trace on Bang Ron,
Somnuek suddenly disappeared. Police have been unable to confirm his
whereabouts since April, Somsak said. 

Somsak added that although local police had been closely monitoring
movements around Bang Ron's residence the fugitive had not returned to it. 

He also stated that the criminal investigation into the extrajudicial
killing of Bang Ron gang member Adul ''Bang Ro'' Pholchat had recommended
against the prosecution of police officers involved in the raid and killing. 

Among the suspects rounded up after the raid, police recommended the
dropping of charges against Kodet Suksawai, Nik Sukkho and Wongklot
Kasemsak, designating them as prosecution witnesses. 

The case is being reviewed by the state prosecutor's office. 

A food-vendor whose stall is close to Bang Ron's residence expressed relief
that police had put an end to Bang Ron's illicit trafficking, saying that
the drug kingpin had given the Muslim community a bad reputation. 

The vendor claimed that because of Bang Ron the community had been
perceived by other Muslims as violating religious laws against drugs. 

She said community members had always had suspicions about Bang Ron and his
wealth. Once when a neighbour asked Bang Ron's mother about his sudden
fortune, the reply was that Bang Ron had won first prize in a lottery, she
recalled. 

She also claimed that Bang Ron had spent little time at his Nong Chok
residence, leaving his mother and relatives to take care of the house. 

NSB commissioner Pol Lt-Gen Komkrit Patpongpanit said the prosecution of
the Bang Ron case should commence soon, pending the prosecutor's review.
Three suspects, Pol Maj Sompong Ningnuek, Banjerd Theeravet and Somboon
Oknoy, are to be prosecuted on charges of trafficking, while three other
suspects are to be designated as prosecution witnesses. 

Komkrit said police were trying to bring back Bang Ron and his wife,
Nittaya, to stand trial. 

The police manhunt for Bang Ron has apparently caused a rift between the
Metropolitan Police and the NSB, according to a source close to the
investigation. 

Both the Metropolitan Police team, headed by Pol Col Suchart Theerasawat,
and the NSB team had tracked Bang Ron to the border before he crossed into
Burma. As the two teams staked out the fugitive, police
commissioner-general Pol Gen Pracha Phromnok ordered the the Metropolitan
Police Bureau to call off its operation, acting on the recommendation of
Nopadol, also a former NSB commissioner. 

Nopadol argued that the concurrent operations of two teams might foil
efforts to bring Bang Ron back. 

A police source claimed that after the pull-out of its rival team, the NSB
team had brought in a female contact of Bang Ron, known as Je Yai, for
questioning. Je Yai is believed to have masterminded the operation whereby
the fugitive eluded police and crossed into Burma. 

The source insisted that the NSB team had subsequently agreed to free Je
Yai to follow Bang Ron into Burma, expecting her to arrange for the
fugitive's surrender, but Je Yai also disappeared after her release. 

Komkrit denied allegations that the NSB had ever tracked down and detained
Je Yai. 

BY CHAIYAKORN BAI-NGERN 

The Nation
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