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The Naion(5/8/99)



Crossing closed in bid to stem flow of drugs

NATIONAL Security Council chief Kachadpai Burusapatana yesterday announced
the widely expected closure of a northern border checkpoint to prevent the
flow of drugs from Burma. 

The closure will also help eliminate the flow of chemicals used for making
methamphetamines into the area where a large number of heroin and
amphetamines labs are situated, Kajudpai said. 

He added that China, which borders Burma, would be urged to do more to help
curb narcotic activities in the area. 

After meeting with a number of government agencies -- including the
military, foreign ministry, police, and the Office of Narcotic Control
Board -- Kachadpai said the all party-committee had agreed that the closing
of Baan San Ton Doo checkpoint would help restrict the flow of drugs from
the Wa Hills. 

The area is controlled by the United Wa State Army, one of the world
largest armed narcotic trafficking group operating out of Burma Shan State
along the Thai-Burma border. Baan San Ton Doo is situated in Chiang Mai's
Mae Ai District. 

The committee's finding was forwarded to the Ministry of Interior yesterday
and the provincial authorities are expected to close the checkpoint in the
near future, he said. 

The multi-agencies committee agreed yesterday that the closure would not
detrimentally affect the local economy as only Bt70 million of goods were
transported through the checkpoint last year, Kachudpai said. 

The controversial checkpoint was opened last year at the request of the
provincial authorities and the approval of the National Security Council.
It links Mae Ai District to the United Wa State Army (UWSA) southern
command in Mong Yawn, which is about 3O kilometers inside Shan State. 

Kachadpai defended last year's decision to open Baan Son Ton Doo, saying
that the government agencies were not aware of the UWSA's narcotic
activities in the area at the time when the opening of the checkpoint was
being considered. 

He suggested that the checkpoint could be reopened if the Burmese
government agreed to set up the necessary agencies, such as customs and
immigration, at the crossing point. 

UWSA was allowed to shift its operations from Panghsang on the China-Burma
border after signing a cease-fire agreement with the Burmese junta in 1989.
The deal was arranged by Burma's powerful security chief Lt Gen Khin Nyunt
as part of Rangoon's effort to neutralise the 20,000-strong rebel group. 


Since the opening of the checkpoint last year, UWSA has welcomed outsiders,
allowing Thai merchants to transport everything from household goods to
construction materials. Twice a week, hundreds of local Thai merchants line
up at the checkpoint waiting to be screened by immigration and customs
officers before entering what has long been a no-go area. 

Thousands of Thai nationals are involved in a mix of projects including
small dams, hospitals and schools in and around Mong Yawn. A road
construction project -- financed by both the junta and the UWSA -- which
will link Chiang Mai's Mae Ai district to Mong Yawn and Mong Hsat some 90
kilometres inside Burma's Shan State -- is expected to be completed this
year. A loop linking Mong Hsat to the popular border town of Tachilek
opposite Chiang Rai's Mae Sai district is also underway. 

Rangoon has been accused by the international community of turning a blind
eye to narcotic activities in the country, while the government insists
that it does not have full control of its rebel-plagued border. 

''The closure of the checkpoint is just one measure,'' said Kachadpai. ''We
plan to involve the local villagers in the fight against drugs.'' 

In recent months, Thai border officials have engaged in a number of
gunfights with drug trafficking groups crossing over from the Burmese side. 

Kachudpai said about 80 per cent of all the amphetamines flooding the
country originated from the area. 

UWSA is on the verge of becoming the next controller of the Golden
Triangle's illicit drug trade, replacing Khun Sa and his Mong Tai Army who
surrendered to the Burmese government three years ago in return for amnesty. 

Thai and US drug agencies estimate that about 1,700 tonnes of raw opium
were cultivated in the Triangle last year, down from 2,300 tonnes the
previous year, partly because of bad weather. About 10 kilogrammes of opium
is needed to make a kilogramme of heroin. 
----------------------------
Traders criticise border closure

CHIANG MAI -- A group of Thai traders whose livelihood depends on the
operation of the San Ton Doo border checkpoint yesterday accused the
government of choosing the wrong path in trying to solve the escalating
drug trafficking trade from Burma. 

Local traders urged the government to take stricter monitoring measures in
all the Thai-Burmese temporary border checkpoints and not to close the San
Ton Doo in Mae Ai district which is the main lifeline for trading between
the people of two countries. 

''The closing of the San Ton Doo checkpoint will have an adverse impact on
trade and you can expect businesses to be temporarily terminated,'' Somkhit
Onmun, managing director of Pookha Carving Co Ltd said. 

Somkhit whose trading partner is Haw Kham Co, exports high speed diesel and
construction materials to Burma. He said the closure of the temporary
border checkpoint in San Ton Doo will seriously affect the company because
of pending orders. 

''We stand to lose a lot of business. Our trade averages around Bt5 million
a month and we trade legally with the Burmese people and not the Wa army,''
he said. 


He said the government has been misled into making this decision because
San Ton Doo is not a drug route into Thailand but the main access to foster
trade between Thailand and Burma. 

''Why has the government not enforced stricter measures in other border
checkpoints or crossings which are not used for trading and are more
vulnerable to drug transportation,'' he asked. 

Thailand and Burma share 2,401 kms of common border and have 78 border
crossings and several border checkpoints. 

Payoongsak Yordbangtoey, managing director of Golden Triangle Co whose
trading partner is Kab, the governor of Yon, questioned how much the
decision to close the checkpoint will solve the drug problem. 

He admitted that it was useless to object at this point. Payoongsak's
company exports fuel, construction materials and electrical appliances to
neighbouring Burma. 

U Wei Min, managing director of Haw Kham Co joined in the chorus of
dissatisfaction. 

''Narcotics are not transported through this route. It seems the government
is just waking up to the drug problem at this side, and the idea of closing
it has being prompted by some civil servants and politicians whose
interests have not been served,'' he said. 

However, Rachan Veeraphun president of Chiang Mai Chamber of Commerce was
satisfied with the decision because the San Ton Doo is just a trail pass
and not active in trade. 

''The closure will help prevent the trafficking of drugs and smuggling of
cars across the border area,'' he said. 

Meanwhile the National Security Council's announcement to close San Ton Doo
yesterday has resulted in more than 30 trucks queueing up to cross into
Burma. The truck drivers said they would use another checkpoint if San Ton
Doo remains closed today. 
--------------------------
Unocal executive quits after Burma troubles

LOS ANGELES -- Oil giant Unocal has announced the departure of its vice
chairman, John Imle. 

Imle was the architect of Unocal's ill-fated Burma pipeline project and his
departure may lead to a re-evaluation of the company's controversial
partnership with Burma's military junta. 

Imle was a staunch defendant of the company's involvement in Burma despite
his own acknowledgment of the Burmese military's use of forced labour on
their gas pipeline and other abuses inflicted on local people living near
the pipeline. 

He told human rights advocates: ''If forced labour goes hand and glove with
the military, yes, there will be more forced labour. For every threat to
the pipeline there will be a reaction.'' 

Imle often defended the project despite US government condemnation of the
regime and the eventual implementation of US sanctions against it. 

He and Unocal are currently being sued in Federal Court for alleged human
rights violations connected to Unocal's partnership with Burma's military
junta. 

''Imle was warned that its partnership with the Burmese junta would lead to
human rights violations. This turned out to be true, even confirmed by the
US Department of Labour,'' Dr Pye Nyein of the National League for
Democracy said in Los Angeles. 


''Imle was also told that their project was financially unviable, given the
corrupt business climate in Burma and the regional glut of natural gas.
That is also shown to be true. Perhaps that is why Mr Imle is without a job
now.'' 

The US$1.2 billion Yadana project was due to start piping natural gas from
southern Burma into Thailand in July 1998. Now it appears that the gas will
not flow in contracted amounts until 2000 at the earliest despite an
assurance to shareholders in May that it would start this month. 

Even the 2000 starting date is uncertain. A new electricity generating
plant in Ratchaburi is the only customer for the Yadana gas. But the plant
has not been completed and its owner, the Electricity Generating Authority
of Thailand (Egat), desperately short of cash is seeking to make it the
first privatised Egat facility in the country. 

Egat's powerful employees union has vowed to block the privatisation,
darkening the prospects for any quick resolution. 

Unocal shares have declined nearly 10 per cent in recent weeks. Rising
uncertainty over its Burma partnership and a lack of success in other Asian
projects are thought to be among the negative factors. 

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