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Old farming methods being partly blamed for deforestation
National Parks Department trying to discourage
slash-and-burn farming in remote areas
Nuttanee Thaveephol
A debate is on in the north as to whether a farming
technique used by some hill tribes is causing deforestation, and if it is,
which is more important, indigenous farming techniques passed down through
generations or preserving the rainforest?
 As
can be seen in this photo taken alongside a mountain near the Mae Chaem
River, remote areas in Chiang Mai are quite fertile. The National Parks
Department is trying to keep them that way, and to help this effort an
attempt is being made to discourage slash-and-burn farming techniques.
Government officials are encouraging hill tribe farmers
in Mae Chaem to change the way they cultivate the land, but are receiving
some resistance from unnamed experts who say that these farming techniques
are indigenous knowledge and therefore should themselves be protected.
Boonsak Jirawuttiwongchai, director of Forest Resource
Protection and Conservation for the National Parks Department, says that the
deforestation problem in Mae Chaem district is in part due to slash and burn
farming techniques used by hill tribes.
Because of this, since May this year the National Parks
Department has been trying to keep farmers from destroying the forest, and
have been setting up a special plan to cope with the problem in Mae Chaem
and Hot districts in Chiang Mai and Mae Sariang and Mae La Noi districts in
Mae Hong Son.
Boonsak talked of two obstacles to the process:
inaccessible land and resistance from experts who say the slash-and-burn
farming culture is indigenous knowledge that should be conserved.
This particular farming method has been used for many
hill tribe generations, and involves cultivating an area for farming,
growing crops, then eventually moving on to a new area to allow the first
area to rejuvenate and become fertile again. It also means that a very large
area is needed for farming.
Experts say that research has proven that this type of
farming does not cause deforestation, and in fact is a way to conserve the
forest.
“However, we will try to create understanding among
villagers to quit the system ... modern agricultural methods could be
applied which would mean this type of farming could be reduced or given up
completely,” Boonsak said.
An operation team has been sent out to publicize the plan
in Mae Chaem, explain the project’s objectives, exchange opinions with the
villagers, and ask villagers what their basic needs are.
Village representatives have responded by saying they
need cadastral surveying, an increasing amount of the forest, the
government’s permission for them to earn a living in forest areas,
promotion of sustainable agriculture and promotion of non-agricultural jobs.
The villagers also say that they are ready to reduce
their old ways of farming if the government could prove that cultivating in
only one area could increase or at least provide the same amount of crops.
The current special task plan expires on September 30
this year, but the National Parks Department will extend the plan for
another 5-years, from 2004-2009.
This plan is also being used as a model deforestation
prevention and suppression plan for another 7 northern provinces, including
Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai, Phayao, Lampang, Nan, and Tak.
Nine killed
in border drug shootout
PM instructs police to use deadly force to eliminate drug caravans
Metinee Chaikuna
A shootout last week between Wa drug dealers and Thai
police on the Thai-Burmese border left nine drug smugglers dead and resulted
in half a million methamphetamine pills confiscated.
The event prompted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to
call for a step-up in the border drug war. The PM told police that there is
no need to arrest drug caravans crossing into Thailand from the Burmese
border, and instructed police to shoot to kill instead.
The early morning, bloody gun battle erupted between
combined forces of Thai drug suppression / border patrol police and Wa drug
traffickers in Chiang Mai’s Mae Ai district on August 20.
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra reacted with anger
over Burma’s apparent lack of action against the cross-border drug flow
and said Thailand would suppress Wa drug traffickers itself if Burma did
not. The Thai government announced it is determined to wipe out drugs, and
that it is frustrated by drug smuggling from Burma.
The Thai government announced a resolve to get rid of ya
ba caravans from Burma, and an order came down through the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs to ask the Burmese government to help manage the issue.
According to sources, drug suppression police led by Pol.
Lt. Col. Noppadon Nimmanond, in cooperation with the 334th Border Patrol
Police Unit based in Mae Ai district, set up a blockade to halt drug
smuggling through Thailand from Burma.
The combined Thai forces tried to stop a caravan of drug
dealers walking along the Thai-Burmese border ridge at Huai Sala village,
Group 15, Tambon Thaton, Mae Ai district, Chiang Mai, after they received a
tip-off that there would be a big drug smuggling caravan from the drug
factory outside Thailand which would be crossing into Thailand.
The BPP located a caravan of 20 people carrying
backpacks, walking through the border ridge, entering the Thai countryside.
The combined police forces ordered them to stop, but the caravan refused,
ran for cover and opened fire with AK-47 sub-machine guns.
After 30 minutes of fighting, police detonated a planted
bomb which they had set as a trap. The explosion caused the surviving
members of the caravan to retreat, leaving nine dead comrades behind.
Near the bodies, police found five backpacks, each
containing 100,000 ya ba pills, for a total of 500,000 pills. Police also
confiscated five AK-47 machine guns, 10 grenades, two M 26 grenades, two
walkie-talkie radios, one pistol and one set of binoculars.
Autopsies on the dead bodies were carried out in Mae Ai.
Authorities disclosed that the drug caravan was made up
of members of a Red Wa minority group. Eleven of the 20 managed to escape
into the jungle. Police surmise that at least some of the survivors were
injured, as there was a blood trail through the forest.
Meanwhile, it was reported on the same day that Thai PM
Thaksin Shinawatra received a report from Pol. Lt. Gen. Preowpan Damapong
about the gun battle. The report emphasized that the Red Wa has not stopped
producing ya ba pills.
PM Thaksin said that as far as he knows, the Red Wa have
a ya ba factory 20 km from the border ridge, and that Thai police have
already reported this to the Burmese government, and even provided them with
a map indicating the spot where this factory is operating.
Prime Minister Thaksin ordered the Minister of Foreign
Affairs to cooperate with the Burmese government to manage the Red Wa case.
Nearly 1,000 people stricken with hemorrhagic fever this year in Chiang Mai
Thus far, no recorded deaths
Supatatt Dangkrueng
Recent figures released by the Chiang Mai Provincial
Public Health Office show hemorrhagic fever is on the rise, as nearly 1,000
cases were recorded from January 1 to August 8 this year. Thus far, none
have been fatal.
Of the 992 cases reported from the beginning of the year
through August 8, the heaviest hit area was Chai Prakan district, followed
by Muang district and Mae Chaem district.
 Nuttawut
Sukmee, head of Chiang Mai Provincial Public Health Office, released figures
of hemorrhagic fever showing that almost 1,000 have been recorded so far
this year.
Nattawut Sukmee, head of Chiang Mai Provincial Public
Health Office, said hemorrhagic fever has become a problem in Chiang Mai, as
locally, there are many risky areas, especially in large communities where
it has been difficult for officials to get to and work on controlling the
birth of mosquitoes.
Although the municipality has initiated a project to blow
swing fog (a chemical smog) through high risk areas to kill off mosquitoes,
people have been shutting their doors and windows, preventing the fog from
entering their homes, and therefore the mosquitoes inside are not affected
by the process.
Suthep Fongsri, disease control technician for Chiang Mai
Provincial Public Health Office, is asking people to help prevent the spread
of mosquitoes by checking water containers every week. “Because the
mosquito larvae’s life cycle is about a week, if we could reduce this, we
could control the hemorrhagic fever situation,” he stressed.
Businesses being asked not to sell putrid food as alms for monks
Monks filing complaints with local authorities
Evidently some unscrupulous vendors are putting putrid
food into nice looking packaging and selling it as alms to give to monks for
making merit.
This sacrilegious practice seems to be concentrated
around the Somphet market area, but evidently this is not the only place
this is happening.
The matter was brought to the attention of local
authorities, and Chiang Mai’s Consumer Protection Association (CPA) has
sprung into action in cooperation with the Chiang Mai Provincial Public
Health Office and Chiang Mai Municipality.
Supasarat Sutheepornwiroj, CPA coordinator, said the
association has received many complaints that stalls in front of Somphet
market are selling these packaged bad foods for people to put in Buddhist
monk’s bowls during alms making.
The complaints are being lodged by the monks who receive
the food from in front of the markets every morning. Most of the bad foods
are packaged foods sold from the stalls, not foods for household cooking.
Supasarat added that there were many complaints from many
areas, not only at the Somphet market.
Supasarat said that the CPA and the two government
sectors mentioned above will seriously take action. He said first they will
hold meetings to try and figure out what to do to solve this problem, and he
hopes they will find solutions very soon. He said this could include a
training course for packed food sellers, inspections of food vendors, and
taking legal action against those who are using this demerit making
practice.
Free sterility scheme underway
to reduce stray animals
Provincial Livestock Office offering free chop shop
Supatatt Dangkrueng
Chiang Mai Provincial Livestock Office is performing free
sterilization on stray cats and dogs, hoping to reduce their numbers.
Office director, Trianam Worapanya said that workers at
the livestock office operate on Wednesdays, and that they have sent out
letters to temple committees in the area to announce the service and invite
them to bring in temple cats and dogs for surgical birth control, stressing
that they will do this free of charge.
Trianam said that the number of stray cats and dogs
living in the streets and at temples is on the increase, and that the
livestock office wants to control the birth rate of these wandering animals.
He said that the number of strays is increasing because more people are
neglecting their pets and/or dropping off unwanted pets at local temples.
The livestock office previously sent their workers out to
the temples where they performed the operations on site, and this project
was working quite well. But it became too time consuming, so they have
changed their strategy and are now asking people to bring these strays into
the office instead.
Along with sterilization, the livestock office is also
offering free health checks and treatment for strays.
This project will continue until the end of September.
So, if there is one or more overly prolific strays in
your temple, bring it in to the livestock office on Wednesday so that their
workers can exorcize said stray’s libido - for free.
Thai delegates heading to China to pick out 10 million baht pandas for Chiang Mai Zoo
Pandas scheduled to arrive in October
Phitsanu Thepthong
Chiang Mai Zoo director Thanong Nathipitak told Chiangmai
Mail that a Thai delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Gen Chavalit
Yongchaiyudh, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Prapat
Panyachartraks, and other high ranking officials of the Zoological Park
Organization, will travel to China next month to pick out two pandas to
bring back to Chiang Mai Zoo in October.
They will choose the two animals from 40 giant pandas
being raised at the Wulong Nature Reserve in China’s western province of
Sichuan.
The two young animals, one male and one female, will be
housed in a special compound and research facility being built at Chiang Mai
Zoo. The facility, which is being built with a 39-million baht budget
allocated by the Thai government Budget Bureau, should be completed by
September 15.
Thanong added that officials at Chiang Mai Zoo will
jointly conduct research with Chinese officials during the 10 year-contract,
and during this period, the Thai government must pay $25,000 a year to
China’s wildlife fund to rent the pandas and for further research. The
money will also be used to fund research on pandas in China.
China will send two staff to take care of the pandas
during the joint research, according to Thai government spokesman Sita
Divari. Thailand will pay their salaries, about 43,000 baht each per month.
Under the agreement, Thailand will pay China US$250,000
for the loan of two rare giant pandas for 10 years under a draft agreement
approved by the cabinet.
“Other foreign countries must pay more than 40 million
baht a year to China for the loan of rare giant pandas, while Thailand will
pay only 10 million baht per year,” the zoo director remarked.
Tight security deployed around McCormick Hospital to protect senator’s brother
Shot on his way to see fortuneteller, he remains in intensive care
Phitsanu Thepthong
Payoongsak Yodbangtoey, 57, was driving past Pinkarat
kindergarten on Montri Road in Muang district, Chiang Mai, when he was shot
by the pillion rider on a motorcycle.
Payoongsak, the younger brother of Chiang Mai Senator
Maj.-Gen Intharat Yodbangtoey, was shot in the head on Sunday, just before a
visit with his fortuneteller.
Although hit in the right temple by a .38 caliber bullet,
Payoongsak managed to phone his wife, Daranee Yodbangtoey and tell her what
had happened. He was also able to drive a few kilometers further on to
McCormick hospital on Kaew Navarat Road. He collapsed unconscious upon
reaching the hospital, and was subsequently rushed into surgery.
In 2001, crime suppression police arrested Payoongsak at
Chiang Mai International Airport on a charge of supplying weapons to the
United Wa State Army in Burma, and he reportedly accused a local police
officer of being involved in the illegal business.
Payoongsak was released on bail pending prosecution, and
planned to be in court on August 30.
His brother, Senator Maj.-Gen Intharat said during a
visit to Payoongsak’s room at the hospital, that he is offering 100,000
baht for information leading to the arrest of the assailants.
He said the shooting in the city center was very
frightening, and he plans to submit a compliant to the authorities over the
procedures being used to tackle the influential persons and dark influences
problems. He said his brother Payoongsak was not involved with the supplying
of weapons to minority groups in Burma.
Senator Intharat urged Chiang Mai police to speed up
their investigation to find the gunman. Pol Col Prasert Chantrapipat, deputy
commander of Chiang Mai Provincial Police, has been appointed to head the
investigation.
Payoongsak’s businesses include a petrol station, real
estate firm, property holding, and creditors. Police surmise that the
motivation behind the murder attempt was a business conflict.
Mae Hong Son governor says that government officials are invading forestry lands
He says the law gives local kamnan the right to arrest them
Mae Hong Son Governor Supot Laowansiri said that state
officials, forestry officials, police, and administration officers are
forest intruders.
The governor said that he has followed up forest
encroachment in Mae Hong Son and found out that authorities, police, and
forestry officials are involved in 90% of forest invasions and forest
clearing.
He said he found out that whenever parts of the forest
were destroyed, the accused were never arrested. He believes that local
politicians also took part in encroaching upon and destroying the forest
area nearby the Mae Hong Son Drug Rehabilitation Center.
The provincial governor reasoned that local people could
not commit something illegal like this so near a state office, and said he
was sure that this case must be the work of state officials.
The governor recently told local kamnan, village headman
of every tambon and the tambon administration organization’s president
that according to ministerial law and the National Park Bill, kamnan,
village headman, and TAO presidents have authority to arrest anyone who
commits illegal missions into the forest.
The governor said that much of Mae Hong Son’s forest
has been destroyed, and only 78% has been left in tact. In Mae Sariang
district, 1,000 rai of forest has been destroyed, another 8-rai in Muang Mae
Hong Son District, and along the Mae Hong Son roadsides the destruction has
also been severe. He said that fences have even been erected, dividing the
land into many plots and announcing that the land is for sale.
The governor has asked local community leaders to use
their right to help protect their local forest without fear of retribution
from authorities.
Government backs funds for disabled
Working towards an improvement in their quality of life
Supatatt Dangkrueng
The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security has
asked for government budget approval to support the disabled and help
improve their quality of life.
Choosak Chantayanon, advisory to Minister of Social
Development and Human Security, said during a recent academic conference in
Chiang Mai that the ministry plans to improve disabled people’s quality of
life and is asking the government for two funds to help the cause, an
educational fund and an efficiency recovery fund.
The budget for the educational fund has already been
approved in the amount of 200 million baht, which will be distributed to
disabled students so that they may buy helpful equipment at educational
institutes. Each disabled student will be given 2,000 baht a year to
purchase helpful equipment like a walking stick or headphones.
Choosak added that the second budget will be used to
improve efficiency, and at present it is in the process of gaining approval.
Choosak said he hopes this fund will help disabled people become more
efficient, as well as encourage private organizations to employ disabled
people.
This project is expected to be tangible within five
years. The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security is currently
creating a bill to go before Parliament for consideration.
Northern provinces prepare to cope with floods
Meanwhile, Lamphun dealing with drought
Nuttanee Thaveephol
Many northern provinces are preparing to cope with flood
situations, as some communities in Chiang Mai are faced with increasing
water levels. Meanwhile, agricultural plantations in Lamphun are suffering
from a lack of water.
Due to a low-pressure system passing through upper
northern Thailand, and southwest monsoons covering the country, there has
been heavy rain in many areas in Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, and Nan provinces.
Phrae governor, Amornpan Nimanan has commanded every
involved unit to make an integrated plan to prevent flash floods and provide
help for the victims to get through the first 24 hours of any flood
situation.
There was also heavy rain for the whole night of August
19, which caused flash floods in the Chiang Mai Gate community area and left
over a thousand families in trouble, as water swelled 2-3 feet high and
rushed into their homes.
About 50 victims submitted a complaint letter to the
authorities to inform them that they have to face these flood problems
several times a year because the drainage system is too narrow.
The rushing water that flowed into their houses always
becomes tainted and causes infections. Therefore, government units are asked
to take responsibility for preventing and coping with these problems.
Meanwhile, Lamphun is encountering a water shortage for
agricultural purposes. The Upper Northern Region Royal Artificial
Rain-Making Operation Center has made artificial rain to increase the amount
of water in the Mae Ping Watershed. At present, agricultural products in Li
district, Lamphun have been damaged by the drought.
75 old rubber trees lost, 936 trees left along Lamphun-Chiang Mai Road
Beautiful trees provide shade, make the trip pleasurable
Metinee Chaikuna
The trip from Chiang Mai to Lamphun along Route #106 is
made beautiful by the hundreds of old yang (rubber) trees that line both
sides of the road.
One hundred and twenty one years ago, 1,011 of these
trees were planted along the route. The Highways Department Bureau #2
reported on August 19 that 936 yang (rubber) trees are left, meaning that
only 75 have been lost.
 Lamphun-Chiang
Mai Road is beautiful because of the Yang trees along the roadside.
From 1994 to 2003, some of the trees died, some were
struck by lightening or were blown over during storms, and the Public Works
Department had to cut down three yang trees to construct the ring road
around Chiang Mai City.
A recent survey showed that an additional 15 yang trees
had died and the Highway Bureau is considering asking for permission to cut
them down.
The Highway Bureau has been cutting off dried branches
and putting reflectors and lighting signs to mark the trees so that
travelers will not crash into the trees at night. The Highway Bureau has
also been painting the trees with calcium oxide to prevent fungus, termites,
and other insects from damaging the trees. The bureau has also used a budget
of 10.191 million baht to improve the road to prevent flooding.
The yang trees planted along both sides of the road
between kilometer markers 170 & 181 in Saraphi and Muang districts are
the symbol of Saraphi district. These trees are soft wood, and the branches
are fragile and easily broken. Their height ranges from 20 to 50 meters.
Yang tree flowers bloom from November to May. The fruit
is ripe from March to February. Since yang trees are protected by Forestry
Bill, B.E. 2484, by law, they cannot be cut down unless prior approval is
gained from authorities.
Chao Intawichaiyanond, Chiang Mai City’s 7th ruler, who
reigned over the city for 24 years, 1873-1897, had the yang trees planted.
During this period, Mahammarttho Chao Phraya
Suraseewisitsak, lord lieutenant of the archaic provincial governor of the
north initiated the planting along the road from Kuayan, Muang district,
Chiang Mai to Muang district, Lamphun on October 20, 1882. He asked people
who’s homes the Yang trees were planted in front of, to erect a fence to
prevent cows and buffaloes from destroying them, and to take care of the
trees.
Now the Yang trees are 121 years old.
In 1997, the mayor of Tambon Yannerng asked for
cooperation from local people in Saraphi to donate 6,000 local orchids to
plant amongst the Yang trees to make the road more beautiful.
Nowadays, the main causes of death for yang trees are
local people who like to attach advertising signs to the trees, or pour
cement around them, or discard rubbish around the trees, and some people
burn them in commercial shops along the road sides.
Nine northern provinces sign agreement against human trafficking
Nuttanee Thaveephol
Government and private sectors from 9 upper northern
provinces signed an agreement to cooperate in the suppression of trafficking
in women and children. The signing ceremony was performed on August 21 at
Chiang Mai Orchid Hotel.
The Ministry of Social Development and Human Security
cooperated with both government and private sectors to arrange the signing
ceremony.
 Representatives
from 65 organizations and 19 observers joined the signing ceremony,
including the governors from 9 upper northern provinces, police agents,
government and non-government organizations. (Photo by Metinee Chaikuna)
Representatives from 65 organizations and 19 observers
joined in the signing ceremony. There was good attendance among the many
involved units, and those attending included the governors of Chiang Mai,
Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Phrae, Nan, Phayao, Lamphun, Lampang, and Tak,
plus American, British, and Japanese consuls, police, and non-government
organizations.
Weerasak Kowsurat, deputy minister of social development
and human security, as the president of the ceremony noted that prostitution
and child labor are violent problems that have spread out within the Mekong
River Basin countries.
“Our country is both the gateway, bypass, and
destination of these complicated problems, which have been ignored for a
long time. We have to integrate the help of many organizations to find a
multidisciplinary way to solve the problems. The Ministry of Social
Development and Human Security will be the host for coordinating with all
units for more effective operations,” remarked Weerasak.
National Thai Police Bureau deputy police chief, Pol.
Gen. Amnuay Petchsiri, stated that the agreements would be beneficial to
police, as officers would be able to coordinate with private organizations
during their investigations.
“I would like to ask for cooperation from the
provincial police bureaus and region 5 and region 6 commissioners,” said
the deputy police chief.
At present, an estimated 50,000 or more Thai girls from
the northern region and highland areas have been procured for prostitution
in Japan and other European countries. The victims of human trafficking can
be divided into 2 groups: those who were lured into prostitution and those
who procure prostitutes to sell sex in other countries.
This agreement is aimed at changing opinions to see
prostitutes as victims instead of criminals. Prostitutes will be asked to
become witnesses, to undergo treatment, and identify the culprits.
Home Sweet Home
Chiang Mai prisoners allowed to receive families
Nantanee Jedsadachaiyut
August 18 was a special day for well-behaved prisoners at
Chiang Mai Central Prison, as it was the first day for over 3,000 of them to
receive extended visits from their families.
 Chiang
Mai Governor Suwat Tantipat greets prisoners and their relatives at Chiang
Mai Central Prison.
Chiang Mai Central Prison commander, Chan Srikong said
that the Corrections Department has set a policy they hope will strengthen
relationships between prisoners and their families. By doing this, the
Corrections Department hopes the prisoners would improve themselves to be
able to cope with others in society.
Commander Chan also said that this activity would
directly affect the mental condition of the prisoners, “They are (a part
of) society. In the past, they just walked in the wrong direction, but now
they are trying to adjust to the right way again.”
 A
warm relationship remains between a father and his child.
During the event, 3,087 well-behaved prisoners were
allowed to participate in the activities, and about 2,200 people had stated
their intention to visit the prisoners.
Chiang Mai Central Prison arranged the daily event from
August 18-22, and held the activities again August 25-29. The prisoners
received the opportunity to spend time with family and relatives in the
areas provided for 2 hours.
Chiang Mai Governor Suwat Tantipat presided over the
opening ceremonies on August 18.
Drug syndicates change smuggling route to Thai-Lao borders
Soldiers instructed to intercept the routes
Nuttanee Thaveephol
The heavy crackdown on cross-border drug trafficking
along the Burmese border has had an unwanted side-effect for other areas in
the north, as the Thai-Laos border, especially in the areas of Chiang Rai,
Nan, and Phayao, has become a primary target for drug syndicates.
Army Lt. Gen. Pathompong Kesornsook has been following
the situation and monitoring progress in the suppression of drugs,
influential people, and alien labor in the Nan area, and said that the
spread of drugs in Nan has been reduced, but drug syndicates are now trying
to smuggle drugs through the Thai-Laos border.
Lt. Gen. Pathompong went to border at Huay Kroan
checkpoint, Chalermprakiat district on August 15-16. He reported that there
are millions methamphetamine pills waiting to be delivered to Thailand, and
therefore the Lt. Gen. commanded soldiers in the area to coordinate with
other involved units to follow drug dealers’ movements and intercept the
routes.
The drug syndicates are also expected to be concerned
with the influential groups, hired gunmen, and other dishonest government
officers. Also, most alien laborers coming from Laos try to use Nan to pass
into other regions of Thailand.
DJ arrested for selling drugs to teenagers
Police raid makeshift entertainment places, recommend they be shut down
On the night of August 22, over 100 Chiang Mai policemen
patrolled a new hangout for youngsters in Tambon Chang Puek, nearby Wat Pa
Paeng temple, and Im-boon Housing Estate, Muang District, Chiang Mai.
Over 30 entertainment places, pubs, bars, food and drink
shops, and karaoke bars have opened in the area, and over a hundred
youngsters gather there nightly to drink and allegedly buy drugs.
While the police were searching the shops, Preechapong
Yawichai, a 21-year-old DJ at Jiamjiam Pub, tried to flee the scene on his
motorcycle, but doughty police managed to catch him, and found 10 ya ba
pills and a bottle of K drug inside his motorcycle seat.
Police said that they had followed Preechapong for a long
time, as it had been reported that he was a ya ba agent for teenagers in the
area. He allegedly normally had 2 girls with him who sold the drugs to
teenagers.
Police also found 22 youngsters who were under 20 years
old in the entertainment area, and these youngsters were fined 50 baht each.
Police are asking Chiang Mai Governor Suwat Tantipat to
close these pubs, and police are confident that the governor would do so.
Deputy supreme prosecutor calls for drug law reform
More focus on rehabilitation than punishment
Nantanee Jedsadachaiyut
Deputy supreme prosecutor, Rewat Chum-chalerm said that
Thailand’s drug laws are about due for reform.
Speaking at a seminar he presided over last week about
the “Drug Addict Rehabilitation 2002” act of legislature, the deputy
supreme prosecutor said more focus should be put on rehabilitation rather
than punishment.
“Enforcing (the act of legislation) would decrease the
number of drug prisoners, because it is a prolonged accusation theory,”
said Rewat.
The legislative act provides the public prosecutors with
judicial power to set up a time frame to receive medical determination to
see if alleged drug offenders are being reformed or need incarceration. The
strategy would help reduce the number of prisoners in jails, which are
already overcrowded.
However, Rewat said that this would mean reforming the
judicial system, for lengthening the jurisdiction processes would cause an
even bigger backlog, as there are so many criminal cases. One way to help
this, Rewat said, would be to reduce penalties for minor cases, using fines
and probation instead of imprisonment.
Rewat also said that most importantly, the system should
pay much more attention to juvenile cases. He said that in the past, the law
process focused more on jailing youths rather than providing solutions
and/or support.
“Acts of legislation involving juveniles have not been
strictly enforced, and they should be in order to redirect these wayward
juveniles to become productive members of society,” added the deputy of
state prosecutor.
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