GR 473
PRIORITY
CYPHER CAT A
FM BANGKOK 172739Z SEPT
CONFIDENTIAL
REGEN ED IN REGISTRY No. 51
18 SEP 1973
LAST
140
REF.
TOP COPY
142
A
CONFIDENTIAL
11/2119/3
TO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG TELNO 104 OF 17 SEPT 73 AND RFI
TO F C 0.
(39)
YOUR TELNOS 43 AND 49: NARCOTICS.
1. THE MORNING POST STORY WAS PICKED UP HERE ON SATURDAY AND REPORTED IN THE AFTERNOON BANGKOK WORLD ALONG WITH A STATEMENT BY DEPUTY POLICE DIRECTOR GENERAL PRACHUAB SUNTHARANGKOON. HE IS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT I HAD CONTACTED HIM RECENTLY ABOUT POSTING
THE HONG KONG ASSISTANT POLICE COMMISSIONER PETER LAW TO THE EMBASSY AS A THIRD SECRETARY IN CHARGE OF NARCOTICS. PRACHUAB ADDED TTHAT ACCORDING TO MY REQUEST, LAW WOULD WORK IN
CLOSE COOPERATION WITH THE THAI POLICE AUTHORITIES TO COLLECT AND
EXCHANGE INFORMATION ON WAYS TO PUT AN END TO THE FLOW OF DRUGS FROM
THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAD NO OBJECTION TO
THIS PROPOSAL AND FULLY SUPPORTED IT. THE EMBASSY WAS DEALING ON THIS WITH THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY AND IT WAS EXPECTED THAT LAW WOULD ARRIVE SOON. PRACHUAB DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION TO SUPPRESS DRUGS FROM THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE. ON SUNDAY THE NATION REPORTED THAT FACTS WITHOUT ELABORATION BUT
THE BANGKOK POST ADDED THE FALSE DETAILS ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION.
2.
TODAY'S EDITORIAL IN THE NATION IS CRITICAL OF THE ATTEMPT BY
FOREIGN POWERS TO STEP IN AND TAKE ACTION IN THAILAND, IT SAYS
''TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY THE BRITISH HAVE STEPPED IN AND WANT
A DRUG ATTACHE POSTED HERE TO STOP TRAFFIC IN DRUGS FROM THAILAND
TO HONG KONG, IF WE ACCEPT THIS SUGGESTION WE ARE CLEARLY TELLING
THE WORLD THAT WE THATS ARE INCAPABLE OF HANDLING OUR OWN AFFAIRS AND THAT THE HONG KONG POLICEMAN PETER LAW CAN SINGLE-
HANDEDLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM WHICH OUR ENTIRE POLICE FORCE CANNOT
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