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The Siamese Government has steadfastly kept before it the necessity of making the monopoly of opium as complete and as effective as possible because, in its opinion, this is a necessary requisite to any effective policy of regulation or suppression. By treaty, Siam has substancially the sole right to import opium. In the past it has farmed out the right of manufacture and sale, but it has been the policy of the Government in recent times, to enforce its control by taking into its own hands the complete process of import, manufacture and sale. Many of the farms had already been taken over at the time of the Shanghai Commis- sion, and it was then hoped to take over the remainder within the year. The
Government has since been able to abolish the farming system in the provinces of Prachin, Udon and Puket, and the supply of opium in the above mentioned
provinces has been brought under the direct control of the Government. But this process has not been completed, because the Government is awaiting the
completion of the plant for packing manufactured opium in collapsible tubes, as is done in the Netherlands Indies.
When this is done, as legitimate opium can only be found in these tubes, and as these tubes cannot be refilled, the Government will have a far more perfect test for the detection of contraband opium than has existed under the former practice of testing opium by the tests of expert smokers. But even in those provinces where the farming system in still in use, the old powers of the farmers are gone. The old fashioned farmers no longer exist. They have been replaced by sub-farmers (Sa Kong Si), whose areas of work are limited to one Muang district only, whose powers are limited and who are under the control' of the Government.
The factory for producing opium packed in tubes, according to the new system, is now under construction and is expected to be working some time in R. S. 130 (financial year 1911-12). When this plant is completed, the sub-lessees of the opium farm will be done away with. In this manner, the Government hopes to secure complete control of the import, manufacture and sale of opium throughout the Kingdom.
In the meantime, the number of opium shops has been greatly reduced. In the city of Bangkok it is limited to 200. The exact figures are as follows:-
28
Opium retail shops previously existing Abolished in R. S. 128 (1909-10)
Remaining
+
729
678
51
New Government Depots erected
141
Now in existence
192 *
In due time, it is intended to take measures by legislation to limit and prescribe qualification for the persons who are allowed to enter smoking shops- or to use opium.
The Government is not, meanwhile, idle in regard to suppressing the use of opium. All Government officials have for a long time been prohibited by law from its use. For violations of this law they are liable to summary dismissal. Also, since a few years ago the old military system was superseded by the present universal military organization, the same rule is applied in the Army, Navy, and Gendarmeries; and members of those forces are not allowed
to use opium.
The same rule applies to prisoners in jails.
MORPHINE AND COCAINE.
With regard to Morphine and Cocaine, the views of the Siamese Govern- ment have been explained in a Note from the Siamese Minister for Foreign Affairs to the Netherlands Minister in Bangkok, dated December 29th 1910, a
copy of which has been distributed among the Delegates at this Conference.
Briefly
As regards Cocaine, there is, so far, no extensive abuse of
the drug in Siam; but the Government is anxious to deal with its use in the
same way as with Morphine.
As regards Morphine, it is imported into Siam from Europe and elsewhere
and none is produced in the country. So far as its sale and use are concerned, the Siamese Government has, from the beginning, endeavoured to the utmost of
its powers to confine this harmful drug within its legitimate limits. The subject
* NOTE.-In B. E. 2462 (1919-20 ) this number was reduced to 103.
29
40