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MEMORANDUM ON OPIUM IN SIAM.
History and General Outline.
On one
1. The use of epium in Siam is first heard of in the reign of Rama III who early realized the evils of the drug and made great efforts to suppress its use in the country. occasion, at least, a large amount was collected and publicly
There is no burnt at the Mcnastery of Sadaana in Bangkok. doubt that Opium was brought into the kingdom by Chinese traders, and with the growth of intercourse between the two
The machinery of countries moro and morò came to be imported. Government being still somewhat primitivo, the efforts at the prohibition of the drug mut with no success, and its sale hau, therefore, perforce to be allowed, but as a Government menepoly.
2. This monopoly was found to yield a handsome reve- nuc to the State, and for a long period was exploited solely for that purpose. The method employed was the so-called "farming system. That is to say, the privilege of preparing and retailing the drug was granted to the person, or syndi- gate of persons, styled the "opium Farm", who offered the
The "Opium Farm" rae put up highest sum to the Government. to auction at regular intervals, and the amount received from the successful bidder formed the revenue under the head of "Opium".
3. The control of the Government over the quantity sold was effected by making it a condition that the Farmer hnú to purchase his raw oplum from the Government which imported
The price at which the pro- Indian opium for the purpose.
pared drug should be sold to the consumer was also fixed by the Government,
4. The control cxercised by the Stato ras, however, not a closc onu, and the Farmor had a free hand to appoint his own inspectors and retailers wherever he thought bust for his
Moreover, sine the interests, without any restriction. Government sold the raw opium to the Farmer at a fairly high price, he was often tempted to purchase Yuman opium from Chengtung and the Shan States to the North of Siam as this was usually cheap. r than the Government opium.
5. The Farmer generally divided his firm up into districts to caoh of which was appointed a sub-Firmer, styled, Sa-Kongsi; and the sub-Farmer, in his turn, appointed rum tailers who sold the drug to the consumer in smoking duns.