-
26 -
568
PREPARED OFIUM. Raw opium is imported into Siam
to be turned into prepared onium by the Government factory in Bangkok for smoking purposes. The Stare se Government has stead- fastly kept before it the necessity of aking tho onopoly of oplum as complete and as effective as possiblö because, in its
policy opinion, this is a necessary requisite to any effective of regulation or suppression. By treaty, Sian has substantial ly the sole right to import opium. In the past it has fare d out the right of emifacture and sale, but it has been the policy
its ontrol by of the Government in recent times, to enforce taking into its own hands the complcto process of import, "a mufacture and sale. Many of the farms had already been taken over at the time of the Shanghai Commission, and it was then
The Government hoped to take over the remainder within the year. has since been able to abolish the farming system in the rovinces of Prachin, Udon and Puket, nd the supply of opium in the bove →entioned provinces has been breught under the direct control of the Government. But this process has not been completed because the Governxnt is awaiting the complction of the plant
is dene for packing 19mufactured opium in collapsible tubes, 98 in the Netherlands Indies.
the
When this is done, as legitimate oplu can only be found in those tubes, and as those tubes cannot be refilled Government will have a far more perfect test for the detection of contraband opiathan has existed under the former practice But even in of testing opium by the tests of expert sokors. those provinces where the farming evetcr is still in usc, the old
"The old fashioned far cre po por ors of the farmers are gone* longer exist.
Sa Kong They have Ben replaced by sub-farors 51), whose arcas of work o 11mited to ono Muang district only, whose powers are limited and who are under the control of the Governe nt.
The factory for producing opium: packed in tubos, according to the now syste, is now under construction and is (finn cial year expcotod te be working" 'time in R. S. 130 1911-12). Then this plant is completed, the sub-lcssocs of the
away with. In this opium fām will be done
anner, the Govern- ment hopes to scours complete control of the 1port, mufactura and sale of opium throughout the Kingdon.
In the meanti", the number of epiu: shops has been Greatly reduced. In the city of Bangkok it is limited to 200. The exact figures are as follows:-
Opium retail shops proviously existing Abolished in k.2. 128 (1909-10)
•
729
678
Remaining
51
Now Governant Dopota erceted
141
Now in existence
1921
Note: In B. E. 2462 (1919-20) this number was reduced to 103
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