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ANNEXE II.
STATEMENT BY THE SIAMESE DELEGATES TO THE INTERNATIONAL
OPIUM COMMISSION AT SHANGHAI, FEBRUARY, 1909.
Opium is now and for a long time has been a Government monopoly, formerly administered through an Opium Farm, but since January 1907 it has been controlled directly by the Government Opium Regie.
By the treaty between Siam and the United States of America, signed in 1833, very broad rights of importation into, and trade within, Siam were granted to America citizens, but particular exception was made of Opium, the words being "neither is permission granted to import Opium, which is contraband ;” but by the treaty with Foreign Powers, signed in 1855 and after, opium may be imported by their subjects under the condition that it should be sold to the Opium Farm or re-exported.
Under these circumstances, practically no opium is imported into Siam except the supplies for the Government Factory.
The Siamese Government claims, under the treaties, the right to exercise the same amount of control over morphia as over opium itself. In view, how- ever, of the legitimate uses to which morphia may be put in the practics of medicine, the Royal Government has permitted the importation of reasonable amounts by reputable chemists under certain safe guards, but its importation by other persons is not permitted.
Siam is not an opium producing country, and whatever opium is consumed in Siam is imported from abroad.
In the Appendix is found the customs return showing the quantity of opium imported into Siam for the last decade (annexe No. I.) *
The import of Chandu is prohibited except for medicinal purposes. It is also not allowed to import pills or other drugs that purport to cure the opiam habit, when those so-called medicines contain opium or other derivatives,
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• NOTE: The Annexes mentioned are not reproduced here.
Opium is prepared by the Government factory in Bangkok for smoking purposes: there are two grades of opium, the first grade is made from Indian opium, whereas the inferior quality is more diluted and composed of Indian and
· Chinese opium.
The illicit use of morphine and other derivatives is confined to medicinal
purposes.
The illicit use of morphine in the form of hypodermic injection is rarely met with and the habit is not spreading.
As stated above Siam does not produce opium because it does not cultivate the poppy.
The Laws. Decrees and Regulations on the importation, sale and use of opium and its derivatives are found translated in the Appendix: it is deemed
not necessary to reproduce certain regulations, which have been abrogated or which present little interest. (Annexes Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.)
In conclusion the attitude of the Royal Siamese Government regarding the opium question as it affects Sian is clearly defined in His Majesty's speech of the 21st September 1908 ( Annexe No. 8). From its perusal it will be seen that it is the aim of the Government to ultimately suppress the use of opium, but to attain the desired end the line of policy to be followed must be carefully considered and very thorough investigation made into the matter, before venturing on experiments that might prove disastrous to the revenue of the State without making any progress towards the suppression of the vice.
For as shown elsewhere, the opium consumed in Siam is wholly imported and controlled by the Government, whereby its sale can be kept within reasonable limits. If however, any sudden and spasmodic attempt at suppression
of the traffic were to be made, it would only result in a vast increase of smug- gling. Consequently His Majesty's Government has decided to suppress the trade by gradual steps: it has begun already by making the monopoly as complete and effective as possible in taking over the Farms under the old system (January 1907). It has also placed in some districts salaried officials to supervise the sale of opium and it is hoped that in the near future this system will be generalized. It is worth while mentioning that the number of opium
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