CO129-482 - Public Offices - 1923 — Page 495

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ANNEX E Ι ΤΙ

STATEMENT BY THE SIMESE DELEGATES TO THE INTERNATIONAL OPIUM CONFERENCE AT THE HAGUE

DECEMBER 1911 to JANUARY, 1912.

493

Shanghai,

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At the International Opiuj Sommission of in 1909, the Siamese de egates presented a statement on the opium question as it affects Siam, accompanied by annexes taining statistics, ocrtain Siamese laws, Decrees and Regulations and en extract from a speech of His late Majesty delivered in September 1908.

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It appears unnecessary to cover now the same ground. In presenting therefore, for the inforation of the International Opium Conference, in accordance with their Resclution of December 8th, 1921, a report in writing on the present state opiùm traffic in Sian, the delegates for Sian will confine their remarks to the progress made since the date of the Shanghai Commission. They will repeat, however, that Siam has aeceptod the policy of controlling and ultimately suppressing the vice of opium smoking; but that any action in furtherance of this policy must be gradual, since it is matter of serious importance to the country they represent. If an attempt were made to put a sudden stop to the sale of opium, the only result would be an increase of smuggling, with an inevitable loss of revenue to the Government, w.hile, in fact, the amount of smoking would be hardly affected.

RAW OPIUM. So far as concerns the International supply of opium, Siam may be regarded as a non-producing country.

There is a very small production in the northern hills, at an elevation of over 1,000 metres, by distant hill tribes for their own o neumption; but cultivation of this 1a hsly within the scope of this Conference since it cannot bear comparison with the cultigation in British India, China and

other countries. Such aa it 19, the Siamese Government is prepared to control it.

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