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overcome organizational, bureaucratic, personnel, and equipment problems.
UNITED STATES-THAI COOPERATION
The U.S. Embassy is of the opinion that the Government of Thai- land is cooperating in the combined effort to control smuggling of narcotics through Thailand. U.S. personnel working on the narcotics problem, therefore, reject the allegation that the United States is "tak- ing it easy on the Thais because we need the air bases."
These officials believe that the Thais have no choice but to cooperate. There are an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 opium addicts in Thailand and the use of heroin, particularly among the young, is increasing. According to the U.S. Ambassador who meets with the Prime Min- ister and other Government leaders at least once per week to discuss this and other aspects of United States-Thai relations, the Thai Gov- ernment is of the opinion that it is cooperating with the United States and that it is abiding by the agreements as outlined in the Memoran- dum of Understanding. The Government of Thailand resents charges that it is not sincere in its antinarcotics programs and that high rank- ing officials are corrupt. The Thai Government was, therefore, grateful when the Special Assistant to the Secretary of State for Narcotics Matters told members of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs on June 6, 1972, that “Based on intelligence infor- mation available, the leaders of the Thai Government are not engaged in the opium or heroin traffic, nor are they extending protection to traffickers. There have been some reports of corruption among some working level narcotics officials. Police General Prasert, head of the Thai National Police and a member of the ruling National Executive Council has stated publicly that he would punish any corrupt officials." Further, the U.S. Ambassador said that the Thais also appreciate the fact that a U.S. narcotics official had publicly defended the Thai Government against the charge that it had not destroyed 26 tons of opium that had been turned over to the Government by Chinese Irreg- ular Forces in return for land to resettle.
In spite of their pronounced willingness to cooperate, however, the Thai Government could do more. Although there is little doubt it would like to deal more effectively with narcotics the Thai Government is preoccupied with security and political problems in the north.
The Thais are fearful that the area east of the Salween River in Burma will be used to furnish Chinese Communist assistance to the Communist insurgents who are operating against the Government in northern Thailand.
For this reason, Thailand permits U Nu, former Prime Minister of Burma, to operate in Northern Thailand and to direct the activities of his antigovernment forces operating in Burma from that location. The Thais are of the opinion that if U Nu were successful he would return to Burma and establish a government which would be more friendly toward Thailand.
In addition, the Thai Government has also provided safe haven in Thailand from some of the dissidents operating in Burma in return for information on the Burmese Communists and other groups.
This exacerbates Thai relations with the present Government of Burma. U Nu is actively engaged in activities aimed at the overthrow
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