TNAG-0414-FCO40-460-Review-of-narcotics-problem-in-Hong-Kong-1973 — Page 51

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1.

THE PROBLEM OF NARCOTIC DRUGS IN HONG KONG

PAPER 2 - "INTERNATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS"

Preliminary comments by HM Embassy, Bangkok

We would generally agree with the facts as presented by the paper with one or two alterations of detail:-

The American figures for the production of opium in the "golden triangle" are slightly higher than those given in the

The breakdown is as follows:

paper.

Paper

Burma Thailand

Laos

400 tons

200

"

30

630 tons

US

500 tons 200

#1

50

1:

750 tons

While the paper reckons the numbers of trips per year by trawlers carrying opium from Thailand to Hong Kong is "not less than 40" the Americans in Bangkok think in terms of one per week. There is thus reasonable agreement between the paper and the Americans on the magnitude of the problem.

2.

We consider that paragraph 4 of the paper may over- emphasise the involvement of the KMT troops in the transport of the opium south from the "golden triangle" although we would not question the fact of their involvement.

The paper, however, underestimates the interest of the Thai Army and the Police in the transport of the opium to Bangkok. Corruption is an integral part of the Thai way of life and where government servants are so poorly paid and such vast profits are to be made it is not to be expected that the hands of all Thai officials involved will be clean. Perhaps our biggest point of difference with this paper is that it takes insufficient account of the connection between Thais in high places and the opium trade. Indeed Police Colonel Pramual, Deputy Commander of the Crime Suppression Division, at present held on charges of extortion from opium smugglers was formerly in charge of the Thai Government Suppression operations. The mere fact of his arrest may,

however, indicate that sufficient pressure has been brought to bear on the Thais for them to take drug suppression rather more seriously.

3. The Thais have done a considerable amount in the last two years but progress is slow. Nonetheless the present UN scheme in the North links suppression attempts with crop substitution

/schemes

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