:
With hard-pressed troops thinly spread across the length and breadth of Burma the Burmese leadership was astute enough to recognise the authority of Lo Shing-min noting at the same time the young thug had no political ideology except to survive through his protection racket. He was now holding sway over Tachilek.
In a move to contain the insurgency the Burmese saw the potential that Lo Shing-min and his gang offered. A deal was fatefully struck with the thug. Overnight he became the de facto governor of the area with complete authority over law and order. He was armed by the Burmese Government.
From then onwards it is history. Sensing the importance of drug trafficking and the money and power this would bring, Lo began to delve deeper into the drug trade holding court in his "shack" for visiting international traffickers.
He was no longer content to provide protection for opium caravans. He was now determined to not only control it but also to refine opium into morphine and heroin.
Today with 19 refining laboratories under his control it was too late for the Burmese Government to call the shots.
The now famous "999" brand of heroin began to find its devlish way to the veins of American servicemen fighting in Indochina and the international markets causing the concern of no less a person than President Nixon himself to step in to declare war against the trafficking of the drug.
But the Americans have themselves to blame. In the early phase of the Indochina war the Central Intelligence Agency came up with "black cash" - opium - first as an incentive to win over the wavering inhabitants in Laos and finally to recruit irregulars with opium to fight against the communist Pathet Lao.
The Vietnam war dramatise the seriousness of the heroin problem what with wholesale confession that some American troops entered war zones “high on drugs”.
Heroin from the Golden Triangle was now taking a shorter route to lucrative markets opened by the addicted servicemen. The traffickers now realised the money was in Vietnam and not half way round the world to New York,
Overnight peddlars surfaced all over the war zones. Smuggling of the drug to servicemen posed no problems because of the excellent route offered by the numerous jungle trails and by way of corrupted local government officials.
When things became hot for the traffickers the "pappillon method" of smuggling heroin ampules through the anus was introduced. American servicemen became themselves the chief retailers to their own fellow comrades. Wholesale trading in heroin became a legend with disclosure that the drug smuggled through dead bodies of American soldiers returning home for burial.
was even
President Nixon then formed the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs to combat the spread of heroin.
In Thailand the Government is making a determined effort to stop opium growing. With assistance from the BNDD the anti-narcotics agency was formed two years ago here with cells stationed at key opium producing areas, especially in Northern Thailand.
Eleven tons of opium were recently seized. Last year in a big publicity effort the Thai Government burned six tons of opium in Chiang Mai, but American columnist Jack Anderson injected a new element when he disclosed that "a good part of the opium was just old fashion hay."
The Thai Government vehemently denied this and claimed that BNDD officials actually verified that the “hay” was in fact opium.
Jack Anderson's charges underscored thei fact that complete suppression is not possible as there is the problem that some of the suppression officials are in fact aiding and abetting the trafficking in heroin.
This was dramatised late last year when a !
committee, по doubt under government pressure from the Americans, ordered the arrest of Col Pramual Vanighhandu, the chief of the anti-narcotics agency.
J
Col Pramual was last week sentenced to 20 years jail when he was found guilty of not only *aiding and abetting in the trade but also for extortion and dealing in the confiscated" drug himself.
With Col Pramual's conviction it became apparent that the complete suppression of the opium in Thailand was not physically possible at least at the moment.
The 5,000 Kuomintang refugees in Northern Thailand continue to traffick in opium with full knowledge of the authorities. The government is virtually powerless as is dramatised in the current "opium war” raging here.
Here again politics is a major consideration what with insurgency affecting the four corners of Thailand especially in the "sensitive" north which shares a common border with communist dominated southern Laos. The officials are realistic enough to recognise the potential of the Kuomintangs as de facto
troops.
It is common knowledge that the Kuomintangs wield considerable military and political power in Northern Thailand and with government troops thinly spread across the nation for security reasons the Kuomintangs have become a useful paramilitary force to fight the communists with
government approval. Since they are hardly paid for but admittedly "slightly armed" by the Thais they were allowed to continue growing opium a situation that recalls the rise of Lo Shing-min.
covert
The situation has grown worst with reports earlier this week that the Kuomintangs are fighting both Burmese Government troops and Lo Shing-min's gang for control of the opium rich area of the Golden Triangle.
According to the reports fighting is still raging along the area with heavy casualtics to Lo Shing-min's men. More than 10 bodies of ethnic Burmese were spotted floating along the Mac Sai River last week.
Control of opium and heroin flow from the Golden Triangle is easily said that done. Part of the failure rests with the three governments concerned for purely political considerations as has been explained.
This area generating million of dollars in cash will continue to gain notoriety until such time the governments can call the shots and this can only be done through complete hegemony over the areas by Thailand, Burma and Laos.
But until such time perhaps, another 20 years things will always be the same for the Golden Triangle: A reflection of true Oriental intrigue.
Page 15Page 16
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.