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insight of any in the world into this nefarious traffic.
Because practically all the illegal trafficking in narcotics emanates from Bangkok a great many countries have stationed policemen with narcotics as their specialty at their Embassies in the Thailand capital, where the United Nations has also set up its Asiatic headquarters for fighting narcotics. The Swedes recently decided to send a policeman to the Embassy.
The Danish Embassy
in Bangkok would like to avoid taking a similar step as long as possible, because this could rapidly lead to threats and kidnappings by the narcotics maffia, so that the Ambassador, the personnel of the Embassy and their families would have to be under constant protection. However, if Peter LAW is correct in his assumption that Copenhagen will take over from Amsterdam, it may quickly become necessary to have a police expert at the Danish Embassy also.
USA, Canada, Gt.Britain, Holland, Sweden, France and West Germany have at present experts from their narcotics police stationed in Bangkok. USA has the largest representation with 23 men. The Chief of the Bangkok narcotics police, General Chavalit YODAMANI, says that they have not been invited to come. He says "It is not to our advantage to have them here, it is to the advantage of their own countries, and I consider besides that it will be dangerous if too many come." The leader of Interpol in Bangkok takes the opposite view, He says "The more we are, the better we can fight it, and the more pressure we can bring to bear on the local authorities to take stronger measures."
As soon as Peter LAW arrived from Hongkong he was so effective that three former members of the Thailand government were soon imprisoned for being behind a large narcotics ring with connections all over the world. Three hours later the Embassy received the first telephone threat that the Ambassador would be kidnapped, and the whole staff had to be put under guard, and this has been the situation for more than six months now.
We do not think that these threats are particularly dangerous compared to the narcotics problem, declared Peter LAW to Politiken. If we are going to get rid of this problem I consider that having narcotics police attached to the Embassies is a necessity. It has been of great assistance to us, although one cannot measure success in terms of imprisonments alone, for the narcotics_problem_cannot be fought by the Law alone. has to be seen in terms of information, the introduction of new agriculture and alternative crops for the opium farmers, and of course more severe punishment for the middle- men. However I doubt if we will ever be completely rid of the narcotics problem.
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One cannot solve the problem in isolation. All countries must do their bit. . I admire the Scandinavian
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