BANGKOK, Jan 14 (TNA) — Deputy Prime Minister/Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon visited the northern province of Chiang Mai and ordered relevant officials to seriously fight against narcotics.
Defence Ministry spokesman Kongcheep Tantrawanit said Gen Prawit chaired a meeting with senior security authorities in the North at the Pha Muang Task Force. There he was briefed on border and narcotic situations.
The meeting reported that border situations were under control in the North, and there were facilities to store narcotics at nine locations near the Myanmar border and two locations near the Lao border.
Ethnic people were trying to smuggle narcotics into Thailand through Mae Fa Luang, Mae Sai and Wiang Kaen districts of Chiang Rai province and through Mae Ai and Chiang Dao districts of Chiang Mai, according to the meeting.
On the occasion Gen Prawit urged northern security authorities to do whatever they could to stop the narcotic smuggling, raid narcotic-storing places and drug rackets in the country and promote drug rehabilitation. He also urged authorities to suppress any influential groups that were taking advantage of people, including human traffickers.
The deputy prime minister also asked local organizations and people to prepare Chiang Mai to be a good venue for the ASEAN Summit by ensuring order, good traffic management, public safety and unity, Lt Gen Kongcheep said. (TNA)
