Thailand a 'bad neighbor'<\/p>\n
YANGON (AFP): Myanmar on Sunday condemned Thailand as a bad
\nneighbor for covering up its failure to address the nation's
\ndrugs crisis by shifting the blame onto Myanmar.<\/p>\n
\"The Thai government officials have never made efforts to
\neffectively control the problem,\" the military regime said in an
\nofficial information sheet.<\/p>\n
\"It is comprehensible to all that Thai government officials,
\ninstead of finding ways and means to solve their own problem by
\nthemselves, issued news reports deliberately putting the blame on
\nMyanmar.\"<\/p>\n
The official statement ticked off Thailand for discussing the
\ndrugs issue via the media rather than through proper channels set
\nup to solve bilateral problems.<\/p>\n
\"Thus their act should be regarded as an act which is
\nviolating the principles of good neighborliness\".<\/p>\n
The comments were the latest salvo in a brewing row between
\nthe two countries over the production of methamphetamines on
\nMyanmar soil by Yangon-allied ethnic armies.<\/p>\n
In what the Thai military has described as the nation's top
\nsecurity threat, some 700 million methamphetamines pills are
\nestimated to make their way into Thailand each year, feeding a
\nmassive addiction problem.<\/p>\n
Thailand's new Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra fired the
\nopening shot in the war of words earlier this month by declaring
\na \"war on drugs\" and ordering officials to find ways to close
\ndown the narcotics trade.<\/p>\n
The premier said he would demand explanations from Myanmar's
\ngenerals over the deadly flow of methamphetamines from jungle
\nrefineries which also churn out vast quantities of heroin.<\/p>\n
Myanmar lashed out at the tough new approach, saying Thailand
\nshould put its own house in order before trying to use its
\nneighbor as a \"scapegoat\" for its drugs problems.<\/p>\n
As the sparring continued, the Thai foreign ministry issued a
\nstrongly worded statement that criticized the junta for its
\ntetchy response to the Thai initiative and invited Myanmar to
\nshow the international community it was serious about fighting
\ndrugs.<\/p>\n
International drug enforcement authorities also blame Myanmar
\nfor turning a blind eye to drugs production within its borders,
\nin return for cease-fire with the ethnic armies that control the
\ntrade.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/thailand-a-bad-neighbor-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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