U.S. drug charges cloud Thailand's political climate<\/p>\n
BANGKOK (UPI): Thailand's foreign minister yesterday urged the
\nUnited States to release evidence of alleged drug dealing by two
\npowerful Thai politicians.<\/p>\n
The drug allegations have strained relations between the U.S.
\nand Thailand and put a dark cloud over the political prospects of
\nthe two-month-old government of Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-
\narcha.<\/p>\n
\"Let us see the merits of the case,\" Banharn's foreign
\nminister, Kasem Kasemsri, said when asked about the American
\ncharges. \"I'm afraid the U.S. has been used as a political tool.
\nThis (release of evidence) will give them a chance to show their
\nintentions.\"<\/p>\n
The controversy stems from the U.S. Immigration Department's
\nrefusal to grant entry visas last year to two prominent members
\nof Banharn's political party, Vatana Asavahame and Narong
\nWongwan, because of suspicions that they were involved in
\nnarcotics dealing.<\/p>\n
Vatana, a member of parliament, has been mentioned as a
\ncandidate for interior minister, Thailand's top law-enforcement
\npost.<\/p>\n
Banharn assumed the post of interior minister himself after he
\ntook office in July in order to avoid a confrontation with the
\npolitically powerful Vatana.<\/p>\n
The prime minister appointed a so-called \"public hearings
\ncommittee\" on Wednesday to investigate the U.S. charges.<\/p>\n
However, local political commentators and opposition leaders
\nquestioned Banharn's sincerity when he named Thanat Khoman, a
\nveteran politician who consistently opposes U.S. policies, to
\nhead the committee.<\/p>\n
An American Embassy official said the U.S. \"had not been
\ncontacted directly by this committee (but) we are willing to
\ncooperate to the extent that we are able to.\"<\/p>\n
The U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said
\nsensitive information such as criminal evidence normally would be
\npassed through the foreign ministry and it was \"unclear\" how
\nThanat's committee would operate.<\/p>\n
Chamni Sakdiset, the parliamentary whip of the opposition
\nDemocrat Party, was quoted Friday as saying Banharn had
\nestablished the committee as a ploy to avoid appointing the two
\ndrug-tainted politicians to his cabinet.<\/p>\n
\"It's a story of strange bed-fellows, sleeping together but
\ndreaming different dreams,\" he told the Bangkok Post. \"The prime
\nminister has his reasons for wanting to keep (Vatana and Narong)
\nout of his cabinet as long as the public hearings committee fails
\nto achieve results.\"<\/p>\n
He said he expected the committee's work to drag on for a long
\ntime, delaying a confrontation with Vatana over his demands for a
\ncabinet post.<\/p>",
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