Testing the junta's commitment

Testing the junta's commitment

The visit to Thailand of a 40-strong Myanmar delegation led by Senior General Than Shwe is another step in the junta's campaign to gain world-wide credibility.

If the visitors heard some tough talk from their Thai hosts, they were also accorded a meeting with King Bhumibol in the capital. This seems in keeping with the stick-and-carrot approach to the constructive engagement policy which the Thais have adopted toward their neighbor.

This approach has produced nothing of value for members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. On the contrary, the approach has damaged previously excellent ties with the European Union while producing none of the hoped-for improvements in human rights in Myanmar. But Thailand has a more pressing need to engage the junta.

Burma has overtaken Afghanistan as the world's top opium producer, and is known to be producing ever larger quantities of amphetamines. Thailand's own efforts to cut drug production and drug use have been sabotaged as more and more of its young people fall prey to Myanmar's traffickers. There are reports that half of the children in northern Thai schools have tried amphetamines. Apart from its efforts to curb domestic production, the government in Bangkok has to tackle the problem of drugs produced by its neighbors.

At least half of the narcotics smuggled out of the Golden Triangle pass through Thailand, increasing in value along the route. Yet few traffickers are ever brought to justice. Things may change if the two countries really increase their joint efforts to put a halt to the drugs trade and the Myanmar junta promotes its own antidrug campaign.

So far, Myanmar seems to have convinced Interpol of its sincerity to fight the drugs trade, though United States drug enforcement agencies and others remain deeply cynical. Cooperation with Thailand in this fight is the surest test of Yangon's commitment. If this effort stands up to scrutiny, it will be the first sign that constructive engagement can produce positive results.

-- The South China Sunday Morning Post, Hong Kong