Thailand to press narcotics issue

Thailand to press narcotics issue

BANGKOK (AFP): Thailand has concluded that military-ruled Myanmar is the main obstacle to its own antinarcotics drive and plans to raise the issue with the junta at meetings this week, officials said on Sunday.

Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai will meet his Myanmar counterpart, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, in northern Thailand on Monday for talks at which drugs policies will be under the spotlight.

"Drugs will be highest on Prime Minister Chuan's agenda," government spokesman Akapol Sorasuchart said.

"We can see the roofs of the (drugs) factories across the border but cannot do anything because they are inside Myanmar," he quoted the prime minister as saying. However, he denied Thailand was under pressure from its ally Washington to take a tougher line with its neighbor.