PM warns drug networks

Suppression efforts to be ratcheted up

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has admitted the arrest of a Thai Airways crew member in Australia on alleged drug-smuggling charges has damaged the nation's international reputation, declaring narcotics suppression a national agenda item.

Chairing a meeting of the National Narcotics Prevention and Suppression Committee on Friday, Mr Anutin said the government must tackle the drug trade at its source rather than continue merely arresting traffickers.

"I want everyone to be assured that this issue will be treated as a national agenda. I have attached the highest priority to the issue and have held discussions with the military on how to dismantle drug trafficking networks at their source," he said.

Mr Anutin said he had worked closely with relevant agencies for almost 10 months and remained confident that no internal obstacles were undermining the government's anti-drug campaign.

He warned that failure to eradicate drug trafficking would increasingly tarnish Thailand's image abroad, resulting in stricter scrutiny of Thai passport holders, while also fuelling crime, undermining public safety, discouraging foreign investment and damaging society.

"We have virtually no room to compromise with drug trafficking," he said.

He described as particularly urgent the recent case involving a Thai Airways flight attendant arrested by Australian authorities, noting that suspects in six cases related to travellers from Thailand had already been charged with commercial drug-smuggling offences during the first half of the year.

He instructed agencies to review whether Thailand's existing security measures met international standards and to demonstrate to the international community that the government was responding decisively.

Mr Anutin also questioned whether airline crew members, who typically receive expedited security processing, should continue to receive such privileges.

If Thailand had already fully complied with international standards, he said, the authorities should state so publicly. Otherwise, any loopholes allowing narcotics to leave the country must be identified and closed.

Pol Maj Suriya Singhakamol, secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, said investigators had questioned a rider who delivered a parcel to the flight attendant. Meanwhile, a Thai-Lao couple detained in Loei province were being interrogated in Bangkok over an alleged drug-trafficking network linking Thailand, Australia and Taiwan. Pol Maj Suriya said Thailand appeared to have served primarily as a transit point and that the investigation remained ongoing.

Customs Department director-general Panthong Loikulnan said he would propose stricter screening of departing passengers.

Thailand currently deploys two K9 detection dogs donated by Australia, with three more undergoing training. While all passengers could theoretically be X-rayed, he noted that screening every one of the country's roughly 85 million annual travellers would place an excessive burden on the tourism industry.

Previously, K9 units had not been used to screen departing passengers or airline crew because they were considered low risk.

Spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek said the government viewed the Australian case as an opportunity to overhaul aviation security.