Thailand joins forces with seven countries in anti-drugs

BANGKOK, February 10 (TNA) - Thailand has formed a task force with seven allied countries to block the supplies of drug precursors. The move was a resolution of Tuesday's Special Meeting on Precursor Control in Bangkok, during which concerned Thai authorities and their counterparts from the seven countries exchanged information and knowledge about efforts to block precursor supplies. Permpong Chavalit, Secretary-General of Thailand's Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), told journalists after the meeting that the task force was formed between Thailand and Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, China, India and South Korea. Permpong said the resolution was in response to the United Nations' specification of 14 precursors, with Asia found to be the hub of narcotic precursors, especially ephedrine in India, China and South Korea. Besides, the United Nations also reported that the use of acetic anhydride in aspirin as a heroin precursor has been growing. According to the ONCB chief, the meeting also agreed that Thailand will be the coordinator of the task force, working together with all relevant parties in the form of a cross-border networking, aimed to effectively block the supplies of drug precursors through practical and systematic joint operations. (TNA)