Thailand defends new war on drugs
Thailand has defended its newly-launched war on drugs, reviving a controversial project of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, which critics said cost many innocent lives.
Interior minister Chalerm Yoobamrung defended the new campaign, saying: “There will not be any infringement of our people’s liberties and I have never said that I have a policy of extrajudicial killings.
“But I said that drugs are a very complicated problem. If you don’t want to die, don’t walk down that road.”
About 2,300 people were killed during Thailand’s 2003 drug war. Human rights activists said there were many extrajudicial executions by police and other security forces.
The government said drug gangs carried out most of the killings to eliminate informers or rivals. Few if any people were tried or convicted over the killings.
Mr Thaksin’s drug war was popular in some rural areas and slums where a tide of methamphetamine pills from neighbouring Burma led to soaring addiction and crime.
“Should we do nothing because we are afraid that someone is going to criticise us?” prime minister Samak Sundaravej said in February when he called for a new anti-drug campaign. “Why are you worried about the fate of drug traffickers?”
Mr Samak’s government, which took office early this year, has tried to emulate several of Mr Thaksin’s popular policies. Mr Samak’s party is widely seen as a stand-in for Mr Thaksin’s political machine.
Manchester City FC boss Mr Thaksin was ousted in a September 2006 military coup and a court barred him from holding office until 2012 after finding his party guilty of electoral fraud.
Thailand defends new war on drugs
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