ASEAN joined hands to tackle illicit drugs production and trafficking in the Golden Triangle
News / View / ASEAN Information
Monday 16th of January 2017
ASEAN joined hands to tackle illicit drugs production and trafficking in the Golden Triangle
On 11-13 January 2017, Thailand by Office of the Narcotics Control Board organized the Meeting on ASEAN Cooperation Plan to Tackle Illicit Drug Production and Trafficking in the Golden Triangle in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai. The Meeting was attended by heads of national narcotics control agencies and senior officials on drug matters of ASEAN Member States as well as representative from ASEAN Secretariat. The Meeting was convened to follow up the outcome of the 5th AMMD Meeting hosted by Singapore on 19-20 October 2016 where Thailand presented the Concept Paper on ASEAN Cooperation to Tackle Illicit Drug Production and Trafficking in the Golden Triangle due to the prevailing threat of illicit drug production and trafficking in the Golden Triangle that affected countries ASEAN region as well as other regions. The strategic concept is to intercept illicit precursor chemicals smuggling in-bound into and illicit drugs trafficking out-bound trafficking from the Golden Triangle. The Ministers took note of the said Concept Paper and assigned ASOD to discuss the detail of the Work Plan. On 13th January 2017 at 11.30 hrs., Mr. Sirinya Sitdhichai, Secretary-General of the Narcotics Control Board of Thailand and Chairman of the Meeting, together with heads of national narcotics control agency from all ASEAN Member States and representative of ASEAN Secretariat held a press conference on the Meeting on ASEAN Cooperation Work Plan to Tackle Illicit Drug Production and Trafficking in the Golden Triangle held during 12-13 January 2017 in Chiang Mai. According to Mr. Sirinya Sitdhichai, the main purpose of this Meeting was to discuss in detail the ASEAN Cooperation Plan to Tackle Illicit Drug Production and Trafficking in the Golden Triangle (2017-2019) proposed by Thailand which covered cooperation activities among ASEAN Member States in a concerted effort to solve drug problems in the Golden Triangle. The references used in developing the ASEAN Cooperation Plan include the Three-Year Plan of Safe Mekong Operation Project and the ASEAN Work Plan 2016-2025. Prior to the Meeting, the ONCB organized a study visit to the Safe Mekong Operation Project on January 11, 2017 in Chiang Rai. Delegates attended a briefing at the Mekong Riverine Unit of the Royal Thai Navy before cruising along the Mekong River to observe the geographical characteristics of this natural borderline. Lao PDR and Myanmar were very cooperative by sending patrol boats for security of the ASEAN delegations. A visit to the Safe Mekong Coordination Center (SMCC) in Chiang Mai was made on January 12, 2017 for a briefing and an overview of the Safe Mekong Operation Project in which five ASEAN Member States, namely Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam together with China are parties. The Meeting in Chiang Mai finalized and endorsed the ASEAN Cooperation Plan with full cooperation of ASEAN Member States, particularly from countries outside the Golden Triangle namely, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Brunei Darussalam. Malaysia and Singapore expressed their wish to provide capacity building on law enforcement training to ASEAN members of the Safe Mekong Operation Project. The ASEAN members of the Safe Mekong Operation Project will operate operational activities in 11 target areas. The rest of ASEAN Member States can implement the national activities as well as regional activities as appropriate and in accordance with national capacity that will support the operational work in 11 target areas. ASEAN Member States may contribute to ASEAN Cooperation Plan according to national capacity. The ASEAN Cooperation Plan consists of 6 components as follows: 1. Precursor chemicals smuggling interdiction/suppression plan, 2. Suppression of illicit drugs trafficking via land, sea/waterways, air routes plan, 3. Investigation and arrest of major drug producers/traffickers, warrant fugitives, and suppression of drug syndicates plan. 4. Demand reduction, health, and area development promotion plan. 5. Administrative mechanisms development plan. 6. Seeking cooperation from parties outside the Region plan. The duration of the ASEAN Cooperation Plan is three years from 2017 to 2019 and will be subject to extension of three-year periods. The implementation of the ASEAN Cooperation Plan will be reported to ASOD and AMMD by ASEAN Secretariat. The monitoring of the ASEAN Cooperation Plan will be conducted by ASEAN Secretariat in compliance with ASEAN Work Plan 2016-2025. “The meeting on ASEAN Cooperation Work Plan to Tackle Illicit Drug Production and Trafficking in the Golden Triangle ended successfully with a concrete outcome that meets the expectation of the 5th AMMD in October last year. Each ASEAN Member States will submit the ASEAN Cooperation Plan to their ASOD leader and respective government and to the next ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Drug Matters for consideration and endorsement to pursue the Drug-Free ASEAN. We will proceed together with the concept that we are not leaving any countries to face the problem alone. ASEAN will be one and move forward together”, Mr. Sirinya Sitdhichai summarized.
