Chiang Rai News

Traffickers Prefer Using Highway R3A From Chiang Rai to China for Moving Narcotics

Traffickers use the trans-national road for moving narcotics

CHIANG RAI – The R3A Highway which was built with hopes the route would be a boost for legitimate business and tourism, is being exploited by couriers in a now not-so-secret path of drug trafficking.

The road, running 1,861 kilometres from Chiang Rai’s Chiang Khong district in Thailand to the city of Kunming in Yunnan province in southwestern China via Laos, aims to ease travel for tourists wanting to explore foreign cultures and commerce traders seeking new opportunities in neighbouring countries.

However, the highway is inadvertently making it easier for drug trafficking gangs to smuggle their products in and out of countries near the Mekong River.

The traffickers can, in fact, transport drugs by ship along this trans-national river, but authorities found they prefer going over land because “it is more convenient and the R3A is their main route,” according to Safe Mekong Joint Operation Centre director Suchip Khotcharin. The centre unites Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and China together in a drug crackdown in the upper Mekong region.

A section of the R3A Highway in Laos is considered the “weakest point”, as illegal activity is concentrated there, Mr Suchip said, adding Vientiane has no policy to set up road checkpoints.

The chemicals — or drug precursors — are sent to production sites in areas overseen by armed ethnic minority groups, where authorities exercise little control or monitoring, as well as in the Golden Triangle, another drug production base and opium plantation area located in a region where the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar meet.

Recently, Taiwanese authorities told the Safe Mekong Joint Operation Centre that three Taiwanese chemists, who are on the state black list for drug involvement, are staying in the Golden Triangle and Myanmar town of Tachileik, opposite Mae Sai district in Chiang Rai.

“Authorities are checking whether they are involved in drug production in this area,” said Mr Suchip.

Illegal activity there is closely monitored by authorities from the four countries, which recognise a need to share information and intelligence reports regarding drug precursors and trafficking along the R3A Highway.

“Up to 80% of drug precursors are found coming from the Indian border,” said Mr Suchip, referring to the Myanmar-Indian border.

The highway is inadvertently making it easier for drug trafficking gangs to smuggle their products in and out of countries near the Mekong River

Mr Suchip said useful information has been exchanged among the participating countries but admitted the authorities could not inspect some areas, such as those controlled by the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA) in Myanmar’s Shan state.

Chinese authorities also admitted there are between five and six cities in their country where these precursor chemicals are produced for domestic industry but the smugglers have illegally taken shipments out of the country and they end up in the hands of drug traders, he said.

Police at the Nansing border pass in Yunnan are tightening their inspection of cars entering the city of Jinghong, which is linked to the R3A Highway, to look out for suspicious activity, especially cars with no licence plates, said Nansing checkpoint chief Li Desin.

The officers have arrested many Chinese, Thai and Singaporean suspects, he said, adding some drug couriers disguise themselves as tourists.

Chinese authorities say the Safe Mekong Joint Operation Centre is helping crackdown efforts.

“Over the past four months, the smuggling of drug precursors in Yunnan has decreased significantly,” said Permphong Chavalit, secretary-general of the Thai Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), quoting Chinese narcotics control officials.

“Myanmar will also give more importance [to drug trafficking] along its borders with India.”

Mr Permphong recently held talks with senior Chinese authorities, including Guo Youbing, secretary-general of the Yunnan Narcotics Control Commission, on the long-term drug crackdown plans under the Safe Mekong Joint Operation Centre.

The members plan to invite Cambodia and Vietnam to join the centre and intensify the cooperation in tackling drug trafficking.

The centre has started inspections of villages along the Mekong River as well as its major piers which serve as “meeting points” for dealers of drug precursors and their finished products, Mr Suchip said.

Thai drug officials believe there are up to 10 drug gangs at those piers, including Sop Luai pier in Myanmar, as well as at the docking areas of some villages. They transport drugs such as speed and heroin, allegedly by hiding them in barges travelling to Thailand.

The drugs are produced in areas occupied by armed minorities such as the United Wa State Army and ethnic Chinese Kokang rebels, as well as the NDAA, the officials said.

They said the Safe Mekong Joint Operation Centre’s plans must be carried out to make other areas, including R3A Highway, safe too.

“We need to expand our operations to cover more areas, because drug traffickers tend to change their transport routes once authorities start monitoring them,” said Pol Lt Col Myint Hto, of the Myanmar Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control.

By King-oua Laohong

Chiang Rai News

Chiang Rai Man Kills Woman’s Infant Daughter When She Refuses His Sexual Advances

Police in Wiang Kaen District of Chiang Rai Province have arrested a 50 year old man after the threatened to rape a 20 year-old woman and the proceeded to murder her 2 and half month old baby.

Police with doctors from Wiang Kaen Hospital and the Chao Luang Wiang Kaen Welfare Association were summoned to the scene of the incident to a 2-story cement house, Village No. 2, Tha Kham Subdistrict, Wiang Kaen District of Chiang Rai

On arrival they found Ms. Chanikarn, age 20, in a state of distress crying uncontrollably beside her 2 and a half month baby girl (Linlada) that was dead on the floor.

After calming Ms. Chanikarn, the child’s mother, said that at approximately 2:30 p.m she was out to collect diapers that had been dried in front of the house, while her 2 and a half month old daughter was sleep on the ground floor of the house.

She said she was suddenly approached by a Mr. Lee, about 40 years old, who lived on the opposite side of the road. He came towards her and grabbed her arm and threatened her saying if she didn’t sleeping with him he will go and kill his daughter.

Miss Chanikan refused and ran away, then Mr. Lee then walked into the house and grabbed Ms. Linlada’s leg, smashing the child’s head against the cement floor of the house. The infant died immediately.

Mr. Lee then just walked away and returned to his own home, leaving Miss Chanikan and her dead baby.

When police went to Mr. Lee’s home he immediately confessed killing the infant and was taken to Wiang Kaen Police Station for further questioning. Under caution he told police that he was sexually attracted to Miss Chanikan‘s and when her husband leave for work he took the opportunity to approach her.

He said when he saw her husband leave he crossed that road and found Miss Chanikan in the yard alone, he then threatened her to sleep with him, saying he would kill her child if she didn’t have sex with him. However when she refused he flew into a fit of rage walked into her home and murdered he baby. He said he was out of control with rage.

After killing the infant he walk across the street to his home and waited for the police to arrive. The police have charged him with premeditated murder and attempted rape. He is being held without bail at the local remand center.

Meanwhile, Miss Chanikan and her family were preparing a religious burial ceremony for the child.

Other Chiang Rai News:

Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai

https://www.chiangraitimes.com/chiangrai-news/machete-wielding-man-shot-an-killed-by-police-in-chiang-rai/

Chiang Rai News

Police in Chiang Rai Launch Crackdown on Cyber Criminals in Golden Triangle

CHIANG RAI: Prime Minister Settha Thavisin has authorized the establishment of an emergency cyber center operated by the Royal Thai Police to combat transnational crimes committed by call center gangs along the Thai border in Chiang Rai province.

On July 19, Prime Minister Settha Thavisin directed the Center to combat information technology crimes. The Royal Thai Police (Royal Thai Police) will crack down on call center gangs in Myanmar, Laos, and along the border.

His directive comes as call center gangs ratchet up their scams to defraud people of their money, causing concern among Thais and jeopardizing the country’s economic and social stability.

Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Deputy Commander and Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division, Assigned Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai Pitanilabut, Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Police/Deputy Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division, has launched the operation ‘Bombing the Thieves’ Bridge’ in collaboration with the CAT Office, G., mobile phone network operators AIS DTAC TRUE NT, and local security agencies to cut the mobile phone signal and WiFi internet that criminals illegally use to deceive Thai citizens.

Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Deputy Commander and Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division

Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai stated that they will begin pressing the first action of the ‘Explosion of Thieves’ Bridge’ in Chiang Rai Province toward the thieves’ base of operations in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone.

The territory surrounding King Roman in Laos. King Roman is now a full-service entertainment destination with an airport that welcomes travelers from Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar, he explained.

According to Pol. Lt. Gen. Thatchai, this operation will have no influence on honest people along the Thai border, and it will only target cyber criminals.

They will also increase the arrest and prosecution of unlawful service towers, such as SIM booths, which allow gangs register SIM cards to swindle the people. Dealing with criminal organizations of foreigners and Thais who band together to deceive and damage Thais.

Pol. Gen. Kittirat Panphet, Deputy Commander and Director of the Police Crime Suppression Division

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) suspended more than three million SIM cards on July 16 because the holders had not verified their identities with their mobile phone operators by the deadline, in accordance with the NBTC’s measures to combat alleged fraudsters’ mule accounts.

The names of the holders of 80 million mobile phone numbers used for mobile banking transactions did not match the names associated with the mobile banking accounts.

The NBTC would require mobile phone companies to authenticate SIM card holders and the names of their mobile banking accounts. The verification procedure is expected to be completed by the end of September this year.

In addition, the NBTC and Royal Thai Police have collaborated to combat illegal telecom towers throughout the country’s borders, disconnecting signals at 465 places, altering antenna direction at 470 towers, and dismantling antennas at 179 locations.

They are certain that the move will disrupt contact center gangs and other types of technology-based crime.

Other Chiang Rai News:

Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai

https://www.chiangraitimes.com/chiangrai-news/machete-wielding-man-shot-an-killed-by-police-in-chiang-rai/

Chiang Rai News

Machete Wielding Man Shot an Killed by Police in Chiang Rai

Police in Mae Chan, Chiang Rai, shot and killed a 28-year-old man who allegedly attacked a police officer with a machete. The officer was slashed in the right leg with the machete.

According to police, the culprit, known only as Mr. Toon, had been harassing local villagers in Mae Chan district, Chiang Rai, threatening them with a knife and using violet insults.

The village headman arrived on the scene to try to calm Mr. Toon, but he was shouting hysterically and taking swipes at him with the machete, so he contacted the police.

When the responding officer arrived at the site about 9 p.m., he attempted to calm the man, but he instead assaulted the officer, slashing his right leg with the machete. In self-defense, the cop had to fire his gun at Mr. Toon, striking him in the chest.

Mr. Toon and the policeman were taken to Mae Chan Hospital, where Mr. Toon died of a gunshot wound. Pol Sgt. Sutthikiat Phanomphraisakul was released from the hospital after receiving numerous stitches for his injuries.

Local police received a tip around 9.30 p.m. yesterday that a guy was causing mayhem in the village. When authorities arrived, they discovered 28-year-old Toon strolling along a public road, holding a large knife and threatening people. Mae Chan district officials attempted to contain the incident.

During a search of Mr. Toon’s home, authorities discovered methamphetamine consumption equipment. Locals told authorities that the man was addicted to Yaba (Methamphetamine) and an alcoholic.

The authorities are conducting an inquiry to determine Toon’s motivations and whether any underlying issues contributed to his violent outburst.