This post is about drug dealers and guns. You can skip down to the actual facts which I've marked with some stars ********, if you don't want to read the background. You should read it though.
The North of Thailand is part of what is called the "Golden Triangle". One reason for the second half of that name is that the borders of Thailand, Laos and Burma intersect in a triangular shape. The reason for the first is that until recent decades, the region produced enormous amounts of opium. Afghanistan is the #1 producer these days, but the Golden Triangle (more on the Burmese and Laotian sides) still churns out plenty of product and I do believe it's still number 2. As a result, the army has a great presence up here, as opposed to in Bangkok, where the army is rarely-, wait, that's a bad example. As opposed to the south, where the army doesnt-, scratch that one too. My point is that because of the proximity to the borders and the drugs, the police don't work in the village, the army are the law enforcers.
Regardless of what millionaire generals and politicians in Bangkok are up to, I have to say that I really like the soldiers. They can often be seen passing through the village, managing to somehow run uphill in baking heat, or more sensibly on motorbikes or trucks. I've spoken to them several times when groups of them have stopped here and they've been very nice. People in Thailand generally view the police quite negatively because of the endemic corruption in the organisation. The fact that in many cases the pe.rson with the most money has the police on their side is a big hurdle for the state to overcome. But the villagers all seem to like the soldiers, so perhaps the whole bribery and extortion thing doesn't happen as much with them.
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This morning I was happily reading away on my laptop since I no longer have to take care of the baby chicken (more on that to come) when I found out that there were three drug users in the village. They came last night and someone went into one man's house. When he found out they had massive amounts of drugs, he told them to leave and they wouldn't. They spent the whole night smoking opium, apparently, and simply would not leave. The audacity. So this morning the man requested the help of the head of the village. He called the army, and not even 10 minutes later a humvee and 11 soldiers armed with M16s and handguns arrived in the village. Serious business, this drug enforcement game.
About 20 minutes after going to apprehend the three men, the soldiers came back and everyone came to look and laugh at them. Two were handcuffed together, but the amusing thing was that the third had been fitted with a comedy baby/dog hardness in case he tried to run away. The soldiers said no photos, so here is my artist's impression:
It doesn't really convey how pathetic it looked, but never mind. The soldiers loaded the men and their goods (including a sizeable amount of cash) and a motorbike into another truck and headed off to Mae Sai to incarcerate them.
A very exciting morning, no doubt!
And it didn't even stop there! While I was writing this, a poisonous SNAKE was discovered cavorting evilly in a tree. A tree right where the children play. Think of the children! It was summarily shot. I can't even begin to imagine what will happen tonight, though I wonder if it can top last night's mosquito fumigation.
I won't be updating this blog any more - go to The Penang Blog to see my new and exciting Malaysia blog!
