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!
3 comments:
This reminds me of a claim Kristen Made the other month, he claimed the only reason the British invaded Afganistan is to steal all their opium and flood our streets with it, they said the government were passing out all this opium to our people that we took from afganistan, and we could not convince him otherwise.
Ive been taking part in 10Mile Time Trial on my bike, did the first one last tuesday, and my second one today, last tuesday i got 25:46,which wasnt too bad for my first one, its quite embarrasing when a 70yrold baggy skinned old man, who isnt even as tall as my hip beats me, but it happened.
This week, it was raining and windy, but i changed my tactic from just blasting it from the go, which i did last week. So when he said go, i did i small sprint, but settled into my pace quite early, and told myself to calm down whenever i got too fast.
I could see this huge lorry coming up behind me, it overtook me, it had a massive digger on the back. But then it slowed, and then a lovely group olf dwarf woman had the sight of me chasing a lorry pumped my fist in the air and screaming, "arghhhh ya bastard", which i laughed at the thought of after.
Anyway, my tactics paid off 24:25 was my new time. BOOOM is all i can say.
Ill keep you up to date with my progress.
Ive been watching 24, so im my opinion you should have took the druggies hostage and taught them a thing or two.
Thanks for the update, sounds like one day you might have the ability of an elderly man. Where are you living at this time, by the way?
You might explain to KK it wouldn't really make sense to spend hundreds of billions of pounds on a war to secure tens of billions pounds worth of opium?
Ha, i wish we thought of that argument at the time, our main arguments were based around him being a gigantic baboon.
Im living at home (preston), im doing a 2 weeks cycling holiday, called the great tour, starting in scotland and finishing in wales, for charity. starting in August.
Flem is living in his new house in Manchester, which is Andys old house, just off curry mile, its a nice house, 3 floors. Kristen has latched on, and is aparently rented a room for £40 a wk.
Dunno whereRob is living, think in a hotel or something whilst he works teaching children sport over summer, sounds like a good job.
Dunno if you know, Matt has got fully into triathlons, so we doin a few over the coming year, and he has entered Ironman 70.3 next june, which i will enter soon i hope, just need the redonkulous amount of money they charge to have their logo on everything.
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