“Rangsiman” takes a hard line on “Entertainment Complex”, fearing that it will open the way for black and white capital to enter the country, indicating that if not careful, Thailand may change, hoping for the leadership of the Prime Minister to solve the country’s problems, saying that Thai people have suffered enough from the mule accounts, do not let there be a “Mr. Mule who is actually in control under the moonlight”
In a special joint parliamentary meeting to consider urgent matters, the cabinet announced its policies to the parliament. Mr. Rangsiman Rome, a party-list MP from the Prachachon Party, stood up to debate the government’s policies on the issue of resolutely solving the drug problem by cutting off the source of production and distribution by cooperating with neighboring countries, intercepting and controlling illegal drug trafficking, seizing the assets of drug dealers, and resolutely solving online crimes, helping victims of criminals promptly by joining forces with neighboring countries, a
nd creating a mechanism for joint responsibility for telecommunications companies and commercial banks.
Mr. Rangsiman continued that in this policy statement, there were some interesting issues that Ms. Paethongtarn presented to this parliament, namely the criticism of the failure of Mr. Settha Thavisin, the former prime minister, in the matter of drug problems, which was something that appeared in the government’s policy statement because Thailand has a challenge in terms of social security from the threat of drugs. In the second quarter of 2024, there was a 29.9% increase in criminal cases related to drugs, and the number of drug addicts increased by 1.9 million people, showing that over the past year, the government led by Mr. Settha has been unable to reduce the drug problem in society and also showing that the trend of the drug problem has become even bigger.
Mr. Rangsiman continued that according to data from the ONCB in the first 6 months of 2024, more than 541 million methamphetamine pills and more
than 11,854 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine were seized, which is a similar amount to the whole of 2023. The amount of crystal methamphetamine seized was higher than the whole of 2022, reflecting that the Pheu Thai Party government has failed to suppress drugs. The increase in drug seizures is not an indicator of success in suppressing drugs, but it reflects how much drugs are entering the country.
Our Southeast Asian region has become the world’s largest drug exporter, especially methamphetamine or ecstasy. This type of drug has a production source in Myanmar, but why is it still produced in such large quantities and exported all over the world? Who is involved in these drug networks?
According to the United Nations, the northern Shan State of Myanmar is one of the areas with the highest concentrations of methamphetamine. It is a strategic point for drug trafficking in the Golden Triangle, which is under the influence of the Wa, an ethnic armed group in Myanmar. This armed group has used money from dr
ug sales to develop its own army to be strong enough to establish the Wa Autonomous Region.
Mr. Rangsiman continued that he believed that the drugs produced by this group of forces would be in such large quantities that they would flood the market, causing drug prices in Thailand to drop shockingly. From the consideration of the National Security Committee, Thai Border Affairs, we invited the US DEA to provide information to the committee at the end of July. Therefore, it was found that the price of methamphetamines being traded in Bangkok was 352 US dollars for 2,000 pills, or only 5.91 baht per pill. If it was traded along the Thai-Myanmar border, the trading price would be only 4.92 baht.
The fact that drugs are so cheap means that methamphetamine pills have flooded into Thailand in large quantities. The drug suppression in the past by the government of Mr. Settha has completely failed, just as the Prime Minister Ms. Paethongtarn said. How will the government of Ms. Paethongtarn, who is also from the Phe
u Thai Party, take responsibility for this failure? Will they dare to deal with the problem at its root in the next 3 years?
In addition, the Prime Minister announced that he will cooperate with neighboring countries to stop drugs at the source. I agree, but the largest production source, the Wa, whose influence is adjacent to the border of China to Thailand and the Golden Triangle, what should we do? The Wa group is a large group that is supported by major powers. They are not under the influence of the Myanmar military government. And foreign media such as The Diplomat reported on this matter to the extent that the Wa had an agreement with a major power not to send drugs to that country in exchange for support in various areas.
The important question is, how can you successfully negotiate with the Myanmar military government to eliminate the drug network in the Wa? It is impossible. Currently, the Myanmar military government probably controls only about 45% of the territory in Myanmar. If the drug product
ion sources in the Wa region can continue to produce like this, Thailand will never be safe from the threat of drugs.
Mr. Rangsiman added that the Prime Minister might answer that in the past, the government has tried to control the precursors so that they are not used to produce methamphetamine. However, the fact that the price of drugs has dropped to this level shows that all the government’s measures have failed because Thailand is an important part of promoting drug production in the Golden Triangle, which is also the Wa people’s area of ??influence, because it also requires electricity to produce drugs.
‘The government can weaken this drug trafficking network by not facilitating the sending of files for drug pumps and sending them back to Thailand for sale. If we cut off the electricity, we can weaken the world’s largest drug trafficking network,’ Rangsiman said.
In addition, Mr. Rangsiman also mentioned the government’s entertainment complex policy, the introduction of the underground economy into th
e tax system, and the tourism promotion policy, which noted that the government chose not to mention the word casino even a little. Therefore, he was not sure what the motivation was for avoiding casinos and was concerned about the lack of transparency in this policy.
The previous Prime Minister gave an interview confirming that the integrated entertainment institution would be able to solve the problem of illegal gambling dens. However, he thought that building an entertainment complex was a different matter from solving the problem of illegal gambling dens in communities or cities. Therefore, if the Prime Minister really wants to get serious about entertainment complexes and solve the problem of gambling dens, the first thing is the matter of the entrance fee to the entertainment complex. It should not make the small-time customers who already go to illegal gambling dens decide to choose the entertainment complex. He must set a clear policy of what he wants. If he wants to solve the problem of illegal gamb
ling dens, this method will definitely not succeed. He asked the government to think carefully before implementing this policy. ‘Don’t think about it. Just do it.’
“I can’t help but question the government’s capability. If the entertainment complex really has black businesses sneaking in, how capable will this government be to eliminate this threat?” said Mr. Rangsiman.
Mr. Rangsiman also said that he hoped that the information he had heard was not true. The conspiracy between big bosses, capitalists, and brokers, let it be just a rumor. He hoped that the Prime Minister would prove this matter transparently. When he discussed drugs, call center gangs, and entertainment complexes, he said that these three things were related and closely related. If we are not careful about this matter, it would be no different from giving the country to the dark capital involved in drugs, call centers, and human trafficking, and turning Thailand into a center of illegal activities.
“The problems of the country, we need the
leadership of the Prime Minister to solve the problems of Thailand. Thai people have suffered enough with the problems of SIM cards, horse accounts. Don’t even let the position of Prime Minister and various ministers become horses for the big boss, for the brother, for the family, for the friends to control.”
‘The past year has been completely wasted with two prime ministers. Don’t let the next three years become a disaster for Thais because we have a prime minister who cannot make decisions and has to wait for orders from the big boss, the real prime minister who is hiding behind the moonlight. The country is not a matter of one family but of all Thais,’ Rangsiman concluded.
After Mr. Rangsiman finished his debate, Mr. Prasert Chantarawongthong, Minister of Digital Economy and Society, stood up to explain that when he listened to the members’ debate, he thought it was a no-confidence motion against the government. He was disappointed that he had mentioned many other people, which caused damage and was not
true, especially regarding the entertainment complex. Because these things that you said in the parliament, you have to show responsibility. He understood your good intentions to see this problem end. He thanked you for your advice on many matters, but the government has already taken action.
Then, Mr. Rangsiman stood up to object to the case where Mr. Prasert stated that the last debater must be held responsible because he thought he was damaged, saying that he confirmed the information he had received because all the information came from the security agency. He would like to ask the minister that if he wants to close the mule accounts, he must take serious legal action against the people who opened the mule accounts. It can be easily started with 500 accounts related to selling electricity in the Golden Triangle area and related to the seizure of assets of a political party related to the building, which can be done immediately. ‘Prove this and I will believe that you are serious about cracking down on mu
le accounts.’
Source: Thai News Agency