Her Royal Highness Maha Chakri Sirindhorn expressed concersn to the Third Army Commander recently about the rise of opium poppy planting in rural communities especially in Mae Chaem and Om Koi Districts.
Lt.Gen. Wihaj Siribanprot, 3rd Army Area Commander / Commander of Special Unit of Narcotics Prevention and Suppression Center, the Third Army Area Command, said that H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn had mentioned her concerns to him in a recent meeting. Her Royal Highness has many projects in Mae Chaem including expansion of the Mae Chaem Hospital.
According to the latest information from the Institute of Survey and Monitoring Narcotic Plants, Office of Narcotics Control Board, there were 15 flights surveying poppy planting and 3 land surveys during August to November 2016 to survey planting areas since the rainy season. The surveys saw a total of 887.5 rai in Chiang Mai and 1537 lots of 1179.26 rai surveyed by the Institute of Survey and Monitoring Narcotic Plants. In Om Koi the survey found areas growing opium a total of 984 lots of 727.27 rai and 35 lots of 24.04 rai in Mae Chaem District. All plantation areas were in remote rural and mountainous areas.
The Special Unit of Narcotics Prevention and Suppression Center, Third Army Area Command in Chiang Mai has been destroying opium poppy plantations since November 15, 2016. The Special Unit destroyed opium totaling 322 lots of 343.33 rai in in Ban Paper-Nakien, Om Koi and area of 81 lots of 103.50 rai inTha Song Yang-Pitukee, Ta Song Yang, Tak.
