Traffic in Opium and Other Dangerous Drugs

[Communicated to the Council G. 515. I E . 356. 1937. XI ■ and the Members of the League.] [O.Ç./A.R.I936/65.1 (Issued in English only.)

Geneva, October 31st, 1937.

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

TRAFFIC IN OPIUM AND OTHER DANGEROUS DRUGS

ANNUAL REPORTS BY GOVERNMENTS FOR 19 3 6 SIAM

Note by the Secretary-General. In accordance with Article 21 of the Convention for limiting the Manufacture and regulating the Distribution of Narcotic Drugs of 1931, the Secretary-General has the honour to communicate herewith to the parties to the Convention and to other States the above- mentioned report. (For the form of annual reforts, see document O.C.1600.)

I. REPORT OF THE EXCISE DEPARTMENT.

A. General. I. Laws and Publications. Nil.

II. Administration. 1. Nil, so far as the Excise Department is concerned. 2. Morphine injection, as a substitute for opium-smoking, is still favoured by the poorer Chinese opium addicts.

III. Control of International Trade. 1. System worked satisfactorily. 2, 3 and 6. None. 4. Siam is not an exporting country, so far as opium is concerned. 5. No. 7. No trade has taken place with such countries. 8. Please see II. Report of the Department of Public Health.

IV. International Co-operation. 1. None. 2. None, except that arrangements have been made to notify the local British Legation and consulates regarding large seizures of illicit opium originating in the British Shan States.

V. Illicit Trafic. 1. There is a very large illicit traffic in opium, chiefly prepared opium, coming over the northern land frontiers into the interior of Siam. Some opium is also smuggled by sea, mostly in boats plying between China and Bangkok. 2. No raw opium is produced except for small quantities clandestinely cultivated by semi-wild hill tribes in the mountainous regions of north and north-eastern Siam,chiefly for their own consumption. It is impossible to give any reliable estimate of the area under clandestine cultivation or of the amount of opium harvested.

3338 — S. d. N. 700. 11/37. Imp. Réunies, Chambéry. Periodic raids to destroy growing poppy crops and to seize poppy-seeds and opium produced are undertaken by the administrative authorities. Successful suppression, however, is almost impossible in view of the inaccessibility and the difficult character of the hill country. 3. The total number of prosecutions of all offences against the Opium Law was 10 829- There were 8 705 convictions and 264 acquittals. Most of these prosecutions were in respect of illicit imports or of possession of illicitly imported opium ; detailed figures are not available. Penalties in accordance with the Opium Law B.E.2472 as amended were imposed. 4. None as regards raw opium. Details as to prepared opium seizures will be given in the annual report on prepared opium. 5. The raw opium confiscated during the year amounted to 519.839 kg. Details of confiscations of prepared opium and dross will be sent with the annual report on prepared opium. 6. Details of illicit opium prices will be given in the annual report on prepared opium.

B. Raw Materials. VII. Raw Opium. Except as mentioned under V, 2, Siam is not, at present, an opium-producing country. VIII. Coca Leaf. IX. Indian Hemp. See II. Report of the Department of Public Health herewith.

C. Manufactured Drugs. X. Internal Control of Manufactured Drugs. See II. Report of the Department of Public Health.

D. Other Questions. XI. Chapter IV of the Hague Opium Convention, igi2. Chapter IV of the Hague Convention does not apply to Siam. Siam has no treaty with, nor post-offices in, China. XII. Prepared Opium. Does not apply. Since the use of prepared opium is not prohibited in Siam.

II. REPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

A. General. I. Laws and Publications. 1. During the year 1936, there was no new law nor any regulations promulgated on opium and other dangerous drugs. 3. One notification of the Minister of Interior exempting the following preparations : (i) Indra Prasidhi (Morphine 0.2%). N. Srivarn Phanich, Bangkok. (ii) Carbo-soda (Codeine Phosphate 1.33%). Sianglcong Dispensary, Bangkok. (in) Opirin (Morphine 0.2%). Phaidurna Osathagar, Bangkok. (iv) Spasan (Codeine 1.25%). Phaidurna Osathagar, Bangkok. (v) Chlorodyne (Morphine 0.085%). Evans Sons, Lescher & Webb, Ltd., London. (vi) Syrup Cocillanæ Compound (Ethylmorphine Hydrochloride 0.55%). Evans Sons, Lescher & Webb, Ltd., London. (vii) Syrup Cocillanæ Compound (Codeine Phosphate 0.23%). Evans Sons, Lescher & Webb, Ltd., London. (viii) Coffeminal Compound (Papaverine Hydrochloride 24.75%). Bayer, Leverkusen, Germany. (ix) Monotrean (Papaverine 28.57%). Luitpold-Werk, Munich, Germany. (x) Styptol (Cotarnine Phthalate 35.7%). Knoll A.G., Chemical Works, Ludwigshafen-on-Rhine. (xi) Chlorodyne (Morphine Hydrochloride 0.229%). Burgoyne Burbidges & Co., Ltd., London. Two notifications of the Director-General of the Department of Public Health, one limiting the use of harmful-habit-forming drugs for the year B.E.2479, and the other showing the quantity imported, sold and balanced in stock for the same period.

II. Administration. 1. (a) There were no important modifications in the administrative arrangements for the execution of the international Conventions. (b) There were no developments as regards the organisation and working of the special administration referred to in Article 15 of the Limitation Convention, as the present staff has been found sufficient to meet the requirements for carrying out the necessary measures. (c) Hitherto no important or general difficulties have been encountered. 2. There is no information as to new developments regarding addiction in this country.

III. Control of International Trade. 1. The import-certificate system for controlling the import of harmful-habit-forming drugs into Siam is working satisfactorily. Siam is not a producing country and export authorisation does not exist. 2. There is no change in the Ministry or authorities for issuing import certificates, export authorisations, diversion or transit certificates. 3. There are no important modifications in the conditions of issue of import certificates to report. 4. Siam is not an exporting country. 5. No case of forged or falsified import certificate or export authorisation has come to the knowledge of the authorities during the year. 6. Transit, transhipment, diversion, free port, free zone and bonded warehouse are not in existence in the Kingdom. 7. Siam has no dealing with countries which have not adopted the system of import certificates. 8. Since the Indian Hemp Act. B.E.2477 has come into force, the importation of Indian hemp is prohibited, unless authorisation from the competent official has been obtained.

IV. International Co-operation. 1. No treaty or international agreement has been entered into during the year. 2. Co-operation between Siam and other countries concerned in the drug traffic is at present limited to the exchange of copies of import certificates and export authorisations in accordance with Article 13 of the Geneva Convention. The exchange is effected direct between the competent offices of the countries concerned. There are no new points of interest to report.

V. Illicit Traffic. 1. The illicit traffic in Siam is mostly in morphine hydrochloride on a small scale. So far no marks or labels have been found on the seizures. The Commune of Ban Tawai is the principal centre of arrest. This commune is in the close neighbourhood of the River Menam, where foreign steamers usually anchor. The place of origin and the route of the illicit traffic are at present not known, but the latter is understood to be by means of sea-going vessels. As will be seen from the quantity involved, it is not possible to follow the methods and means of possession adopted by the persons implicated. 2. There is no cultivation of coca plants in Siam. The cultivation of Indian hemp may be specially authorised for experimental or medical purposes, in accordance with the Indian Hemp Act B.E.2477. No licence for the cultivation of Indian hemp has been granted this year. The use of Indian hemp in medicine is controlled by the Harmful-habit-forming Drugs Law B.E.2465 and the Indian Hemp Act B.E.2477. For opium poppy, see I. Report of the Excise Department. — 4 — 3- Prosecutions during the year 1936 totalled 375 ; 20 cases of illicit import and 355 of illicit possession. The penalties imposed varied from baht 0.13 to baht 251.20. The offenders were mostly Chinese labourers. 4. There has been no important case of illicit traffic during the year. 5. No other dangerous drugs were confiscated during the year except morphine hydro chloride, 5 558 grammes. For prepared opium, see I. Report of the Excise Department. 6. The price of the drug as sold in the illicit traffic varied from baht 0.65 to baht 0.71 per gramme and the degree of adulteration is approximately from 13 to 32%.

B. Raw M aterials. VII. Raw Opium. See I. Report of the Excise Department.

VIII. Coca Leaf. The coca plant is not cultivated in Siam.

IX. Indian Hemp. See annual report for the year 1935.1

C. Manufactured Drugs.

X. Internal Control of Manufactured Drugs. Siam is not a manufacturing country.

D. Other Questions. XII. Prepared Opium. See I. Report of the Excise Department.

1 Document O.C. /A.R.1935 742. [Communicated to the Council C. 515(a). M. 3 5 6 1937.XI. and the Members of the League.] [O.C./A.R.i936/65( a).] (Issued in English only.)

Geneva, November 24th, 1937.

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

TRAFFIC IN OPIUM AND OTHER DANGEROUS DRUGS

ANNUAL REPORTS BY GOVERNMENTS FOR 1936 CONCERNING PREPARED OPIUM SIAM

I. (a) New Legislative and Administrative Measures. No new legislation was promulgated. No administrative changes were made in the year under review, except that in an endeavour to combat the illicit traffic a considerable number of new smoking-establishments were set up in areas where monopoly opium was previously not available, but where it was known that extensive clandestine smoking of illicit opium existed (see Form VII).

I. (b) Working of the System of Control. No changes in the working of the system of control were made in the year under review. It is, however, perhaps not inopportune here to review some of the difficulties—difficulties which have increased from year to year—experienced in Siam in the control of the traffic in opium. These difficulties may be summarised as follows : (i) Huge, and apparently increasing, quantities of contraband opium are available for smuggling over Siam's northern land frontiers, and it is next to impossible adequately to control the ingress of such enormous quantities of opium over a border country of mountains and jungle. (ii) That large and increasing quantities of contraband opium are actually finding their way into Siam is confirmed by the following table of the total actual seizures made : B.E. A.D. Quantity of contraband opium seized in Siam Tamlungs 2468 1925/26 38 156 2469 1926/27 38 117 2 4 7 0 1 9 2 7 / 2 8 5 8 4 2 8 2 4 7 1 1 9 2 8 / 2 9 3 6 2 4 2 2472 1929/3° 47 993 2 4 7 3 1930 / 3 I 5° 1 87 2474 1931/32 36 314 2475 1932/33 5° 534 2476 1933/34 8i 870 2477 1934/35 94 0161 2 4 7 8 1 9 3 5 / 3 6 1 3 2 332 2 4 7 9 1936/37 121 2 6 4 In B.E. 2468 (1925/26), actual seizures of contraband opium represented only 2.6% of the total quantity of monopoly opium sold : in B.E. 2478 (1935/36)» actual seizures were no less than 18 % of the quantity of monopoly opium sold. 1 Excluding the big seizure specially reported to the League of Nations on May 21st, I936-

3394 — S.d.N. 700.13/37. Imp. Réunies, Chambéry. Actual seizures obviously must represent but a small fraction of the illicit traffic. If, as is probable, actual seizures are regarded as being 10% to 20% of the total quantity smuggled, it can be stated that the quantities of illicit opium now smuggled far exceed the sales of monopoly opium. (in) The profits of the opium smuggler are enormous. It is estimated that at least one million tamlungs of opium are smuggled annually for consumption in Siam and that the yearly net profits of the industry are at least three million baht. These profits are, of course, swollen by the illicit disposal of the half-million tamlungs of dross resulting from the smoking of the above opium. The opium-smuggling gangs have thus been able to accumulate over a period of years huge funds with which to carry on their operations. (iv) Unless opium-smoking establishments can be adequately supervised, it is obvious that they can become the most suitable centre for the contraband trafficker to dispose of his wares. The addict wants cheaper opium than that sold by the Mono poly : he congregates at the licensed opium-smoking establishments and, if without much risk he can obtain and / or smoke cheap illicit opium there, he will undoubtedly do so. That, in fact, has happened in Siam. The licensed opium-smoking establishment has, despite frequent surprise official inspections, become in many cases the local retail distributing centre for illicit opium. Nor is the wholly Government opium-smoking establishment a solution, for this type of work is not suitable for Government officials. In view of the above-mentioned difficulties, proposals have been under consideration drastically to revise during the next financial year certain aspects of present methods of opium administration with a view to reducing the profits of the illicit opium traffickers and of making the retail distribution of illicit opium more difficult. The study has also been continued of the problem of controlling the small quantities of opium grown by the semi-wild hill tribes on the northern frontier and of preventing the smuggling of important quantities of foreign-grown opium through the territory of those tribes.

II. New Activities with a view to combating the use of prepared opium. III. Scientific research. Nothing new to report.

IV. Other Information. (1) No action has been taken for the treatment and after-care of addicts. (2) Observation in opium-smoking establishments shows that opium-smokers are drawn chiefly from the Chinese labouring and small shopkeeper classes. In the absence of a system of registration, confirmatory figures cannot be supplied. Of the 161 addicts specially licensed to smoke opium outside opium-smoking establish ments, 140 were Chinese and 21 Siamese. The occupation of the majority of these special licensees is recorded as “ merchant ”. (3) The information relating to dross control given in previous reports still holds good. It may be added that His Siamese Majesty’s Government considers that, until the illicit opium traffic can be brought under adequate control, the present system of imposing on the licensees of opium-smoking establishments a contractual obligation to return a minimum quantity of dross (40% of the weight of opium sold) and the re-purchase of that dross by Government at high prices does not advance the real object of the International Opium Agreements—viz., the eventual suppression of the opium-smoking habit. The present system of dross re-purchase simply swells the profits of the illicit opium trafficker, particularly as there is no test to distinguish dross derived from Government opium from that derived from illicit opium. Despite the activities of an expensive Preventive Service, illicit opium and illicit dross abound (see paragraph 1(b), (in), above), and must continue to abound so long as unlimited quantities of opium are grown without adequate control in territories adjoining Siam’s northern borders. The control of dross as now exercised thus definitely cannot achieve the humanitarian object of withholding supplies of dross from opium addicts. (4) General.—Some of the difficulties experienced in combating the illicit traffic have been dealt with in preceding paragraphs. Areas affected.—The provinces on the northern borders of Siam were the areas chiefly affected, but much of this illicit opium is eventually brought down for retailing to consumers in Bangkok and elsewhere. Particulars of seizures.—Total quantities seized are shown in Form IX attached. Details of these seizures have already been submitted in the usual quarterly returns. Total seizures amounted to 4 556 kg., as compared with 4 969 kg.1 seized in 1935. Actual seizures in 1936 represent no less than 16.6% of the total consumption of monopoly prepared opium. The total number of prosecutions under the Opium Law increased from 9 300 in 1935 to 10 829 in 1936, an increase of over 16%.

1 Excluding the big seizure specially reported to the League of Nations on May 2ist, 1936. a

— 3 — Average -prices of smuggled opium.—The average current prices of smuggled raw and prepared opium at the principal centres were : Baht per tamlung Area I opium Prepared opium Dross Northern (Bayab) ...... I.08 2.05 1.OO North-Eastern (Udorn) ...... 1.42 2.98 1.09 Metropolitan (Bangkok) ...... 1.62 4.72 3.66 Southern (Nakorn Sritamaraj)...... 4.62 8.42 6.79

Organisation of preventive services.—No important changes to report. International co-operation for the suppression of. the illicit traffic.—The exchange of returns regarding the illicit traffic in opium with neighbouring countries continued as stated in previous reports. Information regarding suspects and important opium seizures continued to be exchanged with the Burmese authorities, but, so far, it has not yielded any appreciable results in suppressing the traffic. (5) The practice of injecting morphine as a substitute for opium continues to be wide spread. (6) The price reduction policy referred to in previous reports was extended to the following changvads (provinces) as from April 1st, B.E. 2479 (1936).

New price as -, .... , , Old price from April Quantities of monopoly 1st icn6 opium sold Percentage increase Changvads ' in sales of Baht per tamlung (1935/36) (1936/37) monopoly opium Tamlungs Chaxerngsao, Prachinburi, Cholburi, Karnchanaburi 15.00 10.80 46 351 70 867 50.2 Chantaburi, Trad, Rayong .. 13.20 10.80 14 501 16 022 10.5 Chainart, Sinkburi, Lopburi, Utaidhani, Nakorn Raj- sima, Buriram 15.00 10.20 15 890 31 832 99.6 Chaipumi ...... 15.00 9.60 449 791 76.0 The increases in the quantities of monopoly opium sold, as shown above, do not indicate any real increase in the amount of opium smoked. That Government sales were so much higher was due simply to substitution by the smoker of licit for illicit opium.

V. Opium Revenue.

A Special Opium Account drawn up in accordance with Recommendation V of the Final Act of the Bangkok Opium Conference is attached.

VI. Statistical Information.

The required forms are attached. The currency employed is the baht (1 baht = is. 9§d. at present exchange rates, but is. 10 1/32d. at the rates obtaining during the year under review). Details of the sales of dross pellets to dross addicts are given in Form XI. (This informa tion was specially requested to be included in future annual reports : see League of Nations letter No. 12/39604/32007 of March 16th, 1933). In view of the small number of licensed dross addicts now remaining (due probably to the fact that licensees do not trouble to register because of the ease with which dross can be illicitly obtained), the question of discontinuing the licensing of such persons has been under consideration.

Form I.—P r e p a r e d O p i u m manufactured d u r i n g t h e Y e a r . r 2 Name or brand under which the prepared Quantities manufactured opium is sold Kg. Government prepared opium ...... 76 104 Total : 76 104 kg.

Form II. Q uantities of Raw and Prepared Opium used in the M anufacture of Prepared Opium DURING THE YEAR. i 2 3 4 5 Quantities of raw opium employed derived from Total quantities of raw Prepared opium used : Home produce. Imports . Seizures - opium used (seized or.remanufactured) . Kg.": •' Kg. ' Kg. Kg. . - Kg. N il 2 3 4 2 5 173 2 3 5 9 8 53 501 Dross used in the manufacture of prepared opium : 4 879 kg. Quantities used of : Kg. Indian opium 22 800 Turkish opium 625 Iranian opium Nil

Form III.—C o n s u m p t i o n o f P r e p a r e d O p i u m d u r i n g t h e Y e a r .

Quantities consumed by smokers Name or brand under which the prepared opium was sold Rationed ■ Non-rationed Kg. Kg. In tubes, size 1 ...... 35-5 — In tubes, size 2 ...... 2.6 3 518.5 In tubes, size 3 ...... 21.0 8 706.8 In tubes, size 4 ...... 12 11 335.8 In tubes, size 6 ...... 0.3 3 794-2 Total : 27 415.9 kg. * That is, by persons specially licensed to smoke outside opium-shops.

Form IV .—S t o c k s o f P r e p a r e d O p i u m .

Amount of stocks held by the Government on December 31st at the opium factory : Kg. In tubes ...... 3 520 N ot t u b e s ...... 55 538 T o t a l ...... 59058

Form V.—N u m b e r a n d N a t i o n a l i t y o f S m o k e r s a n d R a t e o f C o n s u m p t i o n .

In the absence of a system of licensing or registration, it is impossible to supply this information.

Form VI.—N u m b e r o f R e t a i l S h o p s (O w n e d o r L i c e n s e d b y G o v e r n m e n t ). N il.

Form VII.—N u m b e r o f S m o k i n g - establishments . Government Licensed establishments establishments 4 Opened In existence Opened In existence during on during on the year December 31st the year December 31st Wholly Government establish Ordinary licensed ments ...... 49 49 establishments .. 1 078 1 078 Official retail sale establishments 32 32 Temporary establish ments in the vici nity of mills and m in e s ...... 48 48 “ Commission ” esta blishments 70 70

Total 81 81 1 196 1 196

Form V III.—D r o s s .

Stock of dross held by the Government on January 1st : 44 074 kg. Quantities of dross purchased by the Government during the year : 10 948 kg. Quantities of dross seized during the year : 170 kg. Stock of dross held by the Government on December 31st : 39 384 kg. Average price paid by the Government for dross purchased : 119 baht 60 stangs per kg. Amount spent on the purchase of dross : 1 309 455 baht 21 stangs. Quantity of dross used for mixing with prepared opium : 4 879 kg.

Form IX .—S e i z u r e s o f R a w a n d P r e p a r e d O p i u m d u r i n g t h e Y e a r . _ Prepared Raw opium opium Kg. Kg. 520 Prepared opium ...... 3 866 D r o s s ...... 17°

T o t a l ...... 4 ° 36 Raw opiumseized on account of illicitimport usually originates in China or the British Shan States. A small proportion of raw-opium seizures, however, originatesfrom the clandestine cultivation of the opium poppy by the semi-wild hill tribes in the mountainous regions of Northern Siam. Form X .— N u m b e r o f P rosecutions , C o n v i c t i o n s a n d S e n t e n c e s f o r I nfringements o f t h e R e g u l a t i o n s r e l a t i n g t o R a w a n d P r e p a r e d O p i u m d u r i n g t h e Y e a r . Number of cases

i 2 3 Prosecuted Sentenced Acquitted 10 829 8 705 264

Form X I .— S a l e s o f D r o s s P e l l e t s t o L i c e n s e d D r o s s A d d i c t s .

Number of licensed Quantity of dross Price at which sold dross addicts sold to licensees to licensees Kg. 16 2.7 Two-thirds of the price of prepared opium

A n n ex KINGDOM OF SIAM. (Year a .d . 1936)

Special Opium A ccount. Particulars Amount Amount Particulars Amount Baht Stangs Baht Stangs Baht Stangs Opium purchases : Sale of prepared opium 9 744 260 86 -n • Sale of dross to regis- Raw opium ...... 1297729 71 tered addicts 67 Repurchase of dross .. .. 1309455 21 r *0»= "" 2 607 18 j. 02 Licence fees . . .. 337 304 — ,, , 7 4 9 Premia paid by licen- Monopoly expenses : sees ...... 1257216 43 Estimated expenses of Excise Profits from Govern- Department in connection ment shops .. .. 16 475 13 with opium (including ex- Miscellaneous .. .. 308 965 24 penses incurred in exami nation of dross and the expenses of the opium fac tory) « ...... 870000 — Portion of the expenses of the general services relating to opium : Suppression services : (a) Ministry of Interior (police, local adminis trative officials, etc.) (estimated) .. .. 50 000 — (b) Customs (estimated) .. 70000 — Expenses of Government labora tory in connection with opium 23150 —- Treatment of opium addicts .. — — Anti-opium propaganda : Estimated expenses of Minis try of Public Instruction in connection with anti-opium teaching in schools .. .. 10000 — Scientific research regarding opium ...... — — 153 150 — Payment to opium revenue re placement fund ...... —— Net proceeds from opium .. .. 8034518 41 T o t a l ...... 11664853 33 Total .. .. 11664853 33 « The total expenses of the Excise Department (which also administers all excise duties) were, excluding payments for opium and dross purchases, 1 741 296.96 baht. It is impossible to allocate exactly the expenses in connection with opium, but the above figure approximates to the facts.

N ote.—Expenditure debitable to revenue for health and social expenses (which contribute most directly to the policy of a protracted campaign against opium by improving the general condition of the population) ; Baht Baht Education ...... 8 883 983 Less expenses of anti-opium teaching ...... 10 000 ------8 873 983 Public h e a lt h ...... 1 655 626 Grants to Red Cross S o c ie ty ...... 17° 300 Total ...... 10 699 909 As a sum of 8 034 518.41 baht is available, the net proceeds from opium are thus insufficient to cover the expenditure for health and social expenses referred to above. Total gross revenue of Siam for the year 1936 = 106 739 646 baht (approximate).