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Traffic in Opium and Other Dangerous Drugs

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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 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.
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