June 24, 2008
BANGKOK - Thai authorities will burn drugs worth more than 310 million dollars next week to mark anti-drugs day, according to the public health ministry.
A torch will be put to more than four tonnes (8,818 pounds) of seized substances with an estimated street value of 10 billion baht (315 million dollars).
This is to mark the United Nations day against drug use and trafficking on June 26.
"This is to demonstrate the determination of the Thai government to eradicate drugs from Thailand," the ministry said in a statement.
Illegal substances going up in flames this year -- Thailand's 36th drugs burn -- include 32 million tablets of methamphetamine, 1.1 tonnes of heroin, 7.2 kilograms (15.8 pounds) of ecstasy and 2.2 kilograms of cocaine, according to AFP.
The government in April re-launched the controversial "war on drugs" initiated by ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The government said there would be no extra-judicial killings which rights groups say plagued a similar 2003 anti-narcotics push.
But the interior minister has warned: "If anyone does not want to die, don't walk this road."
