Bangkok: The ongoing civil war in Myanmar has led to a significant increase in the illegal drug trade, particularly impacting Thailand, where authorities have reported a sharp rise in the trafficking of methamphetamines and heroin. Apikit Ch. Rojprasert, deputy secretary-general of the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB), highlighted that the northern region remains a primary trafficking route into Thailand, with dealers utilizing mountainous paths and the Mekong River to transport methamphetamine tablets and crystal meth, commonly known as ice.
According to ONCB officials, organized crime networks are collaborating with militias and rebel groups to establish “super labs” in Myanmar’s Shan and Kachin States, intensifying the drug trade in the region. Although a spokesperson for Myanmar’s ruling junta declined to comment, the junta has previously stated its commitment to working with neighboring countries to combat narcotics.
“Because of the armed conflict, the drug trade is one of the factors used to fund weapon purchases or drive the fighting forces,” Apikit explained during a Reuters interview. “We have to be vigilant about crimes that are linked to drug trafficking and work with neighboring countries.”
Myanmar has been embroiled in a civil war since the military coup in 2021, with the armed forces engaged in multiple conflicts against a growing resistance movement that includes several ethnic minority rebel groups.
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Surge in Drug Seizures
The ONCB reported a staggering 172% increase in the seizure of meth tablets in Thailand’s northern provinces—Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and Mae Hong Son—during the first eight and a half months of this year, totaling 346 million pills compared to all of 2023. The seizure of crystal meth also rose by 39% in the same period, amounting to 6.48 tons. Moreover, heroin seizures saw a dramatic resurgence, with 327 kg (721 lb) confiscated this year—nearly seven times the amount seized in 2023.
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Street Price Decline
The political turmoil in Myanmar has not only spurred an increase in synthetic drug production and trafficking but has also contributed to a revival of opium cultivation, as noted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Despite the rise in drug seizures, the average price of meth pills in Thailand continues to decline, indicating that a significant volume of drugs is likely evading capture. Currently, the average price of a meth tablet in Thailand ranges between 25-30 baht ($0.78-$0.93), a stark contrast to the prices of 80 baht ($2.49) in 2017 and 200 baht ($6.21) in 2013.
General Narit Thanwornwong, commander of Thailand’s drug suppression unit in the northern border, indicated that over 50 million meth pills are believed to be awaiting trafficking into Thailand. He noted that while some armed groups fighting the Myanmar junta are involved in drug trafficking, other organizations unrelated to the conflict are also engaged in production and trade.
Data from the ONCB reveals that drug seizures in the three northern Thai provinces have surged since the 2021 coup in Myanmar, with crystal meth increasing by 284%, amphetamine tablets by 201%, and heroin by 77%.
