The new Thai Government is to relaunch the country's "war on drugs" which killed more than 2500 people allegedly involved in the trade. During a three-month killing spree in 2003 thousands named on police "black lists" were shot dead, allegedly on government orders. Yet the government's narcotics control board concluded that more than half the victims had no involvement in drugs. One couple from north-eastern Thailand was shot dead after coming into unexplained wealth. They were, in fact, lottery winners. The campaign was one of the policies of Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister who now lives in exile and owns Manchester City Football Club. "My Government will decisively implement a policy against drug trafficking. Government officials must implement this policy 24 hours a day, but I will not set a target for how many people should die," said Samak Sundaravej, the new Prime Minister. Interior Minister Chalerm Yubamrung, said: "When we implement a policy that may bring 3000 to 4000 bodies, we will do it." The former premier and his supporters -- who were re-elected in December -- insist the dead were the victims of gang warfare. Yet there is strong evidence of police involvement. Many were shot days after being summoned to defend themselves before local authorities or after reporting to a police station to have their name removed from the "black list".

Source: The Age, 24 Feb 2008