Thailand prepares for new poppy war
Far from the bustle of booming Chiang Mai, pockets of poppies are still being cultivated in the remote hills of this northern province, defying years of intensive efforts to eradicate them. Periodically, Thailand’s drug enforcement officials backed by foreign powers sweep through the area, but never seem to win the battle.
The officials close in on a farm and begin slashing away at the opium plants after having trudged for miles through rugged terrain along the northern hills to locate the latest poppy growing areas. Their target is Ban Huai Bong in Omkoi district, which produces the largest amount of opium.
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