CNI News
4 June 2025
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin's declaration of a war on drugs politically treads on the "Wa", military and political observers told CNI News.
Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced on May 27, 2025, a war on drugs to combat the drug distribution of the United Wa State Army (UWSA) in Shan State, Myanmar.
Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was trying to regain popular support by declaring a war on drugs in the “Wa” while his popularity in Thailand was declining, Colonel Khun Okkar, chairman of the Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO/NCA-S), which is an NCA signatory told CNI New.
“Former Prime Minister Thaksin is in a slump in public support in Thailand and is in danger of going to prison, but he has received letters of support saying he 'd better to stay well in a police hospital. What he doesn’t like are the former military generals who overthrew him. Thaksin doesn’t like General Prayut and his group. When they don’t like each other, it becomes a power struggle. He wants to put blame on Thai generals kind of, saying something they don't take action endanger Thailand when his daughter is Thai PM. So, according to his local politics, he said that he would fight against the Wa, which he is trying to regain the public support kind of. But we have to say something about whether some of the problems are directly related to the Wa or not” he said.
While seeing former Thai PM Thaksin
Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has accused the UWSA of being responsible for the flow of drugs into Thailand, and he said that the Thai foreign minister would soon discuss measures with Myanmar to crack down on the UWSA.
Thaksin also boasted of good relations with Myanmar government leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and the Lao Prime Minister, and said he could seek their cooperation to stop drug shipments to Thailand.
However, Thaksin pointed out that Thailand must handle the fight against drugs independently, and that Shan State in Myanmar is currently not under the Myanmar government's control.
leader of the UWSA
Thaksin's response could be a threat to the "Wa" over the drug issue to divert attention from their own domestic problems, Dr. Hla Kyaw Zaw, a China-Myanmar affairs analyst, told CNI News. "I wonder why Thaksin is trying to divert the public attention from domestic problems. This is not the first time they threaten to attack the Wa. Thai troops had fought against the Wa when the Wa troops arrived in the Thai border. They know how the Thai troops suffered at that time. But this time, it's just a threat. Now many Thai people don't like Thaksin. It seems that the threat comes from the Thai local politics. They are turning to the drug issue to divert people's attention and talking about the "Wa". They won't fight," she said.
Thaksin declared a war on drugs in 2003, during which more than 2,800 extrajudicial killings were committed, and now, on May 27, 2025, he has declared a new war on drugs.
Thaksin also said he would seek permission from his daughter, current Prime Minister Paetongtarn, to conduct mass checks to find drug dealers.
