Bureaucrats dealing drugs
The week's news at a glance.
Bangkok
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said this week that about 700 Thai government officials were involved in dealing illegal drugs. Thaksin was defending his crackdown on drug dealing, which critics say amounts to a shoot-to-kill policy. Hundreds of suspected dealers have been killed in the past three weeks—although the Interior Ministry said most of them died in gang shootouts, not police actions. Thailand has a catastrophic rate of methamphetamine addiction as well as a corrupt bureaucracy that profits from the meth trade. Thaksin, who was elected in 2001 on an anti-drug platform, has fingered police and army officers, ministry officials, and even village elders.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Fit for a king: must-visit palaces around the UK
The Week Recommends Our pick of the nation’s most magnificent royal residences
-
Is Andy Burnham making a bid to replace Keir Starmer?
Today's Big Question Mayor of Manchester on manoeuvres but faces a number of obstacles before he can even run
-
Christian Brückner: why prime suspect in Madeleine McCann case can refuse Met interview
The Explainer International letter of request rejected by 49-year-old convicted rapist as he prepares to walk free