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Time - Man of the Year
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Time_Man_of_the_Year_Compact_Publishing_3YX-Disc-1_Compact_Publishing_1993.iso
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040692
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0406007.000
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1992-08-28
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WORLD, Page 38World NotesTHAILANDA Whiff of Opium
When a pro-Western military junta wants to win favor with the
U.S., the preferred course includes holding relatively fair
elections, then standing on the sidelines as a pliant civilian
government is installed. If all goes well, the result may be
more money from U.S. aid agencies. That is, unless the proposed
new Prime Minister is an alleged drug trafficker.
Then, as Thailand discovered last week, the result can be
embarrassment and uncertainty. The designee is Narong Wongwan,
66, a lumber and tobacco millionaire whose pro-military Justice
and Unity Party won the most seats in Thailand's first
parliamentary elections since a bloodless coup 13 months ago.
Soon after Narong was named to head a five-party coalition
government, Washington officials disclosed that he had been
denied a visa to enter the U.S. last July because of alleged
links to Thailand's opium and heroin trade.
Thai police said they had no evidence to support the U.S.
allegations, which Narong denied. But his military patrons
showed signs of backing away from Narong, leaving his
appointment in doubt.