¡¡¡¡BANGKOK, Dec. 6 (Xinhuanet) -- Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has pledged the government would closely follow the king's call in his birthday address to work out a more effective foreign policy to combat drugs, the Bangkok Post reported Friday.

¡¡¡¡The king expressed his concern about burgeoning problems related to drugs and the difficulties facing the authorities involved in suppression operations while delivering his annual birthday address before cabinet ministers Wednesday.

¡¡¡¡It was the third time within a week that drugs had been mentioned in the king's royal speech.

¡¡¡¡Thaksin said all members of the society must join forces in fighting drugs. Also, there must be an integrated strategy to deal effectively with the scourge.

¡¡¡¡Changes must be made to the foreign policy, especially in the area of international cooperation to suppress drugs, he said, adding that the family institution also had a key role to play in containing the spread of drugs in Thai society.

¡¡¡¡Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, who is in charge of security, unveiled an anti-drug strategy which would separate addicts from traders and producers.

¡¡¡¡The strategy would focus on three targets -- drugs producers based outside Thailand, dealers, and addicts, the report said, explaining that drastic action would be taken against drug producers and dealers, while addicts would be sent to rehabilitation centers.

¡¡¡¡Chavalit said there are 28 drugs factories based in Thailand's neighboring countries.

¡¡¡¡Last month the Thai Third Army warned that up to 1 billion methamphetamine pills were expected to be trafficked across the Thai-Myanmar border by the United Wa State Army (UWSA) next year. Enditem ¡¡¡¡