Full coverage: 5th CICA Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in Beijing

One of the central topics of discussion at the CICA meeting is further co-operation in stopping smuggling in the Golden Triangle. China has been pushing security agencies in the region to work together and more effectively since 13 Chinese sailors were murdered by drug smugglers on the Mekong River 5 years ago. That co-operation is having an impact, but there is much more to be done.

It’s a region infamous for its association with drug smuggling. But law enforcement agencies from Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and China have been working together to try and crack down.

Since the murder of thirteen Chinese sailors in 2011 was linked to methamphetamine smugglers in Myanmar and Laos, a new impetus has driven agencies along the length of the Mekong, to bring the lawless golden triangle under control. And according to the Thai police, it is having some impact.

China has contributed much needed boats to Laos and Myanmar, and is involved in joint patrols with Thailand. And funds have been released by the Thai government so the police can make their presence felt. 

One of major problems for Thai marine police is funding,with two major costlines and several rivers within their jurisdiction, now with the new security measures they have got enough funding fro 7,000 trips a year to the area around the golden triangle.

A framework for security co-operation is also in place at this joint strategy headquarters in Chiang Mai.

But effective and speedy intelligence sharing is still being held up by regulations and red tape, although forward planning has benefited considerably from this center.

Its all good news thinks the UN’s drug control agency, but there’s much more to do. And the UN would like to expand the scope of attention from law enforcement, to the root problems behind drugs abuse. 

The murky waters of the Mekong have earned their reputation for lawlessness, and the area remains frustratingly difficult to tame.But the four nations along its northern banks appear committed to cleaning up.