BANGKOK, April 29 – Jai Norkham, a suspected ethnic Shan drug kingpin with alleged involvement in the killing of 13 Chinese shipping crewmen last year on the Mekong River in Chiang Rai, was arrested in the Lao PDR last week but may not be extradited to face drug charges in Thailand, according to Thailand’s Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB).

After confirmation by Lao PDR authorities about the arrest of Mr Norkham, believed to be an aide of the late so-called ‘Opium King’ Khun Sa, the deputy secretary-general of the ONCB, Sukhum Opasniputh, disclosed on Sunday that the drug suspect was in detention in the Lao capital of Vientiane.

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