The Golden Triangle had become one of the world's three major sources of raw materials for drugs not simply because of its unique geographical location and a climate and environment suitable for growing them.
The most important factor was corruption and dereliction of duty among the border authorities of Myanmar, Laos and Thailand.
This was especially true of Thailand's border forces, where some generals outright served as protectors of the drug lords.
Mainland China's public security system had long worked to promote joint operations involving all four countries to clean out the Golden Triangle, a haven for criminals, and further strengthen security along its own borders.
Throughout this process, Myanmar and Laos had been reasonably cooperative.
After all, both countries shared borders with Mainland China, and neither had much of a voice on the international stage.
As long as Mainland China took a firm stance, Myanmar and Laos would have to show it due respect.
Thailand's situation, however, was undoubtedly entirely different from that of Myanmar and Laos.
Not only was Thailand among the strongest countries in Southeast Asia, but Myanmar and Laos also lay between it and Mainland China.
Provided its own interests were unaffected, Thailand did not mind doing Mainland China a favor.
But joint operations targeting the Golden Triangle clearly ran counter to the vested interests of many in Thailand's border troops.
Precisely for this reason, even though Police General Phongsaphat, the highest-ranking official in Thailand's policing system, had a close friendship with Sir Kwan, the Number One of the Hong Kong Island Police Force,
and the Hong Kong Island Police Force and Thailand Police Headquarters also maintained a fairly close working relationship,
Mainland China's public security system, which stood behind the Hong Kong Island Police Force, still could not persuade the Thai side to launch joint