China, India, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand on Thursday pledged to give priority to control of the region's severe drug situation.
The countries agreed to "join hands for the interception of problems on amphetamine type stimulants and precursor and essential chemical control," according to the ministerial meeting on drug control cooperation held here.
It's agreed the five nations will establish expert forum, set up workshop to prevent diversion of precursor and essential chemicals and to discuss ways to jointly combat transnational crimes.
At the meeting, they also accepted the proposal by which three main precursor including ephedrine, pseudo-ephedrine and acetic anhydride are placed in their priority control lists.
In the Chiang Rai Declaration, they also affirmed their "unwavering determination and commitment" to control of the diversion of precursor chemicals.
Laos, Myanmar and Thailand are located the world's second largest opium producing area known as Golden Triangle, while India and China border Myanmar to the north.
Production and consumption of amphetamine type stimulants are rising with the trafficking shifting toward east Asia and southeast Asia.
China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand started multilateral cooperation on drug control from August 2001, when delegates from them adopted Beijing Declaration to joint efforts on drug control.
India is invited to take part in the regional cooperation on drug control for the first time.
Meeting participants will make a tour of rehabilitation center for drug addicts on Friday.