Bangkok, May 07: Thailand's Prime Minister today denied that any extrajudicial killings took place during the country's recent war on drugs and said the world should be grateful that Thailand is helping to curb the drug trade. "Everything that has been done is according to our modern constitution... Everything is according to law," prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra told a select group of reporters at his office. A total of 2,274 people were killed nationwide during the three-month anti-drug campaign that ended April 30, according to official figures. The Thai government has come under intense criticism from international human rights groups who say the high death toll suggests extrajudicial killings by security forces.

Thaksin last week declared the anti-drug campaign a huge success, but had not until now responded to the allegations so explicitly.

Thaksin said that only about 35 people had been shot by the police in self defence, which he said was permissable by law. He said most of the killings were because of gang wars and suspected informers being shot to death by "big bosses" who were afraid that "fingers would be pointed at them."
"The success of this campaign has helped the whole world, especially the western countries. Otherwise it (the drug problem) will spread to the whole world. I'm not claiming credit for the whole world, but they have to understand that we have done our duty as a member of the world community," he said.

Bureau Report