Disputes - international:
demarcation of boundaries with Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam is
nearing completion, but with Thailand several areas including Mekong
River islets remain in dispute; ongoing disputes with Thailand and
Vietnam over squatters
Illicit drugs:
world's third-largest illicit opium producer (estimated cultivation
in 2002 - 23,200 hectares, a 5% increase over 2001; estimated
potential production in 2002 - 180 metric tons, a 10% decrease from
2001); potential heroin producer; transshipment point for heroin and
methamphetamine produced in Burma; illicit producer of cannabis;
growing methamphetamine abuse problem