THAILAND/LAOS BORDER: REPERCUSSIONS OF RENEWED LAOTIAN FIGHTING FELT IN THAILAND.

Record ID: 375893

  • Title: THAILAND/LAOS BORDER: REPERCUSSIONS OF RENEWED LAOTIAN FIGHTING FELT IN THAILAND.
  • Date: 15th March 1970
  • Summary: 1. SCU SIGN "THAI-LAOS BORDER" 0.05 2. SV SIGN "WELCOME TO LAOS" 0.13 3. GV PAN MEKONG RIVER 0.22 4. SV SIGN "NONKAI" 0.27 5. GV STREET SCENE IN NONKAI 0.30 6. MV PRO-NORTH VIETNAMESE IN PHOTOGRAPHER'S SHOP 0.35 7. MV DITTO IN RADIO SHOP 0.40 8. MV DITTO CYCLE SHOP 0.45 9. GV&SV MARKET (3 SHOTS) 0.57 10. MV PAN GOVERNMENT SOLDIERS ON PARADE 1.05 11. LV BORDER PATROL BOAT 1.15 12. AV GOVERNMENT PATROL CHECKING CARS AT BORDER POINT 1.21 13. LV PAN AMERICAN AIRBASE AT UBON (2 SHOTS) 1.36 Initials OJP/V/DW/MH Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 30th March 1970 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: THAILAND/LAOS BORDER
  • City:
  • Country: Thailand Laos
  • Reuters ID: LVA9ENLRTEQZYZOXUD8VMF6KHDKZ
  • Story Text: THAILAND HAS INTENSIFIED ITS BORDER PATROLS AND PUT ITS TROOPS ON EXTRA ALERT IN THE WAKE OF THE COMMUNIST OFFENSIVE IN LAOS.

    THAILAND AND LAOS SHARE A THREE-HUNDRED-MILE BORDER WHICH WINDS THROUGH PLAINS FORESTS AND MOUNTAINS. MUCH OF IT IS FORMED BY THE MEKONG RIVER WHICH SEPARATED THE LAOTIAN CAPITAL OF VIENTIANE AND THE NORTHERN THAI CITY OF NONKAI.

    THOUSANDS OF VIETNAMESE REFUGEES WORK IN NONKAI AS SHOPKEEPERS AND TAILORS. MOST OF THEM SYMPATHISE WITH HANOI WHICH HAS REFUSED TO TAKE THEM BACK.

    THE THAI GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING TO MOVE SEVERAL THOUSAND REFUGEES IN THE NORTH-EAST WHO ARE CONSIDERED SECURITY RISKS, AND HAS ASKED AMERICA FOR MORE ARMS AND EQUIPMENT AFTER RECENT SUCCESSFUL COMMUNIST OFFENSIVES. THAILAND HAS HAD SUPPORT FORM LAOS IN ITS EFFORTS TO REPATRIATE THE REFUGEES, AS PRINCE SOUVANNA PHOUMA REGARDS THEIR PROXIMITY AS A THREAT TO HIS COUNTY TOO. IT IS ALSO THOUGHT THAT NORTH VIETNAMESE TROOPS WHICH SLOPPED INTO THAILAND ACROSS THE MEKONG RIVER LAST NOVEMBER HAVE BEEN RE-SUPPLYING FROM LAOS.

    MANY OF THE REFUGEES (DUE TO BE MOVED ON) LIVE NEAR UBON WHERE THE UNITED STATES HAS A HUGE B-52 BASE USED FOR RAIDS OVER VIETNAM AND LAOS. SOME LIVE WITHIN FIFTEEN YARDS OF THE BOUNDARY AND CAR WATCH AIRCRAFT MOVEMENTS, WHILE MILITARY PATROLS IN TURN WATCH THEM.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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