- Title: THAILAND: BORDER WITH LAOS BRIEFLY OPENED.
- Date: 31st December 1975
- Summary: 1. GV PAN Crashed train 0.08 2. SV Rescue workers (3 shots) 0.27 3. GV Wreckage (4 shots) 0.51 4. SV Rescue workers clearing debris (3 shots) 1.18 5. GV PAN Wrecked train 1.26 Initials CL/0133 CL/0211 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 15th January 1976 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NONGKHAI, THAILAND
- Country: Thailand
- Reuters ID: LVA3N372ZEU7TNPHV14HL0DO694G
- Story Text: After a closure of six weeks, the Thai-Lao border was briefly re-opened on Monday (29 December).
The re-opening of the border, facing the Laotian capital of Vientiane, was carried out at the request of several government including those of France, Australia, Switzerland and West Germany .in order to allow them to send supplies to their embassies in Vientiane.
The 800-mile-long border was closed for more than a month following a clash between Thai and Pathet Lao troops in which a Thai soldier was killed and a navy patrol grounded on a sandbank in the Menkong River.
He said Thailand reached an understanding with Laos in the past week after an exchange of messages between the two foreign ministers.
He added that relations between the two countries were improving and mentioned that a Laos dancing troupe has agreed to attend a South-East Asian dance festival in Bangkok next month.
SYNOPSIS: The Mekong River border between Thailand and the Vientiane province of Laos was briefly re-opened on Monday after a closure of six weeks. the re-opening was mainly to allow foreign embassies in Vientiane to receive much-needed supplies in the land-locked country. The border had been closed since the middle of November when a Thai naval vessel was shot at the Pathet Lao forces after a demarcation dispute.
One week ago, the Laotian foreign minister appealed for international assistance to make Thailand re-open the border. Until recently, most foodstuffs and commodities consumed in Vientiane were transported daily across the Mekong from Thailand. A foreign ministry spokesman in Bangkok has said that Thailand had reached an understanding with Laos and the border will be re-opened permanently within a few days.
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