Thread: Security beefed-up along Thai-Lao border following sporadic fighting in Laos

The security presence along the Thai-Lao border, in Wiang Kaen district of Chiang Rai, has been stepped up following sporadic fighting, between government forces and unknown armed groups, in Bo Kaeo province of Laos.


Maj-Gen Kridakorn Chantrat, commander of the Pha Muang Task Force, has ordered Thai troops deployed near the border to prevent the fighting in Laos from spilling over onto Thai territory and to protect Thai communities near the border.


A bullet fell onto the roof of a house in Ban Rom Fah Pha Mon village in Por sub-district yesterday, but caused no harm. The villagers are, however, concerned that stray shells may land on the Thai side of the border, if the fighting in Laos intensifies.


It is reported that village heads and local police in Lao border towns are monitoring the activities of any anti-government armed groups in their localities.

Security beefed-up along Thai-Lao border following sporadic

Lao troops killed in attack tied to drug crackdown

Gunmen attacked Lao military positions in Bokeo province near the northern Thai border, sources told Radio Free Asia on Monday. A news report said at least five Lao soldiers were killed in the ongoing violence that may be retaliation for a drug trafficking crackdown.


The attack began on Saturday evening, when the fighters stormed and seized three out of four Lao military outposts in Phu Pha Mon and Ban Chiang Tong, located in Pak Tha district, according to Thai-language media outlet Transborder News, which cited unnamed sources.


Supoj Langkawira, chief of the Thai border district of Wiang Kaen, confirmed the assault to RFA. He said the fighting peaked on Sunday and had since subsided.


“There were heavy clashes inside Laos, about 2 kilometers deep, but I don’t have many details. Thai soldiers and officials spread along the border to keep peace,” said Supoj. He didn’t have information on casualties.


Supoj said that his office contacted Lao authorities, but they have yet to receive a response.


A diplomatic source in the Lao capital Vientiane told RFA they had confirmed the assault with “reliable sources.”


A document circulated on social media and reviewed by RFA shows that the district chief of Boten in Laos’s Xayaburi province issued an urgent directive instructing local authorities to remain on alert for potential armed conflict at all hours. The notice, however, provided no further details about the situation.


At least five Lao soldiers were killed, with several more wounded or trapped as fighting entered its third day on Monday, Transborder News said. Lao forces attempting to evacuate the wounded have come under fire, the report said.


A senior officer was allegedly ambushed and killed while trying to reach the conflict zone. A 7-year-old girl is said to be trapped inside one of the besieged bases, according to the news service.


Communities beyond Pak Tha have been cut off from supplies, Transborder News reported.


RFA has not independently verified the details of the Transborder News report.


A Thai paramilitary unit has been deployed along the border. Stray bullets have reportedly struck village rooftops, prompting heightened security and 24-hour patrols across high-risk areas such as Pha Bong and Phu Chi Dao, Transborder News said. Thai naval patrols have also been increased along the Mekong River to prevent cross-border violence.


The Lao government has not commented.


The motive behind the attack is believed to be connected to a major drug enforcement operation in the same region, Transborder News reported.


On April 21, Lao authorities seized more than 20 million methamphetamine pills in Bokeo Province after an abandoned truck loaded with narcotics was discovered in Ton Pheung district. The case is considered one of the largest drug hauls in Laos’ history.


Sources told Transborder News the assault may be an act of retaliation by transnational drug syndicates with ties to armed ethnic militias.


A Thai official, who didn’t want to be named because he’s not authorized to speak to the media, told RFA that the perpetrators could be from Myanmar’s Wa minority who produce and traffic drugs around the Golden Triangle where Laos, Thailand and Myanmar meet.


Laos has ramped up its anti-drug efforts in recent years, especially in the Golden Triangle region, a notorious hub for narcotics production and trafficking. In 2024 alone, Lao authorities handled 3,395 drug-related cases and arrested 5,168 individuals, including nearly 200 foreign nationals.


News of the border assault has triggered a wave of grief and outrage on Lao social media, where users are demanding answers and criticizing the government’s silence.


Hashtags related to Bokeo Province and Wiang Kaen have surged on Facebook and TikTok, with users posting unverified images from the conflict zone and mourning the loss of Lao soldiers.

Lao troops killed in attack tied to drug crackdown: report – Radio Free Asia

I'm curious as to what resources the Thais put into this. A couple of dozen conscripted kids?

Originally Posted by 39TG

I'm curious as to what resources the Thais put into this. A couple of dozen conscripted kids?

What's their role and what expertise is required?

Much of Lao has porous borders

Originally Posted by BLD

has porous borders

me too

Unknown armed groups.
I's bet on it that's not the case.
[unknown]

Phu Chi Fa in Chiang Rai closed as Lao conflict spills

Phu Chi Fa National Park, in the northern border province of Chiang Rai, has been closed until further notice because of ongoing fighting between the Lao government and unidentified forces in Bo Kaeo Province of Laos.


Thai security forces along the border in the district have been reinforced to protect local communities.


Phu Chi Fa National Park is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the province and the wider northern region, particularly during the cool season.
From its mountain-top viewpoints, visitors can enjoy panoramic views deep into Laos.


The closure was announced on the park’s official Facebook page and came after a stray bullet landed on the roof of a house in Ban Rom Fah Pha Mon village, Por sub-district, on Saturday.


No injuries were reported. Nonetheless, villagers are concerned that stray shells may land on Thai territory if the conflict in Laos escalates.


Reports indicate, though, that the fighting appears to have subsided for now, as no gunfire was heard yesterday.

Phu Chi Fa in Chiang Rai closed as Lao conflict spills

Originally Posted by HuangLao

Unknown armed groups.
I's bet on it that's not the case.
[unknown]

And I bet it's just that there's so many of them they don't know which one it is.