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The Star
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Scenic viewing spot closed down after Laos clashes
RARE armed clashes in Laos believed to be linked to drug smuggling have forced Thailand to close a popular mountain viewing point on the border and prompted a security warning from the United States. Thai national park officials said on Monday that the Phu Chi Fa scenic spot, on the border with Laos in northern Chiang Rai province, has been closed until further notice. The US embassy in Vientiane urged Americans thinking of travelling to Bokeo province to reconsider after reports of 'clashes between the Lao army and unidentified armed groups'. 'Local officials have requested raised security levels, which will include an increase in military checkpoints and troop presence,' the embassy said on its website. Unrest is rare in communist Laos but the country forms part of the Golden Triangle – covering the border areas with Myanmar and Thailand – that has been a hub for South-East Asia's lucrative drug trade for decades. State-run Lao National Radio reported on Tuesday that a border patrol clashed with drug smugglers in Bokeo on Saturday and arrested four suspects. The report said that some border patrol officials were killed and wounded in the clashes, without giving details. Suphakorn Phromcharoen, the police chief in Thailand's Wiang Kaen district, across the border from the location of the clashes, said at least one stray bullet hit a house on the Thai side. Thai authorities estimate that at least one soldier may have been killed and more than a dozen wounded. — AFP
Economic Times
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Economic Times
Thailand closes scenic viewing spot following clashes at Laos
Live Events MORE STORIES FOR YOU ✕ Travelling to Thailand soon? The government has issued a health alert you must be aware of Thailand mandates Digital Arrival Card for all foreign visitors starting May 1 « Back to recommendation stories I don't want to see these stories because They are not relevant to me They disrupt the reading flow Others SUBMIT A series of armed clashes believed to be connected to drug smuggling have erupted along the Thai-Laos border, prompting Thai authorities to close the popular Phu Chi Fa mountain viewpoint in Chiang Rai province. The scenic area, known for its sunrise views over mist-covered valleys, will remain closed until further notice, officials said on clashes occurred across the border in Laos ' Bokeo province, a region that lies within the Golden Triangle—an area long associated with Southeast Asia's illegal drug trade. Thai and Lao authorities suspect the violence involves confrontations between the Lao military and unidentified armed US Embassy in Vientiane issued a travel warning on its website, advising American citizens to reconsider travel to Bokeo province due to the ongoing security situation. 'Local officials have requested raised security levels, which will include an increase in military checkpoints and troop presence,' the embassy to Lao National Radio, a border patrol unit in Bokeo clashed with suspected drug smugglers on Saturday, resulting in arrests and casualties. The report confirmed that four suspects were detained and noted that some Lao border officers were killed or wounded. No specific figures were provided, and Lao police have not responded to requests for further details.(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)In Thailand, Suphakorn Phromcharoen, police chief of Wiang Kaen district bordering the conflict zone, confirmed that at least one stray bullet from the clashes struck a house on the Thai side. 'We estimate at least one soldier may have been killed and more than a dozen wounded,' he told unrest is rare in Laos, the Golden Triangle region—which spans northern Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand—has remained a hotspot for drug trafficking. The region's difficult terrain and porous borders have made it a long-standing center for the production and movement of narcotics, including in both countries are now increasing security patrols, particularly in border zones where tensions remain high. Thai officials said the closure of Phu Chi Fa is a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of tourists and residents in light of the armed activity updates are expected as Lao officials continue to investigate and manage the situation along their northern frontier.
CNA
06-05-2025
- CNA
Thailand shuts scenic viewing spot after Laos clashes
BANGKOK: Rare armed clashes in Laos believed to be linked to drug smuggling have forced Thailand to close a popular mountain viewing point on the border and prompted a security warning from the United States. Thai national park officials said on Monday (May 5) that the Phu Chi Fa scenic spot, on the border with Laos in northern Chiang Rai province, has been closed until further notice. The US embassy in Vientiane urged Americans thinking of travelling to Bokeo province to reconsider after reports of "clashes between the Lao army and unidentified armed groups". "Local officials have requested raised security levels, which will include an increase in military checkpoints and troop presence," the embassy said on its website. Unrest is rare in communist Laos but the country forms part of the Golden Triangle – covering the border areas with Myanmar and Thailand – that has been a hub for Southeast Asia's lucrative drug trade for decades. State-run Lao National Radio reported on Tuesday that a border patrol clashed with drug smugglers in Bokeo on Saturday and arrested four suspects. The report said that some border patrol officials were killed and wounded in the clashes, without giving details. Police in Laos did not respond to AFP's request for comment. Suphakorn Phromcharoen, the police chief in Thailand's Wiang Kaen district, across the border from the location of the clashes, told AFP that at least one stray bullet had hit a house on the Thai side of the border. Thai authorities estimate that at least one soldier may have been killed and more than a dozen wounded.
