Laos frees eight Thai officials

The seven Thai rangers and village headman who were detained in Laos for six days pose with senior Thai officials, who escorted them back to Thailand.

The seven rangers and village headman had been held in custody since last Tuesday - six days - after Laos accused them of intruding on its territory for unclear purposes.

Nan provincial military commander Major General Nithinant Chaiwattanaphan led a group of senior officials from the Supreme Command and local authorities to take the eight officials in three vans from north-western Xayabouly province back to Thai territory at about 11am.

Lao officials led by Bounnhang Chandalasan, the deputy Xayabouly governor joined a ceremony to hand the group over to Thai officials.

The eight captured officials were Capt Somsak Phummarin, Command Sergeant Major Yuthaphong Ma-oun, Ranger Suthin Phromchai, Ranger Bounthian Jaikham, Ranger Nual Piangjai, Ranger Pitak Khamkwaen, Ranger Tha Khamkwaen and village head Sawaeng Thaokham.

The men were taken by helicopter for questioning at a military camp in Phitsanulok province after arriving back in Thailand.

Their family members and relatives waited for them at the border checkpoint in Thung Chang district, opposite Xianghon district in Xayabouly.

None of the group was allowed to talk to the media. They were allowed to meet with their families briefly at the border checkpoint before being sent to Phisanulok.

Major General Nithinant said the military needed to interview the group for security purposes, as it remained unclear how they crossed the border and what they were doing. The military also needed to know what they had told Lao authorities, he said.

"The rangers are familiar with the location since they have been stationed in those areas for a long time," he said.

Thai military officials said earlier the capture of the group was a misunderstanding by Lao officials - as the men had no intent to violate sovereignty of the neighbouring country.

A local Thai official denied that the eight had entered Laos, saying it was a mountainous area where the border was not clearly demarcated.

"These eight people did not intrude into Laos territory, I think it was a misunderstanding," said Sompong Anuyuthapong, governor of Nan province.

//The Nation