PANIC IN LAOS

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28983, 26 August 1959, Page 13

PANIC IN LAOS

Advance By Rebels

VIENTIANE, August 24. Pro-Communist febel forces were reported today to have probed to within 30 miles of Luang Prabang, causing some panic in the city, home of the Laotian Royal Family. Government officials returning from the Royal capital today said about 50 families had left the city with their possessions as reports of widespread rebel activity continued to pour in. Military sources in Vientiane said, however, that most of the panic in Luang Prabang had probably been caused by rumours of large-scale attacks instigated by the rebels themselves. Although there has been a clamp-down on official news from the north-eastern provinces of Laos since last Thursday, military sources today reported a significant spread of rebel influence there in the last five days. Clashes were reported at the week-end within 50 miles of Vientiane, the administrative capital.

One military observer said the pro-Communist Pathet Lao battalion, which defected from the Royal Laotian Army last May, was now definitely on the move. Most of the battalion, numbering 600 men. was reported moving north into Sam Neua province while other sections were filtering south through the Cadinh and Muone Valleys to the Thai border Military sources said rebels probed deep into Thakkek province. central Laos, yesterday, and advanced to withm three miles of French tin mines at Phontiou, but no attack on the mines was reported. In London, the British Foreign Office spokesman said Britain had received reports sent last Friday from Laos showing “a certain deterioration of the military situation from the point of view of the Royal Laotian Government, especially in the Sam Neua province.”

He declined to give details. Usually reliable sources said in London that Britain was still awaiting a reply from the Soviet Union to her proposal that they should ask the United Nations to send an observer to Laos. The proposal was made on August 17.