Thai clash on Laos border

Press, 16 October 1976, Page 8

Thai clash on Laos border

NZPA-Reuter Bangkok Thai and Laotian troops are reported to have clashed near the border in north-eastern Thailand after the crossing into Laos of Leftist Thai students.

The reports reaching Bangkok said the clashes occurred in Loei province, but did not give details of casulaties or say when the fighting took place. A military spokesman in Bangkok did not deny the reports. He said they were being checked and an official statement would be issued later.

The reports come after official Thai statements that a number of Leftist students have crossed into Communist Laos since last week’s military coup in Bangkok and the fighting between Leftist students and armed police at the city’s Thammasat University. A Thai Foreign Ministry source confirmed that Thailand had been asked to close its military attache’s office in Vientiane.

Although the new military rulers in Bangkok say they want friendly relations with their Communist Indo-China neighbours, there has been a noticeable cooling off. The Thai military and civilian leaders have already adopted a harder line towards Hanoi than the previous Government of the former Prime Minister Mr Seni Pramoj, and the Vietnamese have denounced the new Bangkok leadership as a puppet American administration.

Although Laos has not joined in the verbal war, political observers in Bangkok have pointed out that Hanoi has considerable influence in Vientiane and may well use the Laotians to get back at the Thai leadership.