BKK Post / 10 April 1998  
Claims Thai police extorting Laotians  

Ubon Ratchathani
   A Laotian official from Saravane province yesterday 
complained that illegal Laotian immigrants caught in 
Thailand have been extorted by Thai police.
   Khamphone Khantiwong, the deputy chief of Songkhon 
district who led a Laotian delegation here, raised the 
matter with Thai officials during a meeting in Khemarat 
district. The meeting was aimed at tightening relations 
between local authorities of both countries. Khemarat is 
located opposite Songkhon on the Mekong river bank.
   Mr Khamphone asked Thai authorities to stop the 
extortion of Laotian immigrants caught by Thai police and 
to contact Laotian authorities first to arrange for the 
repatriation of illegal Laotian workers in Thailand.