BKK Post / 21 October 1997
BORDER  
Laos refuses to set up probe panel  
Deadlock in talks on arrested officers  

By Thirawat Khamthita in Chiang Rai

   Laotian officials have refused to set up a joint 
investigating panel to consider a border dispute which has 
left six Thais in custody in Laos. Negotiations are 
deadlocked with Laos demanding compensation for the seizure 
of two of its boats and for an alleged infringement of its 
territorial waters.
   Bavorn Rattanaprasit, the provincial district clerk, 
returned empty handed from Laos after talks to try to free 
five immigration officers and a civilian who have been held 
for two weeks.
   Thai and Laotian officials had different accounts of 
what happened on the night of October 7, when the six were 
seized.
   Police said six Laotian vessels, which were allegedly 
carrying contraband, were intercepted by two Thai naval 
vessels on Mae Kok river after an exchange of gunfire. 
However, four managed to flee back to Laos while they were 
being escorted to the Mekong patrol station. The six were 
on board these boats.
   Laos says the six have been detained because they 
encroached on Laotian territorial waters.
   Mr Bavorn said Laos refused to set up a joint panel and 
instead laid down several conditions for their release, 
including compensation.
   However, border sources yesterday said that Vientiane 
has ordered their release and deportation is expected soon.
   The six Thais are Pol Capt Sukhet Vetchayanon, assistant 
inspectors with the Chiang Saen immigration police units, 
Decha Thiamphat, Manee Oosplaymanon, Sompol Watanachan and 
Somchai Prangprempree and Thawee Kawee, a janitor attached 
to the immigration police unit.


DFA told to implement development assistance program for 
Laos  

Philippine News Agency

   MANILA, Oct. 20 (PNA) -- President Fidel V. Ramos today 
directed Foreign Affairs Secretary Domingo Siazon, Jr. to 
finalize the comprehensive development assistance to the 
Lao People Democratic Republic to accelerate the country's 
growth.
   The assistance was committed by the President during his 
talks with the leaders of Laos led by Prime Minister 
Khamtay Siphandone when he was in Vientiane last October 
17-18, 1997 for a 23-hour state visit.
   The President said ways and means to strengthen 
relations, especially in the area of trade, investments and 
human resource development, should be explored to keep Laos 
at pace with the rest of the Association of Southeast Asian 
Nations (ASEAN).
   Laos and Myanmar are the latest additions to the ASEAN.
   "Review/fine-tune and CSW (Complete Staff Work) our 
package of development assistance, support and cooperation 
to Laos under the TCCP/FSI (Technical Cooperation Council 
of the Philippines/Foreign Service Institute) new bilateral 
agreements," the Chief Executive said in a handwritten 
memorandum to Siazon.
    In carrying out his instruction, the President directed 
Siazon to coordinate with the Department of Environment and 
Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Science and 
Technology (DOST), Department  of Agriculture (DA), 
Department of Energy (DOE), and Department of 
Transportation and Communications (DOTC).
   He asked them to submit a progress report not later than 
October 27, 1997.
   While in Vientiane, five bilateral agreements were 
signed, namely:
   -- Waiver of Visa Requirements for Official and 
Diplomatic Passport Holders;
   -- Cooperations Against Illicit Drug Trafficking;
   -- Malaria Control Program Technical Cooperation;
   -- Cooperation in Public Health; and
   -- Cultural Agreement.
   The President said the development assistance for Laos 
should be pursued in the spirit of "Oplan Brotherhood," a 
program initiated by the Philippine government in the 
1950s. The program, which lasted until the late 1970s, was 
carried out to help people of Laos through cooperation in 
medical care, public health, education and community 
development.