‘Bandits’ Shoot Up Passenger Bus In Northern Laos

[Coss]

Unidentified gunmen shot up a passenger bus in northern Laos last week in an incident that officials and witnesses said was the work of bandits in an attack that was thwarted by the actions of the alert driver.

 

The midnight attack on Jan. 14 on Route 13 North in Kasy district, 175 km (105 miles) north of the capital Vientiane, left one of about a dozen passengers in the vehicle injured, but caused no deaths.

 

“While the bus was moving up a hill, the bandits fired about 50 shots at the vehicle. At first they shot front of the bus, then the side and back of the bus,†said a passenger who was on the bus when it was attacked and spoke to RFA’s Lao Service on condition of anonymity.

 

more at the link

 

http://www.rfa.org/english/news/laos/laos-bus-01202016175144.html

 

 

It would appear that these kind of events, often thought of, as from the past, are still happening sporadically.

[Flashermac]

My Mrs once went from Chiang Mai to Kunming (I think) and back by bus across Laos. I told her I didn't not like that idea, but she insisted it would be safe. Fortunately, nothing bad happened.

[scoobydoo]

didn't not like? eh

[Flashermac]

Oops ... not didn't not like.

[baa99]

We don't need no stinkin' badges!

[YimSiam]

Usually this 'bandit' business outside VTE could be associated with some type of Hmong activity, but I'm not sure that this location allows for that explanation - former Saisomboun Special Zone is a little south and east of Kasi, maybe? Anyway, can't trust anything that comes from either the LPDR gov, or RFA - at least have to take either with a grain of salt, given the political implications of anything relating to Laos, security and possibly the Hmong...

 

Was a great comment from Laos this week, about the opening of their Five-Year Congress meeting, whatever it's called -- Foreign Ministry media division stated brazenly that "due to the limited time available for preparations", it was not possible to facilitate and foreign media coverage of the event... Five years, and you don't have time... Bold. (Also during the week: Putin notes that the British findings in the Litvinenko killing will in his words "poison" the UK-Russia relationship... File under: We don't give two fucks, about anything!

[Coss]

"due to the limited time available for preparations",

 

yes, code for no.

 

 

I forget the actual name of the organisation, but Laos has it's turn as head of one of those organisations like ASEC or ASEAN or some such and traditionally, there is a sidelines meeting held on human rights, when the main organisation meets.

 

When it was here in Vientiane there was "No Time" to organise the human rights meeting... Also could be code for, "No one has offered to pay for it".

 

It's common to see Lao officials patting themselves on the back, after foreign funded events where they've managed to skim a large profit.

[Coss]

another

 

2 Chinese Nationals Killed, 1 Injured in Attack in Laos 2016-01-25 07:17:58 CRIENGLISH.com

 

Two Chinese nationals were killed and one injured in a suspected bomb attack in central Laos on Sunday.

 

The Chinese embassy has confirmed the incident.The incident took place on Sunday morning when the victims were riding in a vehicle.

 

Chinese embassy officials have called for a prompt investigation into the attack. The mountainous province has been seeing a rise in violence recently.

 

http://english.cri.cn/12394/2016/01/25/3781s914458.htm