Boats Attacked on Mekong Despite Joint Patrols
By Souksakhone Vaenkeo, a journalist from Laos who is on exchange with the Economic Observer
New joint efforts to patrol shipping on the Mekong River are being tested, with two (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2012-01/16/content_14449709.htm) attacks taking place over the past month.
China’s state-run media reported that (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2012-01/16/content_14449709.htm) an attack took place on Jan 14 as a Chinese boat passed through the “golden triangle” region on its way back to China from a Thai port. The shots came from the Lao side of the river, but none of the five crew members on broad the vessels were hurt.
In a separate attack on Jan 4, an unidentified armed group attacked a Burmese patrol boat that was accompanying four Chinese vessels as they passed through a section of the river near Myanmar. (http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-01/07/content_14397638.htm).
Last month, the Chinese government in collaboration with its Lao, Myanmar and Thai counterparts, launched the joint patrols along the Mekong River in a move to counter threats from insurgents, after an attack that resulted in the death of 13 Chinese sailors in October last year.
In reaction to the October attack, Chinese authorities suspended services along the river and called for Thai authorities to launch a thorough investigation into the murders.
Despite early international media reports suggesting that the killings were related to drug traffickers from northern Myanmar, Thai officials later detained nine soldiers on suspicion of involvement in the killing of the Chinese sailors.
The Mekong River is an important channel for the transport of goods between China and some of its Southeast Asian neighbors.
Links and Sources
The Economic Observer: Money and Murder on the Mekong
http://www.eeo.com.cn/ens/2011/1027/214447.shtml
By Souksakhone Vaenkeo, a journalist from Laos who is on exchange with the Economic Observer
New joint efforts to patrol shipping on the Mekong River are being tested, with two attacks taking place over the past month.
China’s state-run media reported that an attack took place on Jan 14 as a Chinese boat passed through the “golden triangle” region on its way back to China from a Thai port. The shots came from the Lao side of the river, but none of the five crew members on broad the vessels were hurt.
In a separate attack on Jan 4, an unidentified armed group attacked a Burmese patrol boat that was accompanying four Chinese vessels as they passed through a section of the river near Myanmar.
Last month, the Chinese government in collaboration with its Lao, Myanmar and Thai counterparts, launched the joint patrols along the Mekong River in a move to counter threats from insurgents, after an attack that resulted in the death of 13 Chinese sailors in October last year.
In reaction to the October attack, Chinese authorities suspended services along the river and called for Thai authorities to launch a thorough investigation into the murders.
Despite early international media reports suggesting that the killings were related to drug traffickers from northern Myanmar, Thai officials later detained nine soldiers on suspicion of involvement in the killing of the Chinese sailors.
The Mekong River is an important channel for the transport of goods between China and some of its Southeast Asian neighbors.
Links and Sources
Sohu: Image
The Economic Observer: Money and Murder on the Mekong
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