bsacbob
Administrator (Retired)
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2012
- Location
- Chiang Rai
- Bikes
- Honda CRM-AR 250, Honda CRF 250-L, Suzuki V Strom XT 650 Honda XR250 Baja BMW F650GS
Bob
The notice is legit.
Here it is at the Embassy's www site:
http://laos.usembassy.gov/warden_messages.html
Security Message for U.S. Citizens
November 20, 2015
U.S. Embassy Vientiane, Laos
Embassy Personnel Travel Restriction to Xaisomboun Province
U.S. Embassy Vientiane informs U.S. citizens travelling to or residing in Laos that effective immediately, Embassy personnel are prohibited from travelling to Xaisomboun Province due to shooting attacks occured in the evening hours on November 15, 17, and 18, 2015 in the area of Xaisomboun town, which is located 11 kilometers southwest of Phou Bia Mountain along the road between Thong Khoun and Ban Naxay in Xaisomboun Province.
The Embassy has received reports of vehicles being fired upon by unidentified assailants. One victim was killed on November 17, and another victim required hospitalization for injuries he sustained from the November 18th attack. The Embassy will inform any situational change when available.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
FYI, we RONed at Anouvong the night of 9-10 November. Nothing strange noted then. We headed up toLong Tieng, Tuesday noon 10 Nov, but it was suggested that we not continue on through to the PDJ, so we headed back south to Tha Bok and spent the night at Paksane, up to PSV on Wednesday.
Mac
Phil
The U.S. Embassy report mentions Thong Khoun, which is about half way between the PBM Site at Nam Ngone/Phou Kham and Anouvong, the new name for Xaysomboun town. I don't know where "Naxay" is located.
Therefore, the "sensitive" area, if it still is, is along the E-W road through Anouvong, but whether it's east or west of town, not enough info to tell.
Mac
Phil
The "Naxay" you point out is just one of probably many in Laos, much like "Vieng Thong," lots of those, too.
Mac
Just to update, things still have not improved regarding access to Long Cheng, forum member Pounce, just got turned away just north of Sam Thong he was told it is dangerous to visit at the moment.
One Chinese Dead, Three Wounded In Attack
Source: Yahoo News through J&C Expat Services Laos
A Chinese national was killed and three others wounded in an attack in Laos, state media reported Wednesday, the second time this year workers from China have been targeted in the resource-rich nation. The assault took place late Tuesday on property belonging to a Chinese-backed company in Laos' Luang Prabang province, Xinhua news agency said, without naming the business. The report did not say who was behind the violence or why the workers may have been targeted. But it said a pick-up truck and bus passing through the same district were also attacked later that night, leaving at least five Laos nationals injured. Laos police were dispatched to "wipe out the militants," the report said.
The district where the attack took place is north of Xaisomboun, a province that has seen a spate of deadly bomb and gun attacks in recent months. In January, two Chinese nationals were reportedly killed, including an employee of a Chinese mining company, and one injured in a suspected bomb attack in a mountainous region, prompting a travel warning from the US Embassy in Vientiane. In the past, the area has hosted a shadowy insurgency by ethnic Hmong against Laos' Communist rulers. The rebels are believed to be the remnants of anti-Communist militias recruited by the United States during its secret operations in Laos amid the Vietnam War.
Neither Laos nor China's Communist leaders touched on a suspected motive behind the assaults against Chinese nationals. However Beijing's growing footprint in the poor nation has stirred unease in among locals in recent years. China has invested heavily in Laos and funnelled its water, forestry and mineral extracts back to the mainland.
First of all welcome to Ride Asia, not many people are brave enough to shoot video in LC, and never heard of anybody getting away with a drone on the runway, well done ....