Laos-China railway awaits landmine clearance
Construction of the Laos-China railway in Luang Namtha province has yet to commence as some UXO clearance activities need to be completed before the rail builders can move full steam ahead with the project. The Ministry of National Defence has reported to the Luang Namtha provincial government that one of three villages in Namor district where the railway will pass through has yet to be cleared of unexploded bombs. A provincial coordinator of the Laos-China project, Mr Chanthachone Keolakhone, told the press on December 7 that the three villages of Boten, Tinsan and Nateuy are located within the vicinity of the construction site. The section in question where UXO may remain is some 16.9 kilometres long. The Ministry of National Defence reported the mines are in Nateuy village, he said. The railway bridge is part of the planned 427-km Laos-China railway that will run from the Chinese border to Vientiane through Luang Namtha, Oudomxay, Luang Prabang and Vientiane provinces.
