1.
LS PAN.. GOVERNMENT AIRCRAFT WITH ARMED TROOPS IN BACKGROUND AT PAKSE MILITARY AIRPORT.
0.05

2.
GV TROOPS TOWARDS AIRCRAFT.
0.08

3.
GV TROOPS BOARDING AIRCRAFT.
0.17

4.
GV MORE TROOPS TOWARDS AIRCRAFT.
0.21

5.
SLV MORE TROOPS WAITING FOR AIRCRAFT.
0.27

6.
LV AIRCRAFT PROPELLER STARTS.
0.29

7.
LV AIRCRAFT TAXIS ON TO RUNWAY FOR TAKE OFF TO THAKHEK.
0.37

8.
SLS STREET OF THAKHEK.
0.45

9.
LV LOYAL TROOPS (ADVANCE PARTY) INSIDE BUILDING.
0.51

10.
SLV ROADSIDE HAWKERS.
0.56

11.
CU PAN...ROADSIDE HAWKERS.
1.00

12.
GV SENTRY POST.
1.04

13.
GV REFUGEES TOWARDS ARMY OUTPOST.
1.07

14.
GV SOLDIER CHECKS IDENTITIES OF REFUGEES.
1.12

15.
LV REFUGEES TOWARDS BOAT IN MEKONG RIVER.
1.18



Initials JT/V/MGT/JM



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: LAOTIAN TROOPS, LOYAL TO THE NEUTRALIST GOVERNMENT, HAVE BEEN AIRLIFTED TO THE SOUTHERN REGION TO QUELL AN EXTENSION OF THE RIGHT-WING REBELLION. THEY WERE FLOWN FROM PAKSE TO THAKHEK AND OTHER MEKONG VALLEY TOWNS, ALONG THE THAI BORDER.

THE THAKHEK REVOLT LAST WEEK WAS THE SECOND IN LAOS WITHIN TWO MONTHS. TWO ARMY OFFICERS, WHO HAD JUST BEEN RELIEVED OF THEIR POSTS, AND A POLICE CHIEF TOOK OVER THE TOWN.

THEY FLED NORTH SOON AFTERWARDS. THE LAOTIAN GOVERNMENT SAY AS THEY WILL BE EXECUTED IF CAPTURED. SOON AFTER THEY LEFT, LOYALIST FLEW INTO THE TOWN AND 500 REBELS WHO WERE LEFT BEHIND RALLIED TO THE GOVERNMENT SIDE.

WITH CONDITIONS STILL UNEASY IN THAKHEK, ABOUT 600 VILLAGERS WERE ALLOWED TO CROSS THE MEKONG RIVER INTO NORTHERN THAILAND.

(THE EARLIER REVOLT WAS ON FEBRUARY 3 WHEN GENERAL PHOUMI NOSAVAN, THE FORMER RIGHT-WING DEPUTY PREMIER, MADE AN ABORTIVE ATTEMPT TO SEIZE POWER. HE FLED TO THAILAND. THE LATEST REBEL LEADERS ARE BELIEVED TO BE IN SYMPATHY WITH HIM).

(MEANWHILE, PRINCE SOUPHANOUVONG, HEAD OF THE PRO-COMMUNIST PATHET LAO, HAS PROPOSED A SUMMIT OF THE THREE LAOTIAN FACTIONS TO DISCUSS A CEASEFIRE IN THE CIVIL WAR).