Bangkok - Laos on Monday released seven Thai army rangers and a village headman who crossed into Lao territory last week on "anti-narcotic activities."
"Everything went smoothly," said Lao Foreign Ministry spokesman Yong Chanhthalousy, who attended the handover ceremony at Muang Ngern, in Xaingabouri province on Laos. "We even let them take their equipment, including a GPS (global positioning system), but not their weapons which will be returned later."
On July 10 the eight Thai nationals crossed in Lao territory from Nan province, Thailand, allegedly as part of an anti-narcotics operation, Thai sources said.
"They entered 300 metres into our territory," said Yong, in a telephone interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur
