The legacy of the Indochina War claims more casualties in Laos as eight people were killed and seven others were wounded in the explosion of an unexploded bomb left over from the war. The accident, which took place early this month in the Phou Khoun district of Luang Prabang, happened as UXO-Lao, in charge of ridding the country of unexploded ordnances, faces a budget constraint due to limited fundings by international organizations.
A senior Lao official says the limited fundings stem from the fact that Lao fails to ratify the Ottawa anti-personnel landmine treaty, adding that Laos refuses to do so, not because it plans to produce, stockpile, and use landmines, but because it still has old landmines in its stockpile.
Unexploded ordnances - bombies dropped by US bombers during the Indochina War - still litter over 30% of Lao soil in ten provinces throughout the country.
Listen to our Laos Today report for details.