On June 9, 2007, Thai authorities sent back to Laos some 160 Hmong refugees who had been detained on charge of entering Thailand illegally. The refugees were handed over to Lao officials in a ceremony at the first Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge.
The repatriation was part of an agreement reached between Laos' and Thailand's security officials to cooperate in resolving the issue of the 8,000 or so Hmong refugees in Ban Huay Nam Khao, Khai Kho District of Thailand's Phetchabun Province.
Listen to our Laos Today report for more details.
