ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND TRAIL ACTIVITY NORTHERN LAOS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: NGA Records (Formerly NIMA)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85T00339R000100160001-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 11, 2009
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: March 10, 1969
• Content Type: REPORT

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ATTACHMENT TO M-5957 25X1
10 MARCH 1969
PAGE 1
ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND TRAIL ACTIVITY
NORTHERN LAOS
1. SIGNIFICANCE:
THIS BOARD DEPICTS CONTINUING ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND TRAIL WIDENING IN
THE MUONG SAI AND MUONG KHOUA AREAS OF LAOS.
2. LOCATION:
MUONG SAI AND MUONG KHOUA ARE BOTH LOCATED IN NORTHERN LUANG PRABANG
PROVINCE, NORTH CENTRAL LAOS.
3. BACKGROUND:
SINCE LATE LAST YEAR THE CHINESE HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTING A ROAD FROM THE CHINA
BORDER NEAR BAN BOTENE, SOUTHEAST TO MUONG SAI. THE TRAIL WIDENING OPERATION
NEAR MUANG KHOUA HAS BEEN UNDERWAY SINCE LAST SUMMER.
4. MISSION READOUT:
THE ROAD UNDER CONSTRUCTION FROM BAN BOTENE NEAR THE CHINA/LAOS BORDER
TO MUONG SAI IS NOW OBSERVED TO EXTEND 6 NM NORTHEAST TO 204535N 1020300E
(UTM SH928981). A SURVEY LINE IS ALSO OBSERVED WHICH PASSES THROUGH MUONG LA AND
EXTENDS AN ADDITIONAL 11 NM NORTHEAST. THE PRESENT TERMINUS OF THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION
IS DEPICTED IN INSET #1 AND A SEGMENT OF THE SURVEY LINE IS SHOWN IN INSET #2.
A POSSIBLY ASSOCIATED TRAIL-WIDENING OPERATION IS LOCATED SOUTH AND WEST
OF THE NAM OU RIVER NEAR MUONG KHOUA AND ROUTE 19. THE OPERATION, WHICH APPARENTLY
STARTED LAST SUMMER, INCLUDES AT LEAST 56 NM OF TRAIL SWATH WHICH HAS BEEN
These notes have been prepared for briefing purposes only and should not be used for detailed analytical work. Their use
should be restricted to the particular briefing board(s) they were prepared for and must be considered valid only for the re-
porting period as indicated by the date of issue. For information concerning these notes contact Chief, Collateral Support
Division, NPIC.
GROUP I
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WIDENED. ALTHOUGH IT MAY NOT BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION OR ROUTE
19, NO INDIGENOUS TRAIL WIDENING OF THIS MAGNITUDE HAS BEEN OBSERVED IN NORTHERN
LAOS BY NPIC IN THE PAST. AFTER THE SWATH HAS BEEN WIDENED (BY MEANS OF A
CLEARING OPERATION) IT IS APPARENTLY ABANDONED AS.NO GRADING HAS BEEN OBSERVED.
EXAMPLES OF THIS TRAIL WIDENING ARE DEPICTED ON INSETS 4 AND 5.
THE PRESENT CONSTRUCTION TERMINUS OF ROUTE 19 IS LOCATED ON THE BANK OF THE
NAM OU RIVER, ACROSS FROM MUONG KHOUA AT 210452N 1023040E (UTM TJ414329). THIS
TERMINUS IS DEPICTED ON INSET #3.
NEW ROAD CONSTRUCTION IN NORTHERN LAOS REPORTEDLY BEGAN DURINGI
WITH A CHINESE FORCE NUMBERING BETWEEN 3,000 - 5,000 MEN INCLUDING BOTH
WORKERS AND SECURITY FORCES. SOME HEAVY EQUIPMENT INCLUDING PNEUMATIC DRILLS,
AT LEAST TEN BULLDOZERS OR TRACTORS, AND ONE MOTORIZED ROLLER HAVE BEEN REPORTED
IN THE AREA.
MAP REFERENCE: JOG 1:250,000 NF 47-12, NF 47-16
NF 48-9, NF 48-13
(c) NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC INTERPRETATION CENTER I
ATTACHMENT TO M-5957 25X1
10 MARCH 1969 I
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These notes have been prepared for briefing purposes only and should not be used for detailed analytical work. Their use
should be restricted to the particular briefing board(s) they were prepared for and must be considered valid only for the re-
porting period as indicated by the date of issue. For information concerning these notes contact Chief, Collateral Support
Division, NPIC.
GROUP I
de~ne.ediny end d..le.. oli.e ien
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REPRODUCTION OF THIS DOC-
UMENT IN WHOLE OR IN PART
IS PROHIBITED EXCEPT WITH
THE PERMISSION OF THE
OFFICE OF ORIGIN.
NATIONAL SUBSTANTIVE
BRIEFING AIDS
COLLECTION
RETURN TO:
BRIEFING AIDS UNIT
ROOM 4S-447A
- PREVIOUSLY REPORTED R
- NEW ROAD UNDER GONSTI
- SURVEY LINE'
-- TRAIL WIDENING OPEDATIA
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
TRD . WIDENING
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