The relocation had displaced 70 to 80 households in Hueypheung, the village in Tonpheung district, Bokeo province, opposite Thailand's Chiangrai province. "As far as our knowledge goes there was little or no compensation to the affected people," said an officer.
The project management also refused to hire local people, bringing Chinese labourers from Yunnan instead to work on the site. "Worse, security personnel of the project had fired upon local prowlers earlier in the month killing two people, an incident which sent the local people's anger past the boiling point," he added.
Another officer chipped in by saying while there was little doubt that the gunmen were members of the armed group led by Naw Kham, a Shan drug fugitive, who is believed to have homes in all three countries that form the triangle, they were being supported by the unhappy Laotian villagers.
The casino project site is remarkably near Bankwan, the scene of the 1967 "Opium War" fought between the late Shanland United Army leader Khun Sa and the ex-Kuomintang forces.
The daylight attack on the Chinese boat on February 25 resulted in three police officers being seriously injured.
