Battle of Luang Namtha

Battle of Luang Namtha
Part of Laotian Civil War
DateJanuary 1962 – May 1963
Location
Luang Namtha and surrounding area
Result Victory for People's Army of Vietnam
Territorial
changes
Northwestern Laos falls under Communist control
Belligerents
 Kingdom of Laos
 Republic of China
Supported by
 United States
 North Vietnam
Laos Pathet Lao
Supported by
 Soviet Union
Commanders and leaders
Kingdom of Laos Phoumi Nosavan
Taiwan Li Teng
Anthony Poshepny
Units involved
Kingdom of Laos Groupement Tactique 2
Bataillon Infanterie 2
Bataillon Infanterie 1
Bataillon Infanterie 2
Bataillon Parachutiste 11
Taiwan Bataillon Speciale 111
Field Training Team 40
North Vietnam 316th Brigade
305th Brigade
339th Brigade

The Battle of Luang Namtha, fought between January 1962 and May 1963, was a series of clashes in the Laotian Civil War. It came about as a result of the turmoil following Laotian independence as a result of the First Indochina War with France. The Kingdom of Laos had foreign soldiers on its soil, and a political struggle in progress concerning those outside troops. Following a coup and counter-coup that left General Phoumi Nosavan in charge, the general decided on military action to settle the political issue of interlopers in Laos.

The slow motion battle began in far northwestern Laos, near its boundaries with the People's Republic of China, Burma, and Vietnam. Although the US, who had replaced the French as benefactors of the Lao, both objected and cut off his funding, Phoumi insisted on the action. Between January and May 1962, 5,000 Royalist troops were fed into Luang Namtha. Although the communists were outnumbered, they committed battle-hardened veterans of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) to the battle.

On 6 May 1962, the Royalist defenses collapsed under an attack by four North Vietnamese battalions closing in from three directions. The panicked Lao troops fled down the Pak Beng Valley 150 kilometres (93 mi) to the Mekong River, and beyond. Phoumi's military action having failed, he joined a coalition government to remain in power.

Luang Namtha would remain in communist hands except for a few days in late December 1967, when a surprise raid by Royalist irregulars would occupy it temporarily.