Battle of Luang Namtha

Battle of Luang Namtha
Part of Laotian Civil War
Date January 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 Pathet Lao Supported by  Soviet Union
Commanders and leaders
Phoumi Nosavan Li Teng Anthony Poshepny
Units involved
Groupement Tactique 2 Bataillon Infanterie 2 Bataillon Infanterie 1 Bataillon Infanterie 2 Bataillon Parachutiste 11 Bataillon Speciale 111 Field Training Team 40	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.