Laotian Navy
The Navy of Laos ( lao : ພຣະ ຣາ ຊ ອາ ນາ ຈັກ ລາວ - Phra Ratxa A-na-chak Lao ) was created at the end of the 1940s with the support of the French colonial power as a small unit ( flotilla ) for use on the Mekong , which stretches for 1,200 km Forms the border of landlocked Laos with Thailand .
history
By the mid-1960s, the navy was expanded to 450 men, whose five squadrons had about 50 boats with shallow drafts. Like the royal army, it was financed entirely from funds from the US secret service CIA .
After the proclamation of the Democratic People's Republic of Laos on December 2, 1975, the name was changed to People's Navy . 36 boats could still be taken over into the service of the new Pathet Lao government. In a time of increasing tension with Thailand, there were several exchanges of fire with Thai troops over the next few years. The Soviet Union has donated some patrol boats of the type Shmel and the overall strength of the Navy was increased to 550 men. Relations with Thailand improved until 1990, and regular river patrols have since ceased. Nevertheless, this association still has around 500 men and has a few boats, mostly in need of repair.