Evening star., 1960-12-09
Laos CopitoI Taken Over
By Kong lie in New Coup

t1ENIlANE, Laos, Dec.
(AP). - Red-kerchiefed para
troopers Of left-leaning Capt.
Kong LIE seized control of this
capital today in a swift re-
bound from apparent defeat.
It was the second military
takeover by rival paratroop
factions in "a hours but neu-8
tralist Premier Prince Sou
wanna Phouma continued to
preside over the government in
his cream stucco palace
through all the changes.
Col. Kouprasith Aphay and
the anti-C Communist leaders of
Vientiane's garrison who seized
control of the capital in a
pre-dawn strike yesterday were
reported bottled up by Kong
Les I'd battalion paratroopers
at Chinaimo army camp out
side the capital today.
The cabinet met in urgent
session early in the morning
and reaffirmed the govern
ment's determination to main
tain a police of strict
neutrality in the cold war.
But Laos neutrality had
switched overnight from the
definitely anti Communist
flavor of yesterday to a dis
tinctly pro-left flavor.
Col. Kouprasith's Sd battal-
ion got the upper hand tempo
rarily in a brief clash with
pro-Communist elements of
the I'd battalion at Camp
Chinaimo yesterday. !
Bl0Odless TakeOver
Wearing white armbands
and flying white flags to denote
their support of neutralist
Souvanna, they swarmed over
the capital in jeeps, tanks,
trucks and staff cars.
Premier Souvanna declared
Kong lie, the leader of the coup
that overthrew the pro-America
government last August. had
been relieved of his command
Of security forces in the capital.
But today there was not a
white armband or white nag in
sight.
The grounds OF Premier Sou
vanna's palace in the center of
the city were surrounded by
Kong Les men wearing red ker-
chiefs.
They took over bloodlessly
during the night, Apparently
there was not even a scuffie.
Avoids Pitched Battle
Asked If there might be
pitched battle. Premier Sou
wanna said, lit is possible but
we are trying to avoid blood
shed"
Col. Kouprasith's maneuver
yesterday was announced as
stroke to prevent a possible at
tack or coup by pro-Commu-
mist Pathet Lao guerrillas who
have been waging sporadic civil
war for six years against the
government of this kingly seq
ment Of former French Indo-
China.
Although Col. KoupraSith's
forces said they came out in
support of neutralist Souvanna.
the right-wing rebel, Gen.
Phoumi Nosavan, claimed from
his headquarters at Savanna
khet in Southern Laos that
forces loyal to him and opposed
to Premier Souvanna had staged
the uprising. He predicted that
his forces would have complete
control in the capital before
long.
Col. Kouprasith is the son
of Kou Abhay, 70-year-old no
bleman Of moderate political
inclinations who was caretaker
Premier for a short time early
this year. Gen. Phoumi is fight
ing Souvanna's government be-
cause he claims its neutralist
policies will lead to Communist
ruin.
Gen. Phoumi's forces. after
sporadic skirmishing with gov
ernment troops. were reported
yesterday to have scored a
breakthrough east of the capi-
tai. Reports here said Gen.
Phoumi's forces laid down ar
tillery fire that sent govern
ment forces fleeing in disorder.
Reports from the front were
confusing. but apparently Gen.
Phoumi forces were marching
steadily on the capital. One