SocInform: 1,000-Pound Wartime Bomb Found in Namphao Village, Khamkeut District

Image: Photo Showing a Large 1,000-Pound Unexploded Bomb Found in Laos. | Pasaxon.

Translator’s Note

The following is a SocInform translation of a public notice published via social media by Pasaxon (“The People”), official newspaper of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party. Originally published 01 August 2025 under the same title.

This announcement serves as a timely reminder of the ongoing legacy of America’s illegal secret war against the Lao people, and a record of that legacy’s ongoing impact on the Lao people as they continue their long march to peace, independence, democracy, unity, and prosperity.1 It is our hope that by translating and distributing this article, we will play a small part in memorializing the Lao people’s struggle, and raise the awareness of progressive people around the world to the Lao PDR’s ongoing commitment to building a better future for the Lao people, of all ethnic groups, guided by the dedicated leadership of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party.

It will assist the reader to know that Khamkeut District is a rural district (muang) of Bolikhamxay Province, forming part of Laos’ northern panhandle, which borders Vietnam. It is home to the Keo Neua Pass,2 which formed a vital transit corridor in the so-called Ho Chi Minh Trail during the brotherly nations’ shared struggle against US imperialism. In total, the US dropped approximately 2.7 million tons of ordnance on Laos; an estimated 30% of which failed to detonate. More than 20,000 civilians have been killed in the years since the US withdrawal from the region by American UXO. According to a recent report from The Diplomat, efforts to clear all of the leftover American bombs will likely take at least 100 more years.

Part of the notice was published by Lao Patthana News,3 official newspaper of the Lao Journalists Association (LJA)4 on the same day, under the title “A Large 1,000-Pound Bomb Left Over from the War was Found in Namphao Village, Khamkeut District.” Part of the notice was likewise published in English by the Vientiane Times, under the title “A 1,000-Pound Unexploded Bomb Found Near Homes in Bolikhamxay.”

1,000-Pound Wartime Bomb Found in Ban Namphao, Khamkert District

On July 16, in Ban Namphao, Khamkeut District, Bolikhamxay Province, local residents discovered a large unexploded bomb while excavating land to build a house. The location was only 5 meters from their home. On July 23, 2025, a team from the Lao People’s Army’s Humanitarian UXO Clearance Unit — Unit 58 — inspected the area and confirmed that the device was a large model GP M44/M56 bomb with a chemical fuse (Model 123), weighing approximately 1,000 pounds (more than 453 kilograms). It poses a high risk of detonation, and could cause extensive damage within a 1,500-meter radius.

This discovery of such a large and dangerous bomb is considered rare in UXO survey and clearance operations in the Lao PDR, due to its size, weight, and proximity to residential areas. The find serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing danger and risk faced by the Lao people across various regions — especially in areas still contaminated by unexploded ordnance (UXO) from past wars. It also highlights the continued threat and developmental obstacle that wartime remnants pose to the lives and progress of Lao communities. This is, indeed, a legacy of war that continues to profoundly affect the Lao population.

At present, officers from the UXO clearance team of Unit 58 are working closely with local authorities to inspect and assess the site in order to plan a safe disposal process that minimizes risks and protects the surrounding community.

The Lao PDR remains one of the most heavily bombed countries per capita in world history. This wartime legacy still endangers lives and hampers socioeconomic development. Over the years, the government of the Lao PDR, in cooperation with development partners and international organizations, has made substantial progress in UXO clearance. Laos has taken a leading role in implementing and upholding international treaties, especially the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), which entered into force on August 1, 2010 — now marking its 15th anniversary.

The Convention on Cluster Munitions is a key treaty for addressing the UXO problem. The Lao PDR has made notable achievements in survey, clearance, and safe land use, including agricultural activities and infrastructure development. From 1996 to August 1, 2025, Laos has cleared 97,626.56 hectares, of which 78,522.68 hectares were agricultural land, and 19,103.88 hectares were designated for development. In total, 2,047,292 UXO items have been destroyed — including 5,015 large bombs, 1,228,049 cluster munitions, 2,782 landmines, and 811,446 other munitions.

Since 2015, the Lao PDR has also focused on victim assistance, helping 2,122 individuals and committing to continue supporting survivors through medical care, rehabilitation, and socioeconomic reintegration. Moreover, the Lao PDR’s 39,964 risk education campaigns have reached communities nationwide, with over 5,430,626 participants — especially children — to build awareness and protect people from UXO dangers.

These initiatives are crucial for preventing accidents and injuries, and for enhancing community safety.

Another major success of the Lao PDR is integrating UXO-related issues into national development priorities and planning, as well as into international frameworks. Notably, the Lao PDR adopted a unique Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 18): “Lives Safe from UXO,” recognized since 2016. This nationally specific SDG reflects the Lao PDR government’s commitment to resolving the UXO problem as a foundational step toward achieving broader development goals — such as poverty eradication, food security, education, and public health.

These efforts affirm the Lao PDR’s determination to ensure that its tragic past will not determine its future.

Nonetheless, despite progress, the recent discovery of this large bomb in Ban Namphao, Khamkeut District, reaffirms the ongoing threat and the need for continued vigilance, resources, and international support to fully overcome the legacy of war.