#A to Z BBC Help Terms of Use BBC Accessibility links * Skip to content * Skip to local navigation * Skip to bbc.co.uk navigation * Skip to bbc.co.uk search * Help * Accessibility Help BBC News Asia-Pacific * Home * UK * Africa * Asia * Europe * Latin America * Mid-East * US & Canada * Business * Health * Sci/Environment * Tech * Entertainment * Video 29 October 2011 Last updated at 13:20 GMT Share this page * Delicious * Digg * Facebook * reddit * StumbleUpon * Twitter * Email * Print Thai soldiers detained over Mekong River killings Map Continue reading the main story Related Stories * The stalled battle for the Mekong * China country profile * Country profile: Thailand Nine Thai soldiers have been detained following a deadly attack on two cargo ships on the Mekong river near the Thai-Burma border. Thirteen Chinese crew members died in the attack, which happened in early October, in an area notorious for drug production and smuggling. Their bodies were found floating in the river. A police spokesman in Thailand said the soldiers had surrendered on Friday. The Thai troops were working for an anti-drug task force. According to media reports, some of the dead crew members had been bound and gagged, others had been blindfolded with tape and some had been shot. "Police will prosecute all nine soldiers," National police chief General Priewpan Damapong told reporters, according to Agence France Presse. "Their actions have nothing to do with the Thai army." The soldiers handed themselves over in Thailand's northern Chiang Rai province. China's Vice Minister of Public Security, Zhang Xinfeng, is currently visiting Thailand to investigate the attack. He said the arrests represented "important progress", according to Xinhua. China also sent patrol boats down the Mekong to escort 164 stranded Chinese sailors and 28 cargo ships back home. The "Golden Triangle" - where the borders of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos meet - is a region notorious for drug smuggling. More on This Story Related Stories * The stalled battle for the Mekong 20 APRIL 2011, BUSINESS * China country profile 09 AUGUST 2011, COUNTRY PROFILES * Country profile: Thailand 14 DECEMBER 2011, COUNTRY PROFILES * Burma profile 12 JANUARY 2012, ASIA-PACIFIC Related Internet links * Xinhua news agency * China Daily The BBC is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites Share this page * Delicious * Digg * Facebook * reddit * StumbleUpon * Twitter * Email * Print More Asia-Pacific stories RSS * In this handout photograph released by Pikiran Rakyat, an unidentified survivor carrying a child is escorted at a marine police station on the coast of Pangandaran town in Indonesia's West Java province on November 1 Australia shock at asylum tragedy Australians are shocked after a boat filled with asylum seekers capsizes on its way from Indonesia, and at least eight people die. * Xenon detected at Fukushima plant * China schools closed after blast Top Stories * Soldiers in Free Syrian Army in Damascus (27 Jan 2012) UN action 'could spur Syria war' * Euro unemployment hits new record * Search of cruise ship abandoned * Republican rivals in Florida vote * French win India fighter jet deal Features & Analysis * Model cars and houses Golden salary What do people earning £1m ($1.5m) spend it on? ______________________________________________________________ * Planet Earth Planet mass Do rockets fired into space make the Earth lighter? ______________________________________________________________ * Occupy DC protesters shout slogans Day in pictures 24 hours of news photos from around the world ______________________________________________________________ * A foreclosure (repossession) sign in front of a house Money talks Has wealth become a liability in the US Republican race? ______________________________________________________________ Most Popular Shared 1. 1: Brits barred from US after tweet 2. 2: Skin transformed into brain cells 3. 3: Policeman who became a pole-dancer 4. 4: How 'Europe' became a dirty word in US election 5. 5: Pythons link to mammals decline Read 1. 1: Brits barred from US after tweet 2. 2: F1 driver Adrian Sutil convicted 3. 3: French win India fighter jet deal 4. 4: Navy sends destroyer to Falklands 5. 5: What do people on £1 million salaries do with their money? 6. 6: Search of cruise ship abandoned 7. 7: Pythons link to mammals decline 8. 8: Snake bursts after gobbling gator 9. 9: Is the Earth getting lighter? 10. 10: Euro unemployment hits new record Video/Audio 1. 1: Europe struggles in grip of snow Watch 2. 2: 'Shame on you Simon Cowell' Watch 3. 3: One-minute World News Watch 4. 4: Beijing's pole-dancing former policeman Watch 5. 5: One way to find a rich Russian husband Watch 6. 6: How computers help Sweden's ice sculptors Watch 7. 7: Mystery illness at US high school Watch 8. 8: Fear factor: The science behind America's red/blue divide Watch 9. 9: How to play 'kung fu' piano Watch 10. 10: Life after death faces legal battle Watch Elsewhere on BBC News * India's Tirupati Temple. Photographer: Ashok666 (Flickr). Licensed under Creative Commons Lighting the way Why India's richest temple is adopting new technologies and going green Programmes * Bed in an ice hotel, Sweden Click Watch How ice sculptors in Sweden are making use of computers to complete their cold creations Services * News feeds * Mobile * Podcasts * Alerts * E-mail news About BBC News * Editors' blog * BBC College of Journalism * News sources * World Service Trust Mobile Search term: ____________________ Search bbc.co.uk navigation * News * Sport * Weather * Travel * TV * Radio * More * CBBC * CBeebies * Comedy * Food * Health * History * Learning * Music * Science * Nature * Local * Northern Ireland * Scotland * Wales * Full A-Z of BBC sites BBC links * About the BBC * BBC Help * Contact Us * Accessibility Help * Terms of Use * Careers * Privacy & Cookies * Advertise With Us * Ad Choices BBC BBC © 2012 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.