LAOS: 374 Lives Lost at Tham Piew Cave 🚨

On 24 November 1968, at the height of the Secret War, a US fighter plane fired rockets into a cave used by farmers from the surrounding villages for shelter. The first three rockets missed, but the fourth hit, killing all 374 men, women and children who were sheltering within the cave.

Heading up the hillside, the paved path passes a memorial shrine and signs marking the mass graves before a set of stairs lead to the cave entrance. Inside, the rock is still blackened with scorch marks. People come and build rock stupas on the ground, placing incense in them. Imagining the civilians cowering and holding each other as the fighter plane thundered towards the cave is tremendously saddening.

This is my most important video so far and I’d really appreciate it if you watched it. This story should never be forgotten.

Tham Piew Cave is about six kilometres from Muang Kham: at Muang Kham’s main intersection (at the market), turn off of Highway 7 and head north for 3.5 kilometres, then turn left and continue for two kilometres. The cave is open daily from 08:00 to 17:00 and admission is 10,000 kip.

#Laos2021 #ThamPiewCave #USA’sSecretWar