Mekong River four-nation patrols begin after attacks

China is set to begin joint patrols on the Mekong River, with three other countries in the region, to enhance security after a series of attacks. 

Security officials from Burma and Laos will link up with Chinese officers, Burmese police have told the BBC.

Personnel from Thailand will join them further downstream, probably on Sunday.

The patrols comes in response to the killing of 13 Chinese sailors on cargo ships travelling on the river in October.

The four-nation deployment aims to fill a security vacuum in the Golden Triangle region, an area notorious for drug-trafficking.

China's booming trade along the Mekong was suspended after the attack on 5 October left the bodies of the Chinese crew members floating in the water.       More Read