Passenger service restored on Mekong after deadly attacks

KUNMING - Passenger services on the Mekong River were restored on Tuesday as the first group of 14 tourists sailed into the troubled waters of the Golden Triangle area from Jinghong, a port city in southwestern Yunnan province, the local government said.

The 14 Australian tourists and a travel agency employee were to arrive in Chiang Saen, Thailand, about 10 hours after the ship set sail at 8 am, according to a statement released by the information office of the Xishuangbanna prefecture government.

Passenger services had been suspended for four months after tourists were robbed in the Golden Triangle in August. Shipping was also halted after 13 Chinese sailors on two cargo ships were slain in the area on Oct 5.