LUANG PRABANG - Houmphan Chanthavong finally felt his deep grudge vanish after US President Barack Obama acknowledged in Vientiane during his visit this week "the suffering and sacrifices on all sides of that conflict", in reference to the CIA-led bombing and paramilitary campaign that devastated Laos during the Vietnam War.
"Finally, the world has come to know about the war that Mr Obama has publicly acknowledged," the 64-year-old resident of the ancient capital of Luang Prabang told the Bangkok Post.
"Over the past 40 years, the Americans and Thais did not know much about this war and treated it as if the bombing never took place," said Houmphan, who worked in Chiang Mai for a year while in his 50s.
Laos is the world's most heavily cluster-bombed country, as a result of the bombardments by US warplanes flying from an air base in Udon Thani province from 1964 to 1973, according to the Lao National Regulatory Authority for UXO (unexploded ordinance). The American bombers dropped more than 260 million cluster munitions, a third of which did not detonate and remain buried across the landlocked country.
- See also: CIA spook recalls Thailand's role
Though some older Lao still harbour bitter memories of the US and Thailand, Mr Houmphan says he can forgive, but will not forget the fear, the thundering "whoo whoo" sound of the many war planes roaring over his head, and the harrowing scenes of bombs falling from the sky.
"President Obama is nice enough to admit what happened. So let the past belong to the past," said the polite and soft spoken retiree.
Mr Obama announced on Tuesday that the United States will provide an additional US$90 million (3.1 billion baht) over the next three years to help Laos clear UXO that has killed or maimed more than 20,000 people.
The amount is generous considering the nearly $100 million given over the past 20 years.
Fifteen of 17 provinces in Laos are contaminated with UXO. On a daily basis, one person in Laos dies or is wounded from stepping on a cluster bomb.
Called "boobies" by locals, the deadly bombs are the size of a tennis ball, and buried in rice fields, reservoirs and on private land.
The UXO agency expects the clearance might be completed in 15 years. Yet, statistics prove otherwise. From 1997-2007, only 0.46% of UXO was cleared.
Asked how the older generation perceives the Thai role during the Vietnam War, Houmphan said he understands that Thailand had to act according to the situation at that time.
"There is an old saying here describing Thais and Laos as siblings and that will not change. The Vietnam War and the bombings were about totally different ideologies. The situation has changed during the past few decades. It is useless to think about old and bad memories. It is better to look to the future."
Yet, the older generation still tell their children about the bombing. Schools across the country have taught children to avoid touching cluster bombs, he said.
Lattana Yodsavath, 25, said her grandmother had told her about the bombing as the Communist Party still plays patriotic songs such as Nak Roeb Kao, or Old Warrior, everyday at 6pm to keep the memory of the Vietnam War alive.
"For me, I take the issue of the bombings and the Vietnam War as water under the bridge. It is useless bearing a grudge against the US or its allies," said Ms Lattana, who works in the tourism industry.
"Thailand was an accomplice 40 years ago. No matter what happened in the past, the Lao people still love to go to Thailand, to go shopping, and going to the sea and islands. That will never change," she said with a laugh.