A stolen pickup truck thieves were trying to smuggle into Laos was found abandoned in a shallow border river in Tha Li district of Loei province on Monday morning.
The gold coloured Toyota Vigo was found in the middle of the Hueng River east of Ban Hat Phra village in Nong Pheu sub-district. The border river becomes very shallow in the dry season.
There was a snapped wire cable still attached to the vehicle and a farm tractor on the Laos bank of the river.
Villagers asked authorities to salvage the vehicle, which was believed to have been abandoned by the smugglers after the cable being used to pull it across the shallow river broke
The truck bears the licence plate Bor Kor 3581 registered in Nong Bua Lam Phu province. It was believed to have been stolen and was impounded pending further inquiries.