Delegation led by Prime Minister Souvanna Phouma, accompanied by (left to right) Gen. Vang Pao (Vaj Pov) (Commander, Military Region II; red tassels), Gen. Ouan Rattikone (Commander-in-chief, Royal Lao Armed Forces), and Chao Saykham Southakakoumane (Governor, Xieng Khouang Province; white suit, a Phuan), being welcomed by local officials, with one of the delegation's Dornier Do 28 planes in the background. Sam Thong was the USAID refugee operations center for northeastern Laos from 1962 until its fall on March 20, 1970.