Nongkai officials ?rescued? a British man from the Mekong on 5 Feb after he was found swimming in the middle of the river. When officials questioned him, the man said his friends had challenged him to swim across the river........he said he had done so one time before......so he took his friends up on the challenge.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =1&theater

So I've always wondered, what would the Lao soldiers do if he got to their side?

The water in the pic looks pretty calm at the time they scooped him up.

what Lao soldiers?? Its not like they have observation posts or patrol the river. Anyone can see that there is pretty much unfettered boat traffic across the river all the time.. For a white guy to do it in daylight might just attract the attention of the authorities depending upon where he did it.. I had a drunken friend do a swim across and back from the Vientiane Sunset Bar years ago.. It was night-time and the river was in full flood.. Luckily, he made it and of course, being night time, nobody noticed.