My name is Manixia Thor, and I am from Laos. The U.S. secretly bombed my country for nearly a decade. Millions of bombs remain that kill and injure ~100 people a year. I lead an all-women's bomb clearance team and I'm also a mother. AMAA

How do the people of Laos feel about the US?

Thank you for your question! Many people ask this question, relations and feelings towards the US is quite normal. The war happened a long time ago, and the US has been quite helpful with funding for bomb clearance, but more needs to be done.

How often do accident happen during a bomb removal?

In other words, how dangerous is your job?

Because we have very many safety measures, we are very safe. We have had no accidents.

I travelled through Laos last summer, and I must say that your country has some of the most beautiful yet inaccessible terrain I've ever seen. How much would this affect the bomb clearance process?

You also have some of the cheeriest locals I've met. Best wishes for you and your cause.

Edit: Spelling

There are places in Laos that will always have bombs because they are too hard to remove. Thank you for your nice words!

When and why did these bombings occur? Was this part of one of the US's various military conflicts in SE Asia?

Also, your name is awesome. Is it a typical name in Laos?

From 1964 to 1973, the U.S. dropped 2,093,100 tons of ordnance over Laos in 580,344 bombing missions, the equivalent of one planeload every 8 minutes, 24 hours a day, for 9 years. The code name was Operation Barrel Roll.

RE: my name, thank you! That is very flattering! At least for my first name, its not very common, I think I am the only person with that name that I know of. Thor however is more common, originating from the Hmong. I am half Hmong and Lao.

Do you like sharing the name "Thor" with the Viking god of thunder?

Interpreter speaking here, we just explained to Manixia what your question meant and she laughed quite a bit. "I didn't realize my name had that significance!"

Thanks for your answer! You never said why we attacked you, though.

The US bombed Laos to disrupt the Ho Chi Minh Trail used by the North Vietnamese to supply the Viet Cong in the south of Vietnam

This occured during the Vietnam War.

Yes, it was part of the US Secret War in Laos.

Was your family personally affected by the actions of the US?

My uncle was injured by a bomb 15 years ago. Luckily he lived. My friend Thoummy who is on the tour with me lost his hand to a bombie when he was 8 years old.

This is not a question. Rather a compliment. You quite literally have the most badass name I have ever read.

Thank you!

Thanks for doing what you do, it's people like you that make a difference in the world. What has the US said in regards to leaving so many bombs in your country and not retrieving them?

The U.S. government provides funding for bomb clearance and is also funding the speakers tour I am on now to help Laos.

What is the hardest part about leading a bomb clearance team, and does being all women make that better/worse?

The hardest part is lifting the larger bombs, some bombs can be upwards of 500 lbs.

Im a little confused.. what bombs were being dropped that did not explode on impact? Are they sort of like a mine?

Cluster bombs of that era failed one out of three times to explode on impact. They are still dangerous.

What would you say has been your biggest obstacle in getting support for your program?

(Thank you for everything that you do btw)

I have 20 women on my team. We are working all the time. If we had more money we could fund many many more teams working all the time. We just need funding!

Why is the group all women?

On my team of 20 women we have thirteen mothers. We are a good team because we all have so much in common and understand each other.

How old are your children? Do they understand the importance of what you do and the tragedy of what happened in Laos?

I have one beautiful son. He is 2 years and 5 months old. He is still quite young, so I am not sure if he fully understands what I do. He is still beginning to talk. But he is a large reason why I work to clear bombs, to create a safer future for him to play, work, and live.

Do you ever work with US/EU clearance personnel? I am a U.S.ACE UXO Tech, and it has been my goal to help Laos in their remediation efforts. As far as I've found, most opportunities for expats are in administration or public relations sect. I'm looking to avail my training and skills to directly aid the people of Laos in any way that is needed. I've talked with some former members of UXOLao, all of whom gave me the impression my assistance would be a welcomed boon. Whether it be to assist in training new clearance techs, or to just be another body in the field digging for blu-26s, I'm ready and willing. Do you have any information/guidance for me?

Contacting MAG at MAGAmerica.org would be best.

Ask you anything? Okay. SUH BAI DEE BO?

I am well! How are you?

I have been working with undetonated bomb victims in Laos and Vietnam, as well as Agent Orange victims in Vietnam. I want to ask you what you know about the incidence of Agent Orange in Laos? Is it a subject of conversation or even prevalent at all? We are looking at how we can/if it is worth expanding our research on AO into Laos.

best to write to [email protected] with that question. Thank you!

Are all of the left over bombs visible? If not what tactics do you use in finding and removing these bombs? Also do they just randomly explode?

Sometimes you can see the bombs on the ground and when people see them we hope they call us instead of moving them themselves. We use strong metal detectors to find the bombs underground.

Ever find something that isn't a bomb that is equally interesting, like a large chunk of gold bespeckled with rubies?

Yes! we often find military equipment. No gold.

I have never visited Laos but I have heard many wonderful things about your country.

I don't have a question, but I want to say that what you are doing is wonderful :)

come visit!

[deleted]

Laos was neutral.

do you receive any aid from the US to get the job done?

Yes, the US has provided about $47 million dollars in total for bomb clearance and about $9 million this year. Unfortunately only 1% of the 80 million bombies have been cleared.

How does it feel living in an area where war could take you any minute, the constant fear of stepping on a bomb abs that's it it's over?

I think about it a lot. In my job every day I see bombs, so I think about it all the time. I see people burning brush and think "there could be a bomb there". Of course I worry for my son when he gets older playing outside.

What more do you want the US government to do? What will the Laotian government allow?

We hope that this tour will encourage the US to support more clearance and victim assistance organizations.

How did you get involved in bomb removal, and did you know what you were getting into when you did?

Did you see a government ad and apply for a job, or have you always been involved due to your personal/family history?

I got involved just out of high school I passed a bomb clearance team working on the side of the road and thought it looked interesting.

What do you do with ordinance when you find it?

It depends on the type of bomb that we find. Sometimes we move the bomb and destroy it. Sometimes they are too dangerous to move and we destroy them where they are.

I don't really have any questions but I'd just like to say, regardless of the deconstruction that's happened because of all the bombs and live land mines, your country still remains a beautiful and under appreciated place. I'm adopted and my father was from Laos (that's about all we know) but ever since learning this I've always had this desire to travel there, to meet the people, sample the local cuisine and experience their culture. I'm a big travel junkie and maybe one day, when the chances of stepping on a land mine are alittle slimmer, I might be able to bring myself to visit there. I guess I can ask this; is there anything someone over seas can do to help speed this process of rebuilding along?

Thank you so much for your kind words. Laos is beautiful and please come visit! One thing to do right now is to ask your friends to come see me speak on the tour with Thoummy! Also donation to Legacies of War will make sure that Laos gets the aid it needs in the future.

Have you had the chance to work with bomb-sniffing dogs? How effective or time-saving are they compared to other methods?

Not yet!

How does it feel like to have such a badass last name?

I only learned today the significant of my last name in the American context! I guess I'll have to buy a Thor shirt before I head back to Laos!

Are there any videos of your team removing or destroying bombs? This sounds like fascinating work. Thank you and please stay safe!

Thank you! you can see more on our website at www.legaciesofwar.org/voices.

Also, see www.magamerica.org

Having visited Laos Can I just say you have the nicest people in south east Asia. Everyone I met there was lovely. However, I see many westerners come to the country and ruin it. It's turning into a place where people come to get drunk. How do you feel about westerners of today?

I am visiting the USA for the first time. People here have been very nice to me.

if you were to recommend one book about Laos, or somehow reflective of Laos, what would it be?

Another Quiet American by Brett Dakin

Thanks for doing the AMA! How have these bombs affected the ecosystem? Do certain areas in Laos remain uninhabited by people in fear of activating explosives?

Yes, there are areas that are not safe to live in. We work in high priority areas to make them safe for families.

I'm so sorry – do you feel like the US is doing a very good job cleaning up its mess?

The US government has spent nearly 50 million to clean up Laos. but we have only cleared 1% of bombs in the ground. More funding is needed.

So. How are you?

Very good!

Do you feel that Anne Fadiman's "The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down" gives an accurate history of what occurred in Laos 40+ years ago? (I read it in a medical anthropology course and would be happy to send you a copy if you'd like.)

Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions!

I have never read this.

Our media in the states does not tell us anything about this. Is any of this intel on wikipedia?

Operation Barrel Roll is on wikipedia (interpreter speaking)

What you do is really cool, but wow, I gotta say, you have an awesome name.

Thank you!

Do you have a website for individual donations?

yes. Please visit www.legaciesofwar.org

You have a badass last name.

Thank you!

How many people have mentioned that it's cool that your name is Thor?

a lot.

How does one get involved in something like this? Is there a way we can volunteer?

Yes! come see us on the tour and visit www.legaciesofwar.org to get more involved.