Petrol station owner left stranded after deadly cross-border attack
Government silence deepen trauma for grieving businesswoman
An owner of a petrol station in the Isaan province of Si Saket, where a deadly attack occurred on July 24, stated that she has yet to receive any assistance from government officials.
The Cambodian military reportedly attacked the Ban Phue PTT petrol station in Kantaralak district, resulting in the deaths of 12 innocent Thai civilians. Initially, officials discovered seven bodies at the scene, but the investigation was limited due to safety concerns.
Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams later carried out a more thorough inspection and found five additional bodies. Most of the deceased were located inside the petrol station’s convenience store. Fragments of BM-21 Grad rockets used in the attack were also recovered at the scene.
The station’s owner, Kamonrat Phonsettalert, told Channel 3 that the harrowing images from the day of the incident continued to haunt her, even a week later.
Kamonrat revealed she had been suffering from extreme stress, had lost her appetite, and was unable to sleep. She had to consult a psychologist to cope with the trauma.
In addition to mourning the victims and their families, Kamonrat admitted she was deeply concerned about her financial losses, estimated at approximately 14 million baht. She detailed the damages as follows:
- 2.5 million baht for damage to the structure and building
- 8.2 million baht for the convenience store construction
- 50,000 baht to repair the coffee shop’s glass window
- 300,000 baht to replace the fuel distribution dispenser
- 2.3 million baht in lost income due to a two-month business closure
Kamonrat stated that the petrol station was insured by two companies. However, one of the insurers has a clear clause excluding coverage for damages caused by war. The second insurer only covers structural damage.
She reported that she was contacted by the Ministry of Energy to assess her losses and provided them with the necessary information, but has not received any compensation or follow-up from the government.
Kamonrat emphasised that the incident was completely unexpected and not the fault of the business owner. She believed many other business operators were also affected by the border clash and had yet to receive justice. She currently has 50 employees to support and remains uncertain about how to move forward in seeking justice and support.
Jirayu Huangsub, spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, told The Standard today, August 1, that the government is working to allocate emergency funds from five sources: the Disaster Relief Fund, the Justice Fund, compensation from the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, compensation from the Ministry of Interior, and other relevant agencies.
Jirayu also insisted that the Provincial Labour Office had already contacted Kamonrat and would coordinate with her regarding assistance and compensation.
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