Thai officials search for hidden Cambodian rockets after border clash
Hidden dangers linger as heavy rains threaten to conceal deadly remnants
Thai officials are actively searching for BM-21 rockets fired from Cambodia into Thailand, with some still possibly remaining undiscovered. Residents reported anomalies in fields, prompting concerns that rain might obscure visibility due to soil coverage.
Yesterday, August 3, reports indicated that, although the clash between Thai and Cambodian soldiers has ended, government agencies are still not allowing all evacuees to return home. This precaution is due to the continued Cambodian military presence near the border.
Meanwhile, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) police are working diligently to inspect suspected areas where BM-21 rocket remnants may have landed in communities. Initial efforts have successfully recovered nearly all rockets from villages.
However, residents continue to report unusual findings in farmers’ fields. The search is challenging due to the terrain, including rice fields that naturally contain water-filled holes, compounded by the rainy season, which makes it difficult to identify the origin of the holes.
Kittikorn Loyprakorn, the village head of Ban Khok Ngiew, Moo 6, Ban Kruat subdistrict, stated that 13 BM-21 rockets have been found in the village so far, out of 240 that landed in the subdistrict.
It is still uncertain how many have fallen in fields outside the village, particularly in sugarcane fields, which are densely forested and typically not frequented by farmers. There is a possibility that rockets may have landed in these areas but remain undiscovered.
Chatchai Srisanok, the provincial agriculture officer of Buriram, noted that no agency has yet confirmed the total number of rockets fired by Cambodia or their precise landing locations. Residents often find them first and notify officials.
He expressed concern about the difficulty in identifying anomalies in rice fields during the rainy season, as stagnant water can obscure potential danger spots. He emphasised that sugarcane fields, being densely forested, are even harder to inspect. If heavy rains continue, any irregularities in the soil will disappear.
Therefore, farmers should be vigilant and meticulously observe their fields, especially sugarcane fields, where large machinery is used during harvesting and planting. These machines could inadvertently trigger any hidden ordnance, reported KhaoSod.
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