SURIN — A Thai soldier was critically injured on Friday morning after stepping on an anti-personnel landmine inside a military outpost in Surin province near the Cambodian border, marking the second such incident along the sensitive frontier in recent weeks.

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The incident occurred at 6:44 a.m. when soldiers from the 233rd Infantry Company were on duty at the Erawan operations base in Kap Choeng district of Surin. During the routine patrol, one soldier triggered an explosive device buried within the base perimeter.

The injured soldier, Private Detsak Trikham, sustained catastrophic injuries in the blast, losing his right leg entirely and suffering shrapnel wounds to his left leg and left arm. Fellow soldiers immediately administered first aid at the scene before rushing him to Kap Choeng Hospital, where he remains under close medical supervision.

Command Response and Investigation

Second Army Area commander Lieutenant General Weerayuth Raksilp personally inspected the blast site later the same day, accompanied by explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) units, to assess the situation and review current safety conditions at the facility. Following the inspection, he ordered a comprehensive re-inspection of the entire base area to ensure maximum safety for all personnel stationed there.

According to the Second Army Area’s official statement released following the incident, the Erawan operations base has been under Thai control since the second ceasefire agreement with Cambodia and had previously undergone two rounds of inspection. However, initial findings from the blast site investigation suggest that the explosive device may have been buried deep beneath layers of soil, wood debris, and accumulated natural materials, making detection during previous inspections extremely difficult.

The statement noted that a preliminary examination of the blast site found the area covered with soil, wood fragments, leaves, and natural debris accumulated over a long period. The explosive device is believed to have been embedded deep underground, which hindered earlier detection despite continuous inspection efforts by military personnel.

A soldier stepped on a landmine at Erawan Base in Surin, resulting in the loss of his right leg and severe injuries from shrapnel to his left arm and left leg.

The soldier, identified as Private Detchsak Tri-kham, was immediately treated on-site before being rushed to Kabcheang…

— Thenationthailand (@Thenationth) February 27, 2026

Ongoing Border Concerns

The incident marks the second landmine-related injury along the Thai-Cambodian border in less than a week. On February 24, Sergeant Thanaphon Mudyadam, a soldier with the First Army Region, sustained injuries to his left hand, including the loss of his index and middle fingertips, after triggering a concealed explosive device while on patrol near the Cambodian border in Buriram province .

That incident occurred near Border Marker 28 at Pha Hin Tat, a cliffside area on the border of Sa Kaeo and Buriram provinces, when the patrol team encountered a cord concealed under a thick layer of leaves that detonated when pulled .

Preventive Measures

Authorities are now conducting a detailed investigation to establish the full facts surrounding the Surin incident and determine additional preventive measures to avoid similar occurrences in the future. The recurring nature of these incidents highlights the ongoing dangers posed by unexploded ordnance and landmines along Thailand’s border with Cambodia, remnants of decades of conflict that continue to claim victims long after the fighting has ceased.

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Military officials have emphasized their commitment to protecting personnel while maintaining sovereignty along the border, though the recent injuries underscore the persistent challenges posed by these hidden dangers in areas where active conflict once occurred.

-Thailand News (TN)