SISAKET, Thailand — Two Thai soldiers sustained minor injuries after accidentally detonating an old anti-personnel landmine at a military installation near the Thai-Cambodian border in the northeastern province of Si Sa Ket.

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According to a report from the Second Army Region, the incident occurred at approximately 10:30 a.m. within the confines of the Phu Pha military base. Troops from an infantry company were actively engaged in clearing land to prepare the ground for a new firing position when the accident took place. A unit commander, identified as Chakkrit Buakaew, inadvertently stepped on and detonated a buried explosive device.

Military officials noted that the resulting explosion was relatively weak, sparing the soldiers from severe harm. The mitigated impact was attributed to the age of the device, which had been embedded in the soil for an extended period, significantly degrading its explosive potency. Consequently, both Commander Buakaew and a second soldier, identified as Sathit Pongkaew, suffered only minor injuries during the incident.

Two Thai soldiers were slightly injured when one of them accidentally stepped on an old anti-personnel landmine near the Thai-Cambodian border in the northeastern province of Si Sa Ket today.

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Following the explosion, emergency medical protocols were immediately activated. Both injured personnel were swiftly evacuated from the base and transported to the Kantharalak district hospital, where they received medical evaluation and treatment for their injuries.

The incident highlights the enduring legacy of unexploded ordnance along the historically contested Thai-Cambodian border. Despite extensive and ongoing demining operations conducted by the Royal Thai Army in collaboration with international humanitarian organizations, pockets of buried munitions remain a persistent hazard in certain border areas, particularly during routine land-clearing and infrastructure development activities.

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As the soldiers recover, military engineers are expected to conduct a thorough sweep of the affected area to ensure no additional hazards remain before any further ground preparation activities resume.

-Thailand News (TN)