SA KAEO, Thailand – A Thai soldier stepped on a landmine during a clearance operation in Ban Nong Chan on July 29, 2026. The blast tore through his left leg and arm.
Sergeant Major Udomsak Nuekman, 44, was on a mine-clearing mission with his unit when the device detonated in the border district of Khok Sung.
Mine explodes under soldier at 11 am
The accident happened around 11.00 am in the danger zone of Ban Nong Chan, Tambon Non Mak Mun. Udomsak, from the 30th Cavalry Battalion, was working with his team to clear explosives.
Suddenly he triggered one of the countless mines buried in the soil. The explosion ripped through his leg and arm.
Comrades rush wounded man to hospital
Soldiers from the Humanitarian Mine Clearance Unit 1 gave emergency first aid on the spot. They then rushed Udomsak to Aranyaprathet Hospital.
The 44-year-old remained conscious throughout. He is now under treatment at Aranyaprathet Hospital and is still awake.
Army chief orders caution
Lieutenant General Worayot Lueangsuwan, commander of the 1st Army Region, voiced concern over the incident. He told Burapha forces to be careful in their work.
He ordered the best possible medical care for the injured non-commissioned officer. He stressed that all rights and welfare benefits for him must be secured.
489 mines and duds already found
The accident struck in the middle of a clearance operation covering 80,800 square meters. Experts have already cleared 62,000 square meters (76.73 percent) of the area.
They have dug up a total of 489 dangerous items: 447 PMN mines, 39 MN79 mines, 2 POMZ-2 mines, and one unexploded dud. The mission aims to create safe zones for people living along the border.
Clearance continues despite accident
Work goes on in the area to reach 100 percent safety. The mission will not stop.