Border villagers were alarmed after going to catch frogs near the dam and encountering fully armed Cambodian soldiers shining flashlights and firing warning shots. They had to abandon their motorcycle and hide before narrowly escaping. They confirmed the area is on the Thai side.
Today (9 May 2026), reports say villagers from Sai Tho 3 Tai village, Chanthaphet subdistrict, Ban Kruat district, Buriram province, were alarmed after two villagers went frog hunting last night near Butapum at the dam’s end behind the village and encountered over 10 fully armed Cambodian soldiers, forcing them to abandon their motorcycle and the frogs they had caught before narrowly escaping.
Investigation found the incident occurred in the Dong area near Thailand’s Scorpion Base sovereignty zone. This morning, security forces, local administration, and police took villagers to identify the spot and retrieve the abandoned motorcycle. However, most villagers remain fearful, worried about a possible third clash.
Mrs. Kansuda Butphet, 51, from Moo 7, Sai Tho 1 Tai village, Prasat subdistrict, Ban Kruat district, Buriram, wife of one of the villagers involved, said around 7:00 p.m. last night, after the rain stopped, her husband and his younger brother went frog hunting at Butapum near the dam’s end, a familiar foraging area for him.
Around 8:30 p.m., her husband called whispering, “Please top up my phone credit,” saying he had encountered Cambodian soldiers before the call cut off. She was very worried, asked her child to add credit, but subsequent calls had no signal. Concerned for his safety, she contacted the village head for help. He returned around midnight but had to leave the motorcycle in the forest.
Mr. Apirak Butphet, 63, from Moo 7, Sai Tho 1 Tai village, Prasat subdistrict, Ban Kruat, recounted encountering the Cambodian soldiers. He went with his younger brother, who walked about 50 meters ahead.
He saw three flashlight beams and assumed they were fellow villagers hunting frogs, so he approached and asked, “Did you catch many?” But as he got closer, he realized they were three fully armed Cambodian soldiers with guns and knives. Both sides were startled, not knowing each other’s identity.
Unable to communicate, he said he heard frogs croaking, then turned off his light and ran. About 10 more Cambodian soldiers chased him, so he hid in bushes and dumped the frogs he caught. His brother took another route to hide. They stayed hidden about two hours, then left, abandoning their motorcycle to escape. They heard one gunshot from the soldiers. Fortunately, he knew the forest well and managed to flee.
Mr. Apirak added the frog hunting area is Thai territory, about 1-2 kilometers from the border. How Cambodian soldiers penetrated so deeply is unclear, possibly due to natural routes in the area often used for smuggling goods.