Exposing government inefficiency and mere rhetoric, it has been one year since a BM-21 rocket from Cambodia struck the Si Sa Ket gas station owner, who tearfully stormed parliament to petition through MP Kung Fu for rightful war victim compensation after delays by the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and Ministry of Interior.
At 13:00 on 24 Jul 2026 GMT+7 at the parliament, MP Wasawat Phuangphornsri, party list MP and leader of the Thai Ruam Palang Party, received a complaint letter from Ms. Komanarat Phonsatleut, owner of the PTT gas station at Ban Phue branch, Ban Phue subdistrict, Kantharalak district, Si Sa Ket province. She suffered damage from a BM-21 rocket launched by Cambodia on 24 Jul 2025 GMT+7. She came to follow up on the progress of government compensation, marking the one-year anniversary of the incident without any relief or damage compensation from the Ministry of Interior.
MP Wasawat said this incident reaches its one-year anniversary today. It resulted in fatalities including students and convenience store staff, with several gas station attendants injured—some disabled—and they have yet to receive appropriate compensation or assistance as promised by the state. As a local MP, he has continuously pursued this issue both in parliamentary sessions and in the special committee reviewing the 2027 fiscal budget bill. He has inquired with the Ministry of Defense, which said compensation for military personnel is being distributed gradually, and with the Ministry of Interior's Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, from whom he received an update only yesterday.
MP Wasawat added that the Ministry of Justice’s Department of Rights and Liberties Protection is also responsible for compensating injured parties, such as gas station attendants wounded by shrapnel penetrating their lungs, and other victims who have yet to receive funds. This includes the case of “Nong Namkhong,” which was reported through the Kanjom Palang Foundation. He will take up this case for further follow-up. The complainant traveled over 700 kilometers from Si Sa Ket to parliament, reflecting the prolonged one-year wait that is too long for affected citizens and business operators near the border, who had to cease operations for months without receiving rightful compensation. He pledged to expedite coordination with relevant agencies.
Ms. Komanarat stated three main demands: 1. Compensation for the gas station damage, which has seen no progress for a full year; she only learned from the DDPM that the matter was forwarded to the Prime Minister’s Office, but no official documents have been provided. 2. Compensation for tenant shops inside the gas station that had to close for three months without income and have not been compensated. 3. Support for Mr. Phonkit, a gas station worker injured and now disabled, whose claim is still being processed by the government, as well as for convenience store staff and customers injured by the blast and shrapnel on the incident day, who have yet to receive government aid.
With a trembling voice and tears, Ms. Komanarat said, “Throughout the past 365 days, I plead for the government to sympathize with the suffering of victims who must earn a living to support their families. So far, help has mainly come from the private sector, such as PTT, which repaired fuel dispensers; energy ministry agencies managing cooking gas; and private donors who supplied convenience store equipment, enabling reopening and staff support. Initially, Ms. Theerarat Samretwanit, then Deputy Minister of Interior, visited and promised government compensation for gaps after private funding. I have documented the deducted private contributions. Yet government agencies remain silent, providing no rightful compensation.”
Regarding progress, only the DDPM officials under the Ministry of Interior have verbally informed her that the matter reached the Prime Minister’s Office and assistance will come, but no official confirmation or written notice has been given. Although the Si Sa Ket governor initially visited and assured coordination with the provincial DDPM office, after one year, no clear government support has arrived.