SURIN: A large quantity of wartime munitions were found in a forest near the Thai-Cambodian border in Sangkha district of this lower northeastern province on Saturday.
The munitions were discovered by villagers from Ban Kalengwek, Moo 2 village in tambon Thepraksa of Sangkha district, while looking for wild products in a forest about four kilometres from the village near the border with Cambodia.
The villagers informed Chai Prom-uk, the village chief, who subsequently contacted the Thai Mine Action Centre (TMAC) of the Royal Thai Armed Forces at the Huay Khanad Mon reservoir in Sangkha district.
Troops from the centre were dispatched to the scene for examination. They found at the spot 51 rounds of ammunition for 82mm recoilless rifles, nine rounds of ammunition for 75mm recoilless refiles and 30 M26 hand grenades.
The munitions were still in working condition.
The soldiers from the TMAC said a large number of mines had been buried in forests along the Thai-Cambodian border in the adjoining area of Bua Chet and Sangkha district of Surin province, a battlefield of former Khmer warring factions.
Many villagers have been killed or maimed after accidentally activating a mine while looking for wild products in the forests along the border.
