Memorial Held for Eight Killed in Cambodian Rocket Attack

SISAKET — Families, local residents and security officials gathered on Wednesday to commemorate the first anniversary of a Cambodian rocket attack that killed eight people at a petrol station in Thailand's border province of Sisaket.

A merit-making ceremony was held at the PTT petrol station in Ban Phue, Kantharalak district, where a BM-21 multiple rocket launcher strike hit on July 24, 2025, during the first day of armed clashes between Thai and Cambodian forces along the border. The attack killed eight people, injured 13 others and caused extensive damage to the petrol station and nearby properties.

Buddhist monks chanted prayers and dedicated merit to those who lost their lives, as grieving relatives gathered to remember the victims and pray for lasting peace along the border. Kamonrat Phonsettalerd, the owner of the petrol station, said the ceremony was held two days before the actual anniversary because monks were available on Wednesday. She said memories of the attack remain vivid and loud noises still leave her startled.

She said border communities continue to struggle to rebuild their livelihoods and remain concerned that fighting could erupt again. Residents have rehearsed evacuation plans and are prepared to leave immediately if authorities issue another warning. Busaba Khamwang, the mother of one of the victims, said the pain of losing her son had not faded despite the passage of a year.

"No amount of assistance can replace my child," she said, adding that her greatest wish is for the violence never to happen again. Another survivor, Komsan Prachan, who lost his wife and two children in the attack, returned to the petrol station for the first time since the tragedy.

He said revisiting the site brought back painful memories of his family. Although he has received government compensation, he said no financial assistance could erase the loss, and urged that renewed fighting be avoided to spare others from similar suffering.