EOD police teams check 24 artillery shell craters in Ubon Ratchathani
EOD teams inspect 24 artillery shell craters in Ubon Ratchathani, ensuring safety before villagers return.
Teams of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) police and officials from the Department of Provincial Administration inspected 24 shell craters in three villages in Ubon Ratchathani on Wednesday and Thursday.
The EOD teams, assisted by officials from Nam Yeun district, examined the craters in the villages of Tambon Dome Pradit and Tambon Wichian after Thailand and Cambodia agreed to cease fire.
The Interior Ministry ordered the inspection of the craters to ensure the safety of villagers returning home after the cessation of fighting.
The 24 craters were caused by artillery shelling from July 24 to 28 by Cambodian troops.
The EOD teams found that 20 craters were safe, but four required cordoning off as the shells had not yet exploded. The EOD teams had not yet disposed of the shells before villagers could return to the areas.
On Wednesday, the EOD teams inspected 15 craters and checked nine more on Thursday.
One of the four craters with active shells was located in an organic vegetable garden behind a house. The house owners had evacuated pending the disposal of the shell.
