S$554,000 in damages, but little to no compensation for Thailand petrol station allegedly struck by Cambodian rocket

The owner of a gas station in Thailand is facing at least 14 million baht (S$554,000) in damages after rockets allegedly fired from Cambodia caused an explosion and a fire on the premises.

The PTT gas station is at Ban Phue, Kantharalak District, Sisaket Province in southeastern Thailand.

Kamolrat Phonsetthalert has to make payment, but allegedly without compensation from insurers or the government, the Bangkok Post reported.

Circumstances

Her business was insured by two companies.

However, the first company explicitly excluded war damage coverage even if the government were to declare the area a war disaster zone.

The second insurer only covered structural damage partially.

She criticised the authorities for failing to warn citizens in advance of the emergency and added that she could not have predicted the attack.

According to the Bangkok Post, the rocket struck the petrol station on the morning of Jul. 24, but the warning system was only activated around 3pm to 4pm.

While Deputy Energy Minister Fuangwit Anirutthewa has visited the site to assess damage and promised to propose compensation measures, no concrete details have been laid out.

According to The Nation, the Thai finance ministry has unveiled relief measures for border conflict victims, which include allocating 100 million baht (S$3,950,000) to the governors of seven affected provinces.

Other consequences

More than 50 employees' income prospects are uncertain due to the shutdown of the business.

The owner herself is undergoing psychiatric treatment for the trauma of witnessing the destruction, which reportedly left her unable to eat or sleep.

Top photo via Royal Thai Army