SOLDIERS, police and village leaders came to inspect a pick-up truck hit with shrapnel from gunfire that Myanmar’s MiG-29 fighter jet let loose at a palm plantation in Tak when it intruded into Thai airspace on Thursday but initially have not been able to assess the damage, Sanook.com said today (July 2).
Mrs. Juthamas (surname withheld), who lives in village number 3 in Wale sub-district of Popphra district, said the crew of MiG-29 jet probably used a machine gun to spray bullets at her palm plantation with some hitting Mr. Sayan’s (surname withheld) pick-up truck that was parked there.
Sayan, who is from Mahawan subdistrict, Mae Sot district, said the right side of his pick-up truck was riddled with shrapnel and the spot where it was parked was about a kilometre from the border.
Moreover after spraying bullets at this palm plantation the Myanmar jet fighter flew further into Thai territory towards Popphra district
Ms. Juthanan (surname withheld), 61, another resident of Wale sub-district, said she has live here for over 30 years and although Karen insurgents and Myanmar junta troops had previously fought across the border these days planes are being used with one flying past their village that is a kilometre from the border.
The fighter jet made a loud noise scaring the villagers who were shocked by this incident, she added.
Mr. Amornrat Phromkhatkaew, the director of Baan Wale School, said a strong bunker had been built within the premises for students and villages to take refuge in case conflict across the border necessitated it.
People in this village had sheltered there many times in the past, he added.
CAPTION:
The pick-up that was hit with shrapnel from gunfire let loose by Myanmar junta’s MiG-29 jet after it intruded into Thai territory on Thursday. The Thai headline says, “Lucky no one was injured.” Photo: Sanook.com
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