MAE HONG SON — Villagers along the Salween River are questioning whether Myanmar military reconnaissance drones are operating from Thai territory after an air strike across the border damaged more than 10 homes and public buildings in Mae Sam Laep.
The suspicions remain unverified. Residents said they had seen increasingly frequent drone flights before Myanmar military aircraft bombed communities across the river.
Two bombs struck Saw Lae Tha on the Salween River in Myanmar’s Karen State, opposite Mae Sam Laep village in Sop Moei district, on the evening of Oct 31, 2026. The blasts damaged buildings on the Thai side and prompted some residents to spend the night at the Mae Sam Laep tambon administrative organisation (TAO) office further inland.
On the morning of Nov 1, residents gathered at Mae Sam Laep pier to discuss the attack. One Karen person on the Myanmar side was reported injured.
The TAO set up a desk to register damage to more than 10 homes and public buildings, most of which suffered shattered windows.
Residents also handed two pieces of suspected bomb fragments found on the Thai side to a ranger unit. A military officer said the fragments appeared to come from a bomb weighing at least 500 pounds, capable of producing powerful blast waves.
At 9am, Mae Sam Laep TAO chief Pongpipat Meebrnjamart, tambon chief Suphap Nutnongkhran and Maj Surin Chuntricharatphon, commander of the 3608th Ranger, inspected damaged homes and public facilities.
Mr Pongpipat said the two bombs had damaged homes, the health centre, the child development centre, a mosque, a Buddhist temple and Christian churches. Some buildings were struck by fragments, while others were damaged by the force of the blasts.
He urged the Thai government to negotiate with Myanmar authorities to prevent military operations close to the border, suggesting a ban on bombing within 10 kilometres of it to protect communities on both sides.
“Myanmar military operations are taking place increasingly close to the border, affecting people on the Thai side,” he said.
Asked about reports of reconnaissance drones before the bombing, Mr Pongpipat confirmed that residents had seen such flights. He said Myanmar forces used reconnaissance drones, one-way attack drones and aircraft conducting bombing raids, with surveillance flights taking place along the border before attacks.
Mr Suphap said he had repeatedly reminded residents at monthly village meetings to remain alert to possible air strikes, including keeping music low enough to hear warnings.
Warnings of possible attacks on Karen National Union (KNU) forces had been issued periodically, he said. On Oct 31, residents had also received a warning of an impending attack along the Salween, although the precise location was unclear.
Whenever violence broke out, residents living beside the river had to flee inland to Huai Mae Kong Kat village or the TAO office, he said. The distance made evacuations difficult and chaotic. He proposed building shelters within the community so residents could reach safety immediately.
“Whenever violence occurs, Mae Sam Laep residents suffer damage. We want the government to provide assistance and compensation. Even when the damage is limited, government support would reassure people,” he said.
“This attack was particularly severe because the bombs were dropped beside the river, right next to the border. Thai authorities should lodge a protest to prevent this from happening repeatedly.”
Mr Suphap also called for an advance warning system, recalling the use of red flags at Mae Sam Laep pier in the past to alert residents to danger.
Asked about Myanmar drone flights along the border, he urged tighter security, including night-time checkpoints on roads leading to the frontier.
He also cited unverified reports that the Myanmar military had sent 10 operatives into the area and called on Thai intelligence agencies to step up surveillance.
Residents’ suspicions about the drones stem partly from their understanding that the Karen State riverbank opposite Mae Sariang and Sop Moei districts is controlled by KNU forces, with no Myanmar military bases remaining along that stretch.
Some therefore believe the drones are being launched from Thai territory. Villagers said they had previously apprehended Myanmar men operating a drone, but were unsure whether Thai military personnel had any knowledge of the activity.
Residents also said reconnaissance flights had been followed by an increase in air strikes on communities across the river. They feared further attacks along the Salween, adding to anxiety throughout riverside communities.
This is a translation of original Thai news article https://transbordernews.in.th/home/?p=48173