Thai gas station hit by Cambodia rocket may miss state compensation

Sisaket — On August 27, 2026, a privately owned gas station in the Sisaket province of Thailand was damaged by a BM-21 rocket launched from Cambodia. This incident may complicate the station's eligibility for state compensation, as privately owned businesses typically do not qualify for government aid. Rukchanok Srinok, a member of Parliament and chairperson of the House committee responsible for budget preparation and administration, attended a committee meeting where the potential impact on the gas station was discussed.

The Sisaket Office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) and the Prime Minister's Office were also present at the meeting. According to the DDPM, the current regulations under the Finance Ministry cover compensation for individuals who suffer injury or death, but do not extend to property damage for privately owned businesses. Rukchanok noted that this specific case was unusual and called for a review of the compensation criteria to ensure fair assistance for those affected by the conflict.

Kamonrat Phonsetlert, the gas station owner, explained that the rocket attack was not covered by the standard insurance provisions overseen by the Office of Insurance Commission (OIC), leaving the station without coverage and limited to receiving only 1 million baht in humanitarian aid. The station also had a private insurance policy, but has yet to receive any compensation from the government.

Kamonrat expressed frustration with the situation, emphasizing that she is a Thai citizen and not a foreign entity, and blaming the government's management for the incident. She implored the government to provide official documents regarding the compensation process to address the ongoing concerns.