Two Injured as Booby-Trapped Torch and Drill Explode in Lopburi

Picture courtesy of Khaosod.

A couple of explosions have rocked a rural village in Lopburi province after two seemingly ordinary household items, a head torch and an electric drill, were found to be booby-trapped with explosives. Two people have been left injured, including an 18-year-old who lost fingers and an eye, in what local authorities are now treating as a deliberate attempt to harm people.

The first incident occurred around 11:00 on 21 June in Moo 5, Ban Chon Phueng, Chon Noi subdistrict, Ban Mi district. Ms. Suphanit, a visiting farm worker, spotted a brand-new headlamp lying at the roadside near the village entrance and picked it up, believing someone may have dropped it.

Later, while inside her vehicle, she attempted to switch it on, triggering an explosion. The blast caused injuries to both her hands and left her in a serious condition. She was initially treated at Lopburi Provincial Hospital before being transferred to a larger facility in Nakhon Sawan.

Police initially refused to register her complaint, stating there was no suspect and suggesting that if it had truly been a bomb, she would not have survived. Frustrated, Ms. Suphanit took to social media to tell her story, only for a second, more devastating explosion to occur in the same area two days later.

On the morning of 23 June, Ms. Pairin, a 60-year-old local resident, discovered a drill with a detached battery lying in nearly the same spot where the torch had been found. She brought it home, intending to see if it could be repaired or reused.

At around 17:00, her 18-year-old nephew, Mr. Kornwit, had just returned from school when she asked him to assemble the device. As he connected the battery, an explosion shook the house. The young man lost three fingers on his left hand, was blinded in his right eye and suffered injuries to his chest. He remains in a serious condition.

Ms. Pairin also suffered injuries to her shoulder and foot, requiring stitches and medical treatment.

Village headwoman Ms. Jakksri Champa-ngam visited the scene with local media, finding bloodstains on the floor, shattered belongings and pieces of the exploded drill strewn across the house. She confirmed that the community had never experienced violence of this kind before and called it a deliberate and deeply disturbing act targeting innocent people.

Ms. Pairin has issued a public warning, urging residents not to touch any suspicious items such as flashlights, drills, phones or other electronic devices found in public areas. Instead, she called for immediate notification of local authorities.

“This is a painful lesson for our family,” she said. “We are begging the police to take this seriously and find out who did this. Someone planted these items intentionally to hurt strangers.”

Police have yet to announce any suspects, but forensic teams and investigators are now examining the remains of the devices and reviewing nearby CCTV footage. The motive behind these planted explosives remains unclear, but authorities are treating the matter as an intentional and malicious act.

Residents are demanding swift action and heightened patrols to ensure the safety of the community and to bring the perpetrator to justice.

  Adapted by Asean Now from Khoasod 2025-06-25