Drone Blast Kills Three in Tak Border Chilli Field

Three Myanmar migrant workers, a mother, father and their 11-year-old son, were killed and two others seriously injured after an explosive believed to be from a suicide drone detonated in a chilli field near the Thai-Myanmar border in Tak province.

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The explosion occurred on 2 June 2026 in a chilli plantation near Ban Moger Thai, Village 1, Wa Le subdistrict, Phop Phra district, Tak. Police, military personnel and security officials led by Pol. Col. Anusorn Dangkong, superintendent of Phop Phra Police Station, were dispatched to investigate the scene after reports of multiple casualties.

Officials found a medium-sized suicide drone lying damaged beside a tree near a road running along the border. Around 10 metres away, they discovered a blast crater and the body of Myanmar worker Ma Khae, who died at the scene from severe injuries.

Four other people suffered serious shrapnel wounds and were rushed to hospital by local residents. Among them were Ma Khae’s husband, Tu Ya, 37, and their 11-year-old son, both of whom later died from their injuries. Two survivors, Chi To, 31, and Ma Hnway, 30, remain in serious condition at Mae Sot Hospital.

According to the initial investigation, heavy fighting had been taking place throughout the day on the Myanmar side of the border. While workers were harvesting in the Thai field, a suicide drone carrying explosives reportedly crossed into Thailand, struck a large tree and crashed near the roadside.

Authorities believe the explosive payload became detached and landed in the chilli field. Ma Khae, members of her family and fellow workers, a group of five people in total, approached the object to inspect it before it exploded.

Pictures courtesy of Daily News

The incident has prompted heightened concern in border communities as conflict-related hazards continue to affect areas close to the frontier. Police and security agencies cordoned off the site and designated it a danger zone pending a detailed forensic examination.

Daily news reported that authorities in Phop Phra have also issued a warning to residents living along the border. Members of the public are being urged not to approach, move or handle any suspicious objects and to immediately notify officials for inspection to prevent further loss of life.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now Dailynews 3 June 2026

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