NAKHON RATCHASIMA -- Two employees of a company contracted to lay a waterworks pipeline in an area opposite an old army arsenal in Pak Chong district were killed in a bomb explosion on Sunday, according to Thairath Online.
Pol Capt Jaruek Pathompong, deputy investigation chief of Pak Chong police station, and other police officers went to the scene after being informed of the incident which occurred at about 9.45am.
The police learned from witnesses that the explosion happened when workers of Kitikan Limited Partnership, a Nonthaburi-base construction contractor, were digging the ground in an empty plot of land opposite an old army arsenal in tambon Nong Sa Rai.
While digging out the construction site, the workers found a bomb, which has not been identified, and moved it to the rear of a pick-up truck.
The bomb suddenly went off. It was believed the explosion was caused by sparks from a power generator, which was also on the pick-up truck and used to produce electricity for pipe welding.
One worker was killed instantly in the powerful explosion. The other man was seriously wounded and died later at Pak Chong Nana Hospital. They were later identified as Nathapol Inklin and Somporn Salthong.
In October 2001, a huge explosion occurred at the arsenal, killing at least 17 people and hurling ammunition around the area. This prompted local residents to demand the removal of the arsenal.
The bomb that exploded was believed to be one of the pieces of ammunition hurled from the arsenal during that explosion.