SURIN, Thailand – Prime Minister Paetongtarn Chinawatra and her delegation visited Sakon Phatthana Village, Takhian Subdistrict, Kab Choeng District, Surin Province, to meet with local residents, deliver supplies, and inspect a community-built bomb shelter.
Upon arrival at 1:40 PM, villagers presented the Prime Minister with traditional Thai fabrics (pha khao ma), which she accepted warmly. She then joked with Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul about “being on the same team” before handing out essential goods to encourage the community.
During her visit, the Prime Minister toured the bomb shelter under construction. Surin Governor Chamnarn Chuenta and the village head reported on the progress. When PM Paetongtarn asked if she could enter the shelter, the governor consented. She then inquired how long the villagers had been building it, and they replied “since yesterday.” The PM expressed surprise at their swift work and encouraged them to keep up the good effort, reminding them to eat so they would not lose strength.
The Prime Minister also inspected the shelter’s design, questioning the governor about the differences between square and circular shelters, and asked about the use of car tires as reinforcement materials.
The governor explained that the shelter was a temporary solution built with donated materials, noting that square shelters are standard government designs, but this circular one was made without budget support due to the difficulty in obtaining tires, which are typically avoided because they catch fire easily. He added that the frontlines usually do not use tires but since they couldn’t source alternatives, they accepted donations and constructed it themselves.
The PM then asked why the Interior Ministry had not been approached for funding, saying, “Why didn’t you report this to the Ministry of Interior? It should be done properly.”
The governor replied that there are standard shelters in the area built with government budgets during 2011. The PM further asked if the locations for additional shelters had been surveyed, to which the governor said yes but added humorously, “Do you have any secrets?” She responded with a smile.
The governor clarified that the shelter, whether square or circular, offers better protection than staying inside a house due to its concrete construction.
The visit ended with the Prime Minister mingling warmly with locals, who complimented her appearance and playfully asked to hold her hand, jokingly checking if it was soft, which made her laugh. (TNA)
