An elderly woman's left leg was blown off when she stepped on an old landmine while digging for edible roots on the Thai-Cambodian border in Sa Kaew's Khok Sung district on Thursday morning.
The accident was reported to Wuthidanai Sawasdinarunart, the Khok Sung district chief.
He rushed to Ban Nong Chan in tambon Non Mak Mun along with Pol Lt-Col Sawat Boonman, commander of Border Patrol Police Company 126, after being informed.
They found the woman, identified later as Pim Kanpradab, 64, of Ban Don Rai Fai of tambon Khok Sung, lying near the bush in a pool of blood about 50 metres from Si Phen Road, which runs along the border 300 metres from Cambodiar.
The woman's left leg was blown off. There were deep cuts in both of her hands and her face.
She was rushed to Aranyaprathet Hospital for emergency treatment.
Villagers said Mrs Pim was digging for edible roots and detonated an old landmine planted during the conflict between warring Cambodian factions many years ago.
There still a lot of landmines in the area, despite mine clearing efforts. Warning signs have been put up telling villagers not to enter areas where the mines have not been cleared and disposed of. The woman obviously did not notice the signs, villagers said.