Phoophannoi in Nakornpanom. His army had walked for 2 days to get there. On the way,
there was a villager’s dog that followed his army. Every soldier had the compassion and
took care of this dog according to fate. It became a part of army implicitly. It not only
followed everywhere the army went but also liked to walked in front of the army like the
leader. When the army got the destination, which located in the jungle, they took hold of
that area for setting the military base.
The only one way for sending the food was done by helicopter. Unfortunately, on
6 th January, 1974 which was the second day, the amount of clouds in the sky had too
much. Thus, sending food by air could not work. Helicopter could not bring food to the
army as schedule. Accordingly, soldiers had to sustain life by taking bole of banana in
order to cook food. The chief of the solder said, “How the banana can make us full? It
not comes to a half of my stomach yet.” Another soldier agreed, “ Yes, you are right.
Why we don’t ask the commander to get more food from anything else? ”. The chief of
the soldier said, “That’s a good idea. Maybe we can ask to go to the foothills. ” The
chief of the soldier walked to the commander promptly. After he gave a military salute
with the right hand to the commander, he asked for the permission. “ Sir, May I take a
group of soldiers to the foothills? The food is not enough for the whole army. Please let
me bring the soldiers to hunt the cows,” the chief of the soldier asked to shoot the cows,
which do not have the owner. As a commander of one hundred soldiers, he was
thoughtful because this foothill is near the communists’ village. It was difficult to make a
decision. He hesitated between the survival of soldiers, which was his responsibility, and
sin. He spent a lot of time for consideration since he did not want to make a sin with big
animal. He thought in his mind, “ If it doesn’t relate to the army, I won’t think over and
over like this. I won’t participate exactly.” However, he also thought of the hunger of the
whole army, the enemy which need to put a strong encouragement for fighting and the
uncertain of the weather. After he hesitated for a long time, he could make the final
decision. He had need to allow the chief of the soldier to go to the foothill but he had a
condition for hunting. He said,“ Alright, I will let you go there but you can kill only one
cow. You need to provide the best sharp shooter for hunting. I don’t want to make a cow
suffer from too many bullets. Please slice it before bringing to the hill.” The chief of the
soldier got the order, “ Yes, sir.” Then, the chief of the soldier took nine soldiers to the
foothill. He selected a sergeant to be a shooter. An hour later, there was a shot. My uncle
who was the first lieutenant in that time and the commander of the army saw many cows
were frightened and scattered with the sad feeling. A cow was shot around left leg by the
sergeant. About two hours later, the hunting group was back to the hill with uncooked
beef which already sliced. The beef could treat the army at least 2 days.
The next night which was on 11 st January, 1974 the terrorists attacked his army.
The terrorists shot from the west military base. He ordered to shoot back about 10
minutes before the shot had stopped. The next morning, a group of his soldiers had need
to go down to the foothill in order to bring the freshwater. He knew very well that
shooting of the enemy from the west last night was a feint. The terrorists usually hide the
bomb at the opposite side, which probably was the east side of his military base.
Therefore, he was the leader to go down for more safety and encouragement of his
soldiers. He took ten soldiers to foothill by himself. He walked in front of the army with
the dog, which followed closely. He dressed in soldier suit, which was ready to make a
war. He had the M-16 gun as his weapon. He was out of control while we was walking
down. He did not quite fall because he stepped on a little stone. It was like an omen to
tell about something. It made him worry so much. Although, being professional soldier
had teached him thoroughly that being fear could make the army get weak especially
when taking an army for fighting. He still thought in his mind, “ I’m just wondering that
I will be back to the hill again or not.”
The distance left only 120 meters. The dog ran to the pool before getting to the
foothill.It was far from the army about 10-20 meters. Suddenly, the bomb bursted in the
area that the dog ran pass. The dust spreaded through the area. The dog was died as quick
as a wink. As a commander, he aimed the M-16 gun up and shot in the front of himself as
familiar. The sergeant and soldier who were behind him screamed because they got bomb
splinters. The line of soldier stopped automatically. Everyone sat on the heels without
cutting the line. Every gun aimed at any directions around the line of soldier. He ordered
Sipnarak sergeant who was the last person of the line to take the injured people. At the
same time, he wondered and thought in his mind “ How the bomb splinters pass from me
who was in the front of the line to soldiers who were next to me?” When he bended over
his leg, he found that his left leg also got bomb splinter for 3 spots. The two spots were
on the top on his left leg in slanting line by crossing his bone. Another one was on his left
ankle. In that time, he felt numb so he did not feel hurt. He made a call to helicopter to
ask for help. Two hours later, helicopter took all the injured soldiers to the hospital in
Sakonnakorn.
There are many surprising points about this event. Namely, three injured people
all related to the killing of cow in 3 days ago. All the injured people are my uncle who
was the commander, the sergeant who was the sharp shooter and the next soldier who
sliced the beef. My uncle got the bomb splinters for the first person. He got injured
around the top of his left leg which slanted to the stomach. He also got another one
around left ankle. He had need to get an operation. The bomb splinter which took the
commander’s leg passed through the sharp shooter. Also, it ran through the head of the
soldier who sliced the beef. It is said that the only one bomb splinter punished all the
people who related to the killing of cow. My uncle got the highest punishment because
he was a commander. That’s why he got two wounds. Other people got arranged
punishment by guilt. Also,there is another interesting point about this event. The dog
which was treated by soldiers ran to cut the line like making remuneration as gratitude to
the soldiers especially the commander. If he steps on the bomb by himself, I probably
don’t have my uncle today. Furthermore, there’s still an infinitive sin about this event.
When my uncle got an operation at hospital, he got the most torture in his life. The doctor
said, “ I’m sorry. The anaesthetic is all used up. We don’t have the anaesthetic anymore.”
All the injured people had to sew the wounds without the anaesthetic just like the cow,
which was sliced while it was alive. After this event, my uncle has cursed furiously about
all kinds of cruelty. He is afraid of doing again. Nowadays, he intends to make a lot of
merits. He has had the determination, which follow the teachings of Buddhism forever.
If you do a good deed, you will get a good thing turn back to you. Similarly, if
you do a bad deed, then the bad deed will serve you. Everything has cause and effect
each other. This is the one thing that I can learn from my uncle’s experience. Deed may
exists. Noboby can avoid deed. You cannot get rid of your deed but you can decrease
your deed to relieve in a better way. If you wish you make a merit, today is not too late.
Do not hesitate before making merit but please hesitate before doing a sin. Think
carefully before you do something because you will deserve it someday.
