On July 23, a Thai soldier lost his leg and several others sustained injuries after triggering a landmine while patrolling disputed territory near the Cambodian border.
This incident closely mirrors events of July 16, when another young Thai soldier was severely injured, prompting Thai officials to reiterate accusations that Cambodian forces had recently planted landmines on Thai soil.
In response, the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) strongly refuted the claims, explaining that both explosions took place within Cambodian territory and resulted from legacy landmines—not newly placed ones.
Thai officials alleged the use of PMN-2 anti-personnel mines, but a July 24 statement from CMAA firmly rejected this assertion, emphasizing Cambodia's full adherence to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, which the nation ratified in 1999.
The CMAA clarified that the latest explosion occurred in a documented hazardous area, specifically marked as BS/CMAA/16808 in Techomorokot village, Morokot commune, Choam Ksan district. This zone is part of Cambodia’s inventory of legacy minefields from past conflicts and remains uncleared.
Additional analysis from the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) corroborated CMAA findings, confirming that the explosion happened entirely within Cambodian territory.
Specialists further disproved Thai claims about PMN-2 mines, stating that injuries caused by the explosion didn't align with typical PMN-2 detonation effects. Instead, they suggested older, low-yield types such as Type 72A or M14 could have caused the injuries. These mines contain significantly less explosive material compared to PMN-2 models, which typically result in more catastrophic damage due to their 115-gram explosive payload.
CMAA reiterated several crucial points:
- - No new landmines have been planted in the region; the affected area remains part of a longstanding hazardous minefield from historical conflicts.
- - The explosion occurred within Cambodian territory in an officially recorded danger zone that has yet to be cleared.
- - Cambodia is internationally recognized for its demining efforts, having neutralized over 1.1 million landmines and nearly 3 million explosive remnants of war since 1992. It will also host the 2024 Siem Reap–Angkor Summit of the Mine Ban Treaty.
The authority emphasized that allegations of new mine deployment lack evidence and undermine cooperative efforts essential for humanitarian mine action.
Senior Minister Ly Thuch, first vice president of CMAA, expressed frustration over claims by Thai officials, describing them as attempts to manipulate border tensions and divert attention from domestic political issues. He labeled accusations of newly planted mines “baseless” and reaffirmed Cambodia’s commitment to peace and cooperation in resolving border issues through dialogue and joint demining operations.
Thuch acknowledged the challenges associated with landmine clearance along border areas, noting complex terrain, dense vegetation, and contamination levels that continue to slow progress.
Despite Cambodia’s achievements in demining, he criticized Thailand’s reluctance to engage in constructive dialogue or collaborate on border demarcation and clearance operations and highlighted that historical provocations by Thai military forces and certain politicians remain obstacles to regional harmony.
“Cambodia has dedicated over three decades to mitigating the dangers of landmines,” Thuch stated. “We remain committed to peace and urge Thailand to prioritize diplomacy and cooperation for a safer future.”
Khmer Daily
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