The Royal Thai Army has confirmed that recent landmines discovered along the Thai-Cambodian border were newly placed by Cambodian soldiers for tactical purposes, not remnants from past conflicts.
Major General Winthai Suvaree, the army’s spokesperson, highlighted this distinction during a discussion on August 18 following accusations from Cambodian officials.
Yesterday, August 18, senior Cambodian minister Dr Lee Thuch and Heng Ratana, the director of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre, held a press conference to refute claims that Cambodia has been deploying new landmines and stockpiling them for use.
They argued that the area where Thai soldiers were injured by landmines is an old battlefield with many unexploded devices from past wars along the Cambodia–Thailand border, yet to be fully cleared.
Major General Winthai expressed confusion over Cambodia’s contradictory stance, particularly as they did not engage in resolving the landmine issue during the GBC meeting on August 7.
Despite Cambodia’s portrayal as an anti-landmine nation, it is primarily Thai soldiers who have been repeatedly harmed by landmines in areas they have patrolled for years. This contradicts Cambodia’s claim that the devices are from past conflicts.
The spokesperson noted that Thailand’s demining efforts, led by the Thai Mine Action Centre, have never encountered PMN-2 type landmines. These devices are identified as new, differing significantly from those previously found.
The placement of these landmines follows tactical patterns, often located at the forefront of Cambodian military positions. They are systematically placed close together just beneath the soil surface, remaining unobscured by vegetation. Upon retrieval, the mines appear new, with clear markings and inscriptions, reported KhaoSod.
Major General Winthai expressed regret that, despite a ceasefire agreement, Cambodia continues to use landmines against Thailand, undermining Thai sovereignty and affecting bilateral relations.
In similar news, Thailand’s Royal Navy has revealed that Cambodia has not yet cooperated on landmine clearance or efforts to combat cross-border scam operations. The update followed a Regional Border Committee (RBC) meeting held in Trat province.
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