Three members of the Thai military sustained injuries from a landmine explosion during a routine patrol near the Thai-Cambodian border in Kantharalak district, Sisaket province, yesterday morning, August 9.
This marks the fourth incident since mid-July where Thai soldiers have been harmed by mines in contested border regions. Previous incidents have seen the army attribute the mines’ placement to Cambodian forces.
The explosion occurred at approximately 10am in the Chong Don Ao-Krissana area, about 1.8 kilometres from Phu Makua, as reported by the 2nd Army Region Operations Centre. The area, previously cleared and regularly patrolled by Thai infantry, lies within Thai territory.
The patrol, conducted by Infantry Company 111, was laying barbed wire fencing when they accidentally triggered a landmine. The team was led by 32 year old Sgt Maj First Class Thani Paha, who lost his left foot in the explosion.
Pvt Pakpoom Chaisura suffered injuries to his arm and back, while Pvt Thananchai Kraiwong experienced a concussion and a ruptured eardrum. They were promptly taken to a local hospital for medical attention.
This incident transpired five days after an army engineering unit had secured the Phu Makua area, which was previously occupied by Cambodian forces.
Landmine explosion
During a previous clearance operation on August 4, the army discovered 18 Russian-made PMN-2 anti-personnel mines, alongside grenade launcher rounds and RPG rockets. The mines included 16 unarmed units stored in sacks and two that were ready to detonate, all of which were removed.
In response to the latest incident, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Cambodia of laying new mines and announced plans to file an official protest.
However, Cambodia’s defence ministry stated it had “yet to receive clear confirmation from Cambodian frontline forces concerning the explosion,” maintaining that their army adheres to the ceasefire agreement. The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority also denied the placement of any new mines.
On August 8, Thailand and Cambodia ratified a 13-point ceasefire agreement during a General Border Committee session in Kuala Lumpur, aiming to reduce border tensions. However, Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree, an army spokesperson, indicated that yesterday’s incident demonstrated ongoing concealed armed exchanges along the border, accusing Cambodia of violating the Ottawa Treaty.
Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai chaired a meeting in Surin province to address border issues with local governors and officials. He expressed concern for the injured soldiers and stressed the importance of documenting the incident for discussion under the Ottawa Convention.
He also highlighted ongoing demining efforts, referencing Surin province, where over 400 landmines have been cleared, and called for extreme caution in future operations, reported Bangkok Post.
Phumtham acknowledged that mine clearance remains a contentious issue with Cambodia but affirmed that it will be addressed in future Regional Border Committee meetings to identify locations for joint clearance efforts. The army has reported four landmine incidents involving Thai troops this year.
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