Thailand has issued a warning that it may take legal action against Cambodia for allegedly violating the Ottawa Convention, following a landmine explosion in the border region known as “Mom Bei Area”.
Thai media outlet Khaosod quoted Natthapol Nakpanich, Thailand’s Deputy Minister of Defence and Director of the Counter-Terrorism Operations Center, who stated on Monday that Thailand possesses sufficient evidence indicating the mines in question were newly planted and are of the PMN-2 type a kind of anti-personnel mine that Thailand says it has never used.
Natthapol Nakpanich said investigators have found that the mines were buried under low vegetation and appeared to be newly manufactured. He claimed this is proof that Cambodia planted the mines recently, in direct breach of the Ottawa Treaty and in violation of the ban on weapons in restricted areas.
The Deputy Minister said Thailand plans to submit a formal complaint against Cambodia. The case is also being prepared for submission to the Ottawa Convention committee, which is scheduled to meet later this year.
The controversy follows an incident on July 16, when three Thai soldiers from Infantry Battalion 6021 were injured during a routine border patrol after stepping on a mine in Mom Bei Area.
Heng Ratana, Director General of the Cambodian Mine Action Centre, responded on social media, writing on his Facebook page that every country is responsible for clearing landmines found within its territory.
Heng Ratana also noted that Cambodia has so far cleared and destroyed more than 4.46 million landmines and unexploded ordnance. He reaffirmed Cambodia’s commitment as a state party to the Ottawa Convention, which it joined in 2000. He said Cambodia has been actively implementing the treaty both nationally and internationally since then.
However, independent analyst Sok Sokun said a technical investigation would be needed to determine whether the mines discovered were old stock or newly planted. He said this would require examining internal components such as serial numbers, manufacturing dates, and conducting tests on the mine casings to assess their age.
The Ottawa Convention, also known as the Mine Ban Treaty, prohibits the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines. Both Cambodia and Thailand are signatories.
The situation remains tense along parts of the Thai-Cambodian border, where sporadic mine-related incidents have continued to raise concerns over long-term demining efforts and treaty compliance.
