Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence has firmly rejected accusations from Thailand linking the Cambodian side to a recent landmine explosion that injured three Thai soldiers near the two countries’ shared border.
In a statement released on July 20, 2025, the Cambodian defence ministry denied claims made by Thai military officials that the mines involved were newly planted and not remnants from past conflicts. The explosion reportedly occurred on July 16 in Choam Ksant district, Preah Vihear province, when Thai troops were patrolling along what the Cambodian side describes as a newly established route.
Cambodian defence ministry spokesperson Mali Socheata said Cambodia has consistently urged Thailand to strictly follow previously agreed clearance routes due to the ongoing presence of unexploded landmines in the area. She noted that even Cambodian civilians have been victims of such hidden explosives.
According to the ministry, Thai troops allegedly violated the terms of the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding by straying from their original patrol route and creating a new path that crossed into territory under Cambodian sovereignty. Cambodia bases its territorial claims on maps at a 1:200,000 scale, derived from the Indochina-Siam demarcation work and colonial treaties signed between France and Siam in 1904 and 1907.
The defence ministry said that had Thailand adhered to the 2000 agreement, the incident would not have occurred. Spokesperson Mali Socheata also questioned the motives of the Thai military leadership, asking why they knowingly sent troops into areas known to contain leftover landmines from past conflicts, outside of the designated safe routes.
According to a report by The Nation newspaper, Thai forces uncovered eight anti-personnel mines in an area called Chong Bok, which Thailand claims lies within its territory. Thai Army Lieutenant General Boonsin Padklang stated that his forces were prepared to retaliate without waiting for government authorization, arguing that the recent explosion constituted a deliberate military provocation.
Thailand has also indicated it may bring the case to the United Nations, accusing Cambodia of violating the Ottawa Treaty, which bans the use of anti-personnel mines.
