BANGKOK — A Thai soldier lost his leg to a landmine explosion Monday morning, marking the fifth such incident since the Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire began, triggering Thailand’s strongest diplomatic response yet and military warnings of potential self-defense action.
Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued its harshest condemnation to date, calling Cambodia’s alleged mine use “insincere conduct” and “an outright breach of international law.” The ministry announced it is lodging formal protests with Cambodia, the Ottawa Convention President, and the UN Secretary-General.
“This incident when taken together with the previous landmine incident on 9 August 2025 reflects Cambodia’s lack of good faith and contravenes the ceasefire agreement,” Thailand’s foreign ministry stated, calling on international donors to reconsider mine clearance assistance to Cambodia.
Thailand warned it may take “other measures of protest as deemed appropriate” and requested ASEAN’s interim observer team investigate the matter during future field visits to ensure border area safety.
Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defense swiftly rejected the accusations. Spokesperson Maly Socheata “firmly rejected” Thailand’s claims as lacking “clear and founded evidence,” reiterating that “Cambodia has not, and will not, plant new landmines” and emphasizing Cambodia’s status as “a proud member of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention.”
Fifth Soldier Wounded in Routine Patrol
Major General Winthai Suvaree, Army spokesperson, told reporters that Sergeant Major Theerapol Piakhan from the 2610th Ranger Company was conducting a routine border patrol with six other soldiers when he stepped on an anti-personnel mine approximately one kilometer from Ta Muen Thom temple in Surin Province at 9:10 a.m. on August 12.
“The soldier sustained severe injuries to his left ankle and is currently receiving treatment at Phanom Dong Rak Hospital. His condition is stable and he is out of danger,” Major General Winthai announced during a press briefing.
According to Royal Thai Army data, Thai soldiers have stepped on newly planted Cambodian landmines resulting in leg amputations in 5 incidents:
- July 16: Hill 481, Chong Bok, Ubon Ratchathani – 1 soldier
- July 23: Chong Anma, Ubon Ratchathani – 1 soldier
- July 28: Prasat Ta Kway, Surin – 1 soldier
- August 9: Don Ao-Kritsana area, Si Sa Ket – 1 soldier
- August 12: Prasat Ta Muen Thom, Surin – 1 soldier
Military Warns of Self-Defense Response
The army spokesperson characterized the incident as “clear evidence that Cambodia has violated the ceasefire agreement and disrespected international humanitarian law, particularly the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits the use and deployment of anti-personnel landmines of all types.”
“This represents a direct assassination attempt targeting Thai personnel occurring within Thai territory,” he emphasized, noting this was the fourth time Thai soldiers have lost limbs to what Thailand maintains are newly planted Cambodian mines, not remnants from past conflicts.
Major General Winthai stressed that similar incidents reflect “Cambodia’s malicious intent and continuous behavior in threatening Thailand and violating Thai territorial integrity, contrary to the ceasefire agreement reached during previous GBC meetings.”
The army official pointed to Cambodia’s refusal to accept Thai proposals regarding landmines during previous General Border Committee meetings as evidence of systematic planning. “We believe this landmine issue involves systematic planning intended to threaten and harm Thailand,” he stated.
Major General Winthai concluded with a stern warning that while the Royal Thai Army has “consistently adhered to peaceful approaches and has not been the initiating party, if circumstances force us, we may need to exercise self-defense rights under international law to resolve situations causing continuous Thai personnel losses from Cambodia’s ceasefire violations and sovereignty encroachments.”
Historical Context and Competing Claims
The latest incident reignites long-standing disputes over landmine responsibility along the contested border. Cambodia has consistently denied deploying new mines, instead pointing to its extensive mine clearance record.
The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority has previously stated: “We have not, and will not, plant new land mines,” noting Cambodia’s commitment to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty and “internationally recognized record of removing, not deploying, these indiscriminate weapons.”
Cambodia has cleared over one million mines and nearly three million pieces of unexploded ordnance from more than three decades of war and civil unrest beginning in 1970. Cambodian officials have suggested that explosions might involve mines from past conflicts rather than new deployments.
Thailand continues pressing international bodies that Cambodia violates the Ottawa Convention, to which both nations are signatories, while Cambodia maintains its innocence in the escalating border mine crisis that threatens the fragile ceasefire agreement.
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