Cambodia under fire once more for allegedly deploying land mines, resulting in the injury of three Thai soldiers near the shared border.
In a troubling development, a landmine incident involving Thai soldiers occurred on August 9, 2025, along the Thai-Cambodian border. This incident, which happened despite a ceasefire agreement extension between the two countries, raises concerns about the ongoing security challenges in the region.
The incident took place in Sisaket province, Thailand, and resulted in the injury of three Thai soldiers. The severity of their injuries affected their legs, backs, arms, and ears. This incident came shortly after agreements to prolong a ceasefire that had ended recent deadly clashes between Cambodia and Thailand along their border, revealing ongoing risks posed by hidden landmines.
The Thai army explicitly accused Cambodia of violating the Ottawa Convention by allowing landmines along the border. This treaty, also known as the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty, has been committed to by both Thailand and Cambodia. However, the Cambodian authority denied laying new landmines, emphasizing Cambodia's status as a signatory to the treaty and its extensive mine clearance efforts. To date, Cambodia has removed over 1 million landmines and nearly 3 million other pieces of unexploded ordnance.
The recent clashes escalated after a series of incidents in July 2025, including landmine injuries to Thai soldiers and armed confrontations near disputed temples such as Prasat Ta Muen Thom. Both sides blame each other for border incursions and violations of territorial integrity. These confrontations have caused diplomatic tension, border closures, and ambassador recalls between Cambodia and Thailand.
The landmine incident highlights a continuing security challenge at the Thai-Cambodian border, where ceasefires remain fragile due to unresolved territorial disputes and risks from legacy and possibly newly laid mines. This complicates adherence to the Ottawa Convention and peace efforts.
Thailand and Cambodia committed to a 13-point agreement on implementing their truce at a meeting in Malaysia on Thursday. However, the Thai army believes that the landmine explosion on Saturday constitutes a significant obstacle to the implementation of ceasefire measures and peaceful resolution of problems. The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority denies Thailand's allegation that Cambodia had laid new landmines.
This incident underscores the need for both countries to intensify their efforts in mine clearance and to resolve their territorial disputes peacefully to ensure the safety and security of their citizens and the region as a whole.
- The landmine incident, which occurred on August 9, 2025, in Sisaket province, Thailand, and involved Thai soldiers, highlights the ongoing risks posed by hidden landmines at the Thai-Cambodian border, a region known for its fragile ceasefires due to unresolved territorial disputes.
- The severity of the injuries sustained by the Thai soldiers in the landmine incident affected their legs, backs, arms, and ears, raising concerns about the need for both Thailand and Cambodia to intensify their efforts in mine clearance for the safety and security of their citizens and the region.
- The recent landmine incident between Thai and Cambodian soldiers, along with the escalation of clashes in July 2025 and incidents such as landmine injuries to Thai soldiers and armed confrontations near disputed temples, have caused diplomatic tension, border closures, and ambassador recalls between the two countries.
- The Thai army's allegations that Cambodia violated the Ottawa Convention by allowing landmines along the border have become a contentious issue in the health-and-wellness sector, politics, and general news, as both countries have committed to peaceful resolution and adherence to the treaty.
