Bangkok: The Royal Thai Army has firmly denied allegations by Cambodia that it planted landmines along the Thai-Cambodian border, insisting the mines are not Thai property and accusing Cambodia of distorting facts.
According to Thai News Agency, Major General Winthai Suvari, spokesman for the Royal Thai Army, addressed the accusations made by Mr. Hang Ratana, Director of the Cambodian National Mine Action Agency. Mr. Ratana had claimed that the Thai military was responsible for planting new mines along the border, supported by photographs and video evidence. Major General Suvari refuted these claims, explaining that the mines discovered are PMN-2 anti-personnel bombs, produced in Russia, which the Thai military does not possess or use.
The Thai Army also challenged the credibility of the evidence presented by Cambodian media outlet Fresh News, stating that the images and videos purportedly showing Thai soldiers planting bombs were taken during a clearance training exercise by the Humanitarian Mine Action Center (T-MAC). The Army contended that these visual materials were misrepresented to distort facts and harm Thailand’s reputation.
Major General Suvari further addressed Mr. Ratana’s reference to Article 5 of the Ottawa Treaty, which assigns responsibility for mines to the sovereign state over the territory. He argued that this assertion inadvertently acknowledged Thai sovereignty over the area and indicated illegal crossings by Cambodian forces.
Adding to the controversy, Lieutenant General Malee Socheata, spokesperson for the Cambodian Ministry of Defense, issued a conflicting statement on the Ministry’s Facebook page, reporting that Thai soldiers had stepped on a landmine in a Cambodian province. This discrepancy, according to the Thai Army, underscores the inconsistencies in the Cambodian narrative.
The Royal Thai Army reiterated its commitment to international humanitarian law and urged Cambodia to cease spreading misinformation that could harm bilateral relations and lead to international misunderstandings.