Cambodia denies laying landmines, asserts Hun Sen–Hun Manet stand for peace

Cambodia submitted an official note on Friday (18 July) to the Thai authorities to express its rejection of certain Thai media reports regarding the incident in which three Thai soldiers were reportedly injured by landmines in the Mom Bei (Chong Bok) area.

The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) stated that several Thai media outlets, citing unnamed high-ranking Thai officials, reported that three Thai soldiers were injured by a landmine on July 16, 2025, at coordinates WA 220861 (confirmed by the Thai side), located in the Mom Bei (Chong Bok) area. The dissemination of such information, the CMAA said, appeared to be accusatory, baseless, and lacked proper verification, particularly in the suggestion that Cambodia had planted new landmines.

The CMAA provided the following clarifications:

1. Cambodia categorically denies and firmly rejects all allegations suggesting that it has laid new landmines, as claimed in recent media reports.

2. Cambodia itself has suffered severely from the devastating impact of landmines and explosive remnants of war. For this reason, Cambodia strongly condemns and opposes the use, production, and stockpiling of landmines. The country also expresses its deep sorrow over the tragedies caused by landmines and explosive remnants of war, regardless of where or to whom they occur.

3. Under the visionary leadership of former Prime Minister Hun Sen and current Prime Minister Hun Manet, Cambodia remains steadfast in upholding peace as the highest value and is fully committed to contributing to a global vision of a mine-free world. The goal is to ensure that future generations can live safely, in dignity, and free from the threat of landmines and remnants of war.

4. Cambodia is a State Party to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction (Ottawa Convention) and has strictly adhered to its obligations, including the norms and spirit of the Convention. Cambodia has been widely recognised and highly regarded by other State Parties as one of the most committed and successful countries in clearing and destroying anti-personnel mines, both existing and newly discovered. Moreover, Cambodia has taken a leading role in the international mine action community by chairing and hosting the 11th Meeting of States Parties and the Fifth Review Conference of the Ottawa Convention in 2024—known as the Siem Reap–Angkor Summit on a Mine-Free World—both of which were successfully concluded.

5. Regarding the incident involving injured Thai soldiers, Cambodia reaffirms its commitment to transparency, accountability, and respect for international obligations. In this context, Cambodia expects that any assumptions or accusations concerning the incident must be based on a clear investigation, sufficient evidence, and verifiable facts. Speculation and baseless allegations must be avoided. Cambodia remains firmly committed to humanitarian principles and mutual respect. At the same time, the Kingdom continues to honour the 2000 Memorandum of Understanding on Cambodian-Thai Border Cooperation and upholds its principle of transforming the border area into one of peace, friendship, cooperation, and development.

6. The CMAA strongly denies and rejects all accusations made by certain Thai media outlets and urges all parties to refrain from making assumptions or allegations in the absence of verified facts. Instead, Cambodia calls for cooperation in investigating the incident and preserving the spirit of friendship, safety, and non-accusation. As previously stated, the true enemy we all face is the landmine.