Article in Cambodian media uses landmine incident to claim disputed territory

FRIDAY, JULY 18, 2025

The article states that landmines are a deadly legacy of Cambodia’s past. Thailand, having never experienced such internal conflict, has no such war remnants. This key distinction highlights that these mines could only exist on Cambodian territory, not Thailand’s.

In a recent article published by Khmer Times, Roth Santepheap, a geopolitical analyst based in Phnom Penh, criticises Thailand’s military actions following the injury of three Thai soldiers by a landmine near the Thai-Cambodian border.

The article, titled "Landmines and Lies: The Dangerous Cost of Thailand’s Military Provocation", states " The recent injury of three Thai soldiers by anti-personnel landmines near the Mom Bei border area, Cambodia and Thailand shared border, is not just a tragic incident—it is a stark warning about the real consequences of military confrontation and territorial aggression. While Thailand rushes to claim that the incident occurred on its own soil, the facts, the geography, and Thailand’s own contradictory statements point to a different truth—one that reinforces Cambodia’s sovereignty and exposes the dangers of reckless military behaviour in sensitive areas.

Landmines are a deadly legacy of Cambodia’s past. For decades, the Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC), with support from international partners, has worked tirelessly to clear these hidden threats left over from our civil war. 

Thailand, on the other hand, has never experienced internal armed conflict that would leave such remnants buried in its soil. This fundamental distinction matters. If these mines are remnants of past conflict, they could only exist on Cambodian territory—land that bears the scars of decades of war, not Thailand’s.

Article in Cambodian media uses landmine incident to claim disputed territory Article in Cambodian media uses landmine incident to claim disputed territory Article in Cambodian media uses landmine incident to claim disputed territory

But what makes this incident even more troubling is the Thai military’s own assertion: the landmine that detonated was not a leftover—it was a newly laid Russian-made PMN-2 anti-personnel mine, made of plastic and extremely difficult to detect. Several more were later discovered nearby. This raises a simple but unavoidable question: if Thailand insists this incident happened inside its own territory, is it admitting to laying these new mines? 

If not, the only logical explanation is that Thai soldiers crossed into Cambodian territory—an area still being cleared of mines from past conflict—where they had no legal or moral right to operate.

As Cambodia’s leading demining authority, CMAC has verified that the area in question is part of a known clearance zone. 

In response to the conflicting Thai accounts, CMAC Director-General Heng Ratana issued a direct and clear reminder: “If the incident occurred inside Thailand’s jurisdiction or control, then Thailand must know about it.” 

His statement cuts through the confusion and forces a hard question: how can a landmine be both a remnant of past conflict and a newly laid device? Thailand cannot have it both ways.

Either Thailand is illegally operating on Cambodian soil and triggering mines from a past it never lived through, or it is laying dangerous devices and blaming Cambodia—both scenarios are deeply alarming. At best, the Thai government is misinformed. At worst, it is spreading a narrative that masks aggression with victimhood.

Article in Cambodian media uses landmine incident to claim disputed territory

Cambodia does not seek conflict. We seek peace, cooperation, and stability. But peace must be grounded in respect—respect for international boundaries, for historical facts, and for neighborly integrity. Reckless patrols into disputed zones, disguised as “routine operations,” only endanger lives and push our region closer to confrontation.

This tragedy must be a wake-up call for Thai leadership. It is time to stop inflaming nationalist sentiment through ambiguous claims and confrontational posturing. If Thailand is truly committed to peace, it should allow for transparent verification of the incident, cooperate with Cambodia through diplomatic channels, and support regional efforts to avoid escalation.

If Thailand continues to deny Cambodia’s sovereignty while escalating military manoeuvres in sensitive areas, it not only threatens bilateral relations, it undermines ASEAN’s spirit of peaceful resolution. Cambodia urges all parties, especially regional partners, to remain vigilant against misinformation and support fact-based dialogue to prevent further loss of life.

Cambodia will continue to defend its land, its people, and its truth—with calm resolve, national unity, and an unwavering commitment to peace."