Royal Thai Army spokesperson Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree issued a public statement on Sunday (July 20), firmly rejecting claims by Cambodian Mine Action Authority (CMAA) Director-General Heng Ratana that Thai troops planted new landmines along the Thai-Cambodian border.
The Thai military stressed that the allegations are baseless and misleading, clarifying the following points:
- Type of Mines: The mines found in Chong Bok and nearby areas were identified as Russian-made PMN-2 anti-personnel mines, which have never been in the Royal Thai Army’s inventory, procured, or used in border operations.
- Misused Media Footage: Photos and videos aired by Cambodian outlet Fresh News, purportedly showing Thai soldiers planting mines, were actually from a Thai Humanitarian Mine Action Centre (T-MAC) training and demining operation. The Thai military called this a distortion that harms Thailand’s reputation.
- Ottawa Treaty Misinterpretation: Heng Ratana cited Article 5 of the Ottawa Treaty, but the Thai side argued that acknowledging the mines as inside Thai territory only proves illegal cross-border mine-laying by foreign actors.
- Contradictory Statements: On the same day, Cambodian Ministry of Defence spokesperson Lt Gen Malis Socheata stated via Facebook that a Thai soldier stepped on a mine inside Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province, contradicting Heng Ratana’s claims.
The Royal Thai Army reaffirmed its adherence to international humanitarian law, including the Ottawa Convention, and urged Cambodian authorities to stop spreading false information that could harm bilateral relations and mislead the international community.
