Thailand Files Complaints Over Cambodian Landmine Violations
Thailand reports three separate violations of the Ottawa Convention by Cambodian forces, highlighting incidents of landmine use and aggression along the border.
Thailand has formally lodged complaints with the United Nations over three incidents of landmine use attributed to Cambodian forces, which occurred in July and August 2025 along the shared border.
These violations were reported in the Chong Bok and Chong An Ma areas of Ubon Ratchathani Province, and the Chong Don Ao–Krisana area of Kantharalak District in Si Sa Ket Province, resulting in serious injuries to eleven Thai soldiers.
The Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations Office in Geneva submitted three separate letters to the President-designate of the 22nd Meeting of the States Parties to the Ottawa Convention.
The first letter, dated July 23, 2025, reported that Cambodian forces had violated Article 1 of the Ottawa Convention in the Chong Bok area, where a PMN-2 landmine, a type held by Cambodia, was found.
Thailand requested the letter be circulated to all States Parties.
On July 24, Thailand submitted a second letter, reporting another landmine violation in the Chong An Ma area, located in Ubon Ratchathani Province.
The letter also accused Cambodia of committing an act of aggression that same day, involving armed attacks on Thai territory, breaching Thailand’s sovereignty and violating international law, including the UN Charter.
The third letter, sent on August 9, 2025, detailed a violation in the Chong Don Ao–Krisana area, an area previously cleared of mines.
The investigation suggested the landmine was newly planted.
This incident followed an Extraordinary General Border Committee meeting in Kuala Lumpur, where Thailand had proposed joint demining operations, a proposal which Cambodia declined.
In response, the Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations in New York wrote to the UN Secretary-General on July 24, 2025, requesting clarification from Cambodia under Article 8(2) of the Ottawa Convention.
This article allows States Parties to seek explanations on compliance, and Cambodia is expected to respond through the UN Secretary-General.
Thai diplomats in both Geneva and New York have also raised the matter with senior officials from the Ottawa Convention’s Committee on Cooperative Compliance, as well as relevant civil society groups, urging appropriate action.
The procedures are ongoing.
The Ottawa Convention, signed by 165 States Parties, prohibits the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of anti-personnel mines and mandates their destruction.
Thailand became the first Southeast Asian country to join the convention in 1999, completing the destruction of its stockpiled mines in 2003 and those retained for research and training in 2019.
Cambodia joined the convention in 2000 but continues to retain anti-personnel mines, including PMN-2 types, for research and training purposes.
These violations were reported in the Chong Bok and Chong An Ma areas of Ubon Ratchathani Province, and the Chong Don Ao–Krisana area of Kantharalak District in Si Sa Ket Province, resulting in serious injuries to eleven Thai soldiers.
The Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations Office in Geneva submitted three separate letters to the President-designate of the 22nd Meeting of the States Parties to the Ottawa Convention.
The first letter, dated July 23, 2025, reported that Cambodian forces had violated Article 1 of the Ottawa Convention in the Chong Bok area, where a PMN-2 landmine, a type held by Cambodia, was found.
Thailand requested the letter be circulated to all States Parties.
On July 24, Thailand submitted a second letter, reporting another landmine violation in the Chong An Ma area, located in Ubon Ratchathani Province.
The letter also accused Cambodia of committing an act of aggression that same day, involving armed attacks on Thai territory, breaching Thailand’s sovereignty and violating international law, including the UN Charter.
The third letter, sent on August 9, 2025, detailed a violation in the Chong Don Ao–Krisana area, an area previously cleared of mines.
The investigation suggested the landmine was newly planted.
This incident followed an Extraordinary General Border Committee meeting in Kuala Lumpur, where Thailand had proposed joint demining operations, a proposal which Cambodia declined.
In response, the Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations in New York wrote to the UN Secretary-General on July 24, 2025, requesting clarification from Cambodia under Article 8(2) of the Ottawa Convention.
This article allows States Parties to seek explanations on compliance, and Cambodia is expected to respond through the UN Secretary-General.
Thai diplomats in both Geneva and New York have also raised the matter with senior officials from the Ottawa Convention’s Committee on Cooperative Compliance, as well as relevant civil society groups, urging appropriate action.
The procedures are ongoing.
The Ottawa Convention, signed by 165 States Parties, prohibits the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of anti-personnel mines and mandates their destruction.
Thailand became the first Southeast Asian country to join the convention in 1999, completing the destruction of its stockpiled mines in 2003 and those retained for research and training in 2019.
Cambodia joined the convention in 2000 but continues to retain anti-personnel mines, including PMN-2 types, for research and training purposes.
