Cambodia Rejects Thai Allegation of New Landmine Use, Citing Legacy Contamination

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (Aug. 27, 2025) — The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA) has firmly rejected allegations by the Royal Thai Army that Cambodia planted new landmines near the Ta Krabey Temple, calling the claims baseless and unsupported by credible evidence.

The statement follows a landmine incident on Aug. 27 in which a Thai soldier was severely injured in the border area. Thai officials accused Cambodia of violating the ceasefire agreement and the Ottawa Treaty by allegedly deploying undetectable plastic-cased mines.

CMAA expressed sympathy for the injured soldier but emphasized that Cambodia has maintained a zero-tolerance policy on anti-personnel mines since joining the Ottawa Convention in 2000. The authority reaffirmed that Cambodia has not used, produced, or deployed new landmines since the treaty entered into force.

The area near Ta Krabey Temple has long been contaminated by mines from past conflicts, including the civil war and Khmer Rouge era. CMAA noted that plastic-cased mines, which contain minimal metal and are difficult to detect, have been documented and routinely encountered by Cambodian demining teams for years.

“This unfortunate incident is far more plausibly the result of legacy contamination than any recent activity,” the statement said, urging continued humanitarian clearance and restraint from premature accusations.

CMAA called for calm and cooperation, inviting Thailand to share any evidence for independent verification. Both countries are signatories to the Ottawa Convention and share a responsibility to prevent new mine use and clear existing threats.

Cambodia has made significant achievements in mine action since the 1990s. Yet the Cambodia-Thailand border remains contaminated, especially in remote areas prioritized after villages and farmland. Warning signs have been placed in frontier areas, and maps are continuously updated.

Cambodia reiterated its commitment to peace, humanitarian demining, and bilateral coordination through mechanisms such as the Regional Border Committee. The government urged Thailand to strictly adhere to the ceasefire and refrain from troop movements during this sensitive period.