Three Thai soldiers were injured on Saturday after one tripped a landmine in territory along its frontier with Cambodia, Thailand’s army has said as it accused the neighbouring country of planting concealed weapons in violation of international law.
The incident, in which a Thai sergeant major suffered severe injuries, came two days after the countries reasserted their commitment to a ceasefire that ended a brief but intense period of fighting. Cambodia denies the accusation.
The army’s statement said the incident took place in Thailand’s Sisaket province and “clearly demonstrates to both domestic and international society that the use of concealed weapons in border areas continues to exist, constituting a clear violation of the Ottawa Convention by the Cambodian side”.
The Ottawa Convention is an international treaty banning the use of landmines, signed by 164 countries, including Cambodia and Thailand.
The incident on Saturday risks enflaming tensions, which remain high despite the fragile truce agreed on 29 July to end the armed conflict.
Five days of fighting broke out last month after five Thai soldiers were wounded when one stepped on a mine in disputed territory. The clashes, which killed at least 43 people on either side of the border and displaced more than 260,000, amounted to the worst fighting between the neighbouring countries in more than a decade.
Since the truce was agreed, both sides have accused the other of breaching it. Relations remain rocky while anger is being stirred online by a mix of disinformation, threats and nationalism.
Two days after the two sides met in Malaysia to sign a 13-point agreement on implementing their ceasefire, the Thai army’s statement said that Saturday’s incident constituted “a significant obstacle to the implementation of ceasefire measures and peaceful resolution of problems”.
Cambodia strongly denies laying new concealed weapons. “We have not, and will not, plant new landmines,” the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority said in a statement.
It said Cambodia had cleared more than 1m mines and nearly 3m other unexploded weapons dating back to a period of war and civil unrest that began in 1970 and lasted more than three decades.
The Thai sergeant major lost his left foot in Saturday’s incident, according to the Thai army statement, while two privates suffered less serious injuries.
Associated Press contributed to this report
