Thai navy seizes Cambodian landmine instruction manuals, proves mine use

The Thai Navy is accusing Cambodia of a gross violation of the Ottawa Convention banning the use of anti-personnel landmines, following the capture of a large cache of heavy weapons and landmine instruction materials, said Rear Admiral Parach Rattanachaipan, the Navy spokesman.

The seized weapons included 16 anti-tank landmines and PMN-2 anti-personnel landmines, PF-89 anti-tank rockets, RPGs, Type 65 82mm recoilless gun rounds, FPV sacrificial drones, and 66mm mortar rounds.

Of particular interest was a handwritten notepad containing training instructions for the use of landmines at Ban Sam Lang base in the eastern province of Trat.

The contents of the notepad provide clear evidence that Cambodian forces continue to use landmines on a systematic basis, with total disregard for international human rights law and the 1997 Ottawa Convention.