Thailand to protest to UN about Cambodia’s alleged planting of landmines

Thailand plans to submit a protest note to the United Nations, accusing Cambodia of violating the Ottawa Convention by planting anti-personnel landmines along the un-demarcated Thai-Cambodian border at Chong Bok pass, in Nam Yuen district of Ubon Ratchathani province.

Three Thai soldiers were injured, one had a leg amputated, after one of them stepped on a landmine at Chong Bok pass on Wednesday. The mines are believed to have been laid recently by Cambodian troops.

Deputy Defence Minister General Nattaphon Nakpanich, in his capacity as director of the Thai-Cambodian Border Situation Task Force Centre, has scheduled a meeting on Sunday with senior army officers and representatives of the Foreign Ministry to discuss the submission of the protest note.

An informed defence source said that Thailand must have solid proof that the landmines were recently laid by the Cambodians, before proceeding with the submission. An official announcement is expected from the centre on Monday.

Meanwhile, it is reported that Thai demining units have been sent to Chong Bok to defuse and destroy landmines which may still be in the area.

Informed military sources say that about 80% of the landmines retrieved in the Chong Bok area, by demining units of the Second Army Region, are new and recently laid, not old ones as claimed by the Cambodians.

The Second Army Region have reported that the anti-personnel landmines being found are Russian-made PMN-2 mines. It also said that the area where the three Thai soldiers were injured had been clear of landmines for a long time prior to the recent incident.