Thailand Threatens Action After Soldier Injured in Border Mine Blast

Thailand’s military issued a stern warning Tuesday, hinting at potential “self-defense” measures following a series of landmine incidents along its contested border with Cambodia. The latest incident saw a Thai sergeant severely injured after stepping on an anti-personnel landmine while patrolling near Ta Muen Thom temple in Thailand’s Surin province, an area long disputed by the two nations.

The explosion, which mangled the soldier’s left ankle, marks the fourth landmine incident in a month and the second since a fragile ceasefire took hold on July 29, 2025. That agreement aimed to halt five days of intense clashes over disputed territories, which left dozens dead, including civilians, and displaced over 260,000 people. The recurring incidents have heightened fears that the ceasefire could collapse, reigniting a decades-old border dispute.

Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree, Thai Army spokesperson, condemned the incident, alleging the landmine was “covertly planted by the Cambodian side.” He accused Cambodia of violating the 1997 Ottawa Convention, which bans anti-personnel landmines, and disregarding international humanitarian law. Both nations are signatories to the treaty, which prohibits the use, production, or stockpiling of such weapons. “Thailand has pursued peace consistently,” Winthai said, “but continuous losses due to ceasefire violations and sovereignty encroachments may force us to exercise our right to self-defense under international law.”

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The incident occurred roughly 1 kilometer from Ta Muen Thom, a 13th-century Khmer temple at the heart of territorial disputes. The area saw heavy fighting in July, with both nations claiming ownership. Similar incidents have compounded tensions: on Saturday, another Thai sergeant major lost his left foot, and two privates sustained minor injuries in a separate landmine explosion in a nearby disputed zone.

Cambodia swiftly rejected Thailand’s accusations. Lt Gen Maly Socheata, spokesperson for Cambodia’s Defence Ministry, called the claims “baseless, false, and deliberately misleading.” She emphasized Cambodia’s commitment to the Ottawa Convention, stating, “We have never used, produced, or deployed new landmines, and we fully honor our international obligations.” Ly Thuch, a senior Cambodian minister overseeing mine action, highlighted the country’s extensive demining efforts, noting that over 1 million mines and nearly 3 million pieces of unexploded ordnance from decades of conflict have been cleared since 1970, according to the Cambodian state news agency AKP.

The 800-kilometer Thailand-Cambodia border has long been a flashpoint. Tensions flared in May 2025 when a Cambodian soldier died in a skirmish, triggering a diplomatic fallout and stirring political unrest in Thailand. Historical disputes over sites like Ta Muen Thom and Preah Vihear temple have fueled intermittent clashes, often tied to domestic political pressures in both countries. The United Nations and regional bodies have urged de-escalation, but the recent incidents suggest a resolution remains elusive.

Analysts warn that the ceasefire’s fragility could lead to broader conflict if unaddressed. Thailand’s invocation of “self-defense” signals a potential escalation, while Cambodia’s firm denials underscore the deep mistrust between the neighbors. As both sides dig in, the border remains a tinderbox, with landmines—literal and diplomatic—threatening to unravel years of uneasy peace.

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