(Phnom Penh): Along the long-scarred frontier where decades of past wars have left silent marks beneath the soil, buried landmines continue to pose an unending threat to human life. Yet, at a moment when the border area remains extremely sensitive—and risks slipping back into tension—a unilateral accusation from Thailand’s Foreign Minister has emerged as a new disruptive noise. It is not the blast of a landmine, but the detonation of political rhetoric aimed at undermining Cambodia’s reputation.

A statement delivered in less than a minute was rapidly amplified by international media, shaking the fragile trust needed for professional mine-action work, humanitarian cooperation, and joint fact-finding efforts rooted in evidence.

The remarks by the Thai Foreign Minister in Nikkei Asia—claiming that “Cambodia has laid new landmines along the border”—are not a technical issue but a political construction made amid a period of diplomatic tension.

It is an accusation with no evidence, no joint investigation, and no forensic analysis that could support such a claim. Increasingly, the allegation appears to be a strategy of diverting attention and reversing the victim–perpetrator narrative at a time when Thailand’s own conduct along the border is under close scrutiny by ASEAN and the United States.

*An Evidence-Free Accusation

In his interview with Nikkei Asia, Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak claimed that Cambodia had “laid new landmines along the border.”

However, he offered no indication of: what type of landmine was allegedly used, where it was planted, where it exploded, or how such a conclusion was reached.

Such a statement—devoid of technical evidence or clearly established events—is not grounded in science or mine-action expertise. Instead, it constitutes a breach of diplomatic professionalism. An allegation of “new landmines” requires, at minimum, the following:

Soil disturbance analysis,
Forensic testing of fragments,
Serial number identification,
Chemical aging analysis of plastic components,

A joint investigation involving Cambodia and independent bodies such as UNMAS or the ASEAN AOT mechanism.

None of these essential criteria were present. Nikkei Asia merely reported a political statement, not verified evidence.

Cambodia—an Ottawa Convention State Party for nearly 30 years—has never been cited in any international report for re-using or laying new antipersonnel mines. As the Cambodian Mine Action Authority reaffirmed on 3 December 2025: “For more than 30 years, Cambodia has not used landmines. The Royal Cambodian Armed Forces strictly follow government directives and international obligations. Cambodia upholds transparency, cooperation, and has strengthened its humanitarian mine-action efforts as evidence of its strong commitment to the Ottawa Convention.”

*War Legacy, Not New Mines

The Cambodian Mine Action Authority further clarified: “Landmines found along the border are remnants of wars involving multiple actors from the 1970s to the 1990s—not newly laid mines.”

Mine-clearance experts have long noted that natural forces—heavy rain, soil erosion, landslides, and seasonal flooding—can cause old mines to shift from their original positions, resurfacing in new locations and appearing misleadingly ‘new.’

Such incidents have repeatedly occurred across Cambodia, in areas previously considered low-risk or mine-free.

Both Landmine Monitor and UNMAS have documented these phenomena multiple times along the Cambodia–Thailand border, noting that environmental factors frequently cause the displacement of long-buried mines.

Conclusion

The statement by Thailand’s Foreign Minister, as published in Nikkei Asia, is not grounded in fact or technical mine-action evidence. It is a political narrative crafted amid heightened border tensions and lacks any independent verification.

Such accusations not only undermine Thailand’s own credibility but also violate the humanitarian spirit of the Ottawa Convention—a treaty to which both countries are State Parties.

At a time when the border requires calm, professionalism, and humanitarian cooperation, Thailand has repeatedly used natural mine-explosion incidents in conflict areas as a political tool to discredit Cambodia’s decades-long mine-action achievements and tarnish the reputation of a country firmly committed to the Ottawa Convention.

Cambodia calls for evaluations that are professional, impartial, and evidence-based—not politically motivated unilateral allegations. Phnom Penh urges all concerned parties and State Parties to the Ottawa Convention to support joint technical investigations, involving neutral actors and existing mechanisms, to prevent the misuse of landmine issues as a political weapon that could undermine the treaty’s overall integrity.

Cambodia reaffirms its strong commitment to peace, border stability, and full respect for its obligations under the Ottawa Convention.