A new report suggests that the landmines reigniting the border conflict between Cambodia and Thailand may be newly planted. Both governments deny direct responsibility as international pressure mounts.
A fresh landmine incident along the border between Cambodia and Thailand has sparked a new wave of diplomatic friction between the two Southeast Asian neighbors. Independent experts believe the mines were recently laid, contradicting official claims that they are remnants from past conflicts.
The Thai army accuses Cambodia of recently deploying them on shared borderlands, saying at least six Thai soldiers have been maimed since July. Phnom Penh denies the allegations, insisting the blasts stem from decades-old explosives left over from its brutal civil war.
Controversy carries extra weight given Cambodia’s long-standing leadership in global mine-clearing efforts. Since 1993, it has spent over $1 billion—with international support—on demining operations and victim assistance programs.
Yeshua Moser-Puangsuwan of Landmine Monitor warned that verified evidence of new mine use by Cambodia would mark “a major setback after decades of public and humanitarian commitment.”
Dispute comes amid a global shift: some European nations facing Russian aggression are reconsidering their adherence to the Ottawa Convention banning landmines—an accord never signed by the U.S., Russia, or China.
Thai military shared photos and videos showing PMN-2 mines recovered after the July 16 blast, which they claim were “newly manufactured, with visible markings.
Reuters reviewed metadata confirming the timing of the operations but not their location. Four independent analysts concluded the mines appeared recently laid, though none could determine who placed them.
Cambodia’s Mine Action Authority (CMAA) called for an impartial investigation, saying that “environmental factors can make long-buried objects appear relatively new.” The government insists it holds no active stockpiles of antipersonnel mines.
Bangkok maintains that it has never used PMN-2s, given its limited access to Soviet munitions. With tensions simmering, both Thailand and Cambodia face mounting international calls for transparency and third-party verification.
Russia’s Defense Ministry, previously stating that it ended PMN-2 production in the late 1990s, declined to comment on the issue.
