(Phnom Penh): In recent weeks, Thailand has irresponsibly accused Cambodia of laying new anti-personnel mines along the shared border — a baseless, provocative claim that not only insults international norms but also reveals Thailand’s long-standing pattern of unilateralism, historical distortion, and sovereign aggression.
Cambodia is a proud and committed member of the Ottawa Convention, leading efforts in Southeast Asia to remove deadly remnants of war. We have cleared hundreds of thousands of landmines planted during decades of civil conflict — not laid new ones. Cambodia has neither the interest nor the strategic need to deploy anti-personnel mines in any area, especially not in disputed or sensitive zones. The accusations by Thailand are not just false; they are fundamentally illogical.
A Familiar Pattern of Historical Abuse
Thailand continues to abuse colonial-era treaties — particularly the Franco-Siam Treaties of 1904 and 1907 — to assert control over lands that do not belong to it. This is the root of the border disputes between our two countries. Instead of honoring internationally recognized boundaries and working toward peaceful delimitation, Thailand has consistently relied on a unilateral map — rejected by legal precedent and common sense — to claim territory that falls within Cambodian sovereignty.
This manipulation of history is not new. It’s a tactic Thailand has used time and again to confuse the international community and justify its military posture. It’s time for Thailand to abandon the unilateral map and return to the path of international law — or face growing condemnation from those who value peace, truth, and sovereignty.
Military Provocation Disguised as Defense
The accusations regarding landmines are just the latest chapter in Thailand’s pattern of military provocation disguised as border defense. Thai Army Region 2 — notorious for aggressive border patrols — has frequently crossed into Cambodian territory, prompting defensive action by our troops. These incidents are not hearsay; they are documented by frontline footage, eyewitness accounts, and patrol records.
To accuse Cambodia of planting new mines in areas heavily patrolled by Thai forces, surveilled by drones, and surrounded by Thai military buildup is either stunningly naïve or deliberately deceitful. The logistics alone — laying mines in such a militarized zone — make Thailand’s claims laughable.
Moreover, if Thailand maintains that it never laid new mines in its own territory, how does it explain the recent injury of three Thai soldiers in an area known historically as part of Cambodia’s wartime conflict zone? That location, near Mom Bei, was a battlefield during Cambodia’s civil war — not an area under Thai control.
Provocation, Not Peace
Despite Thailand’s public claims of wanting peaceful resolution, its actions betray an agenda of escalation. Deploying troops, increasing air surveillance, and making false accusations are not acts of peace — they are provocations that risk confrontation.
Cambodia will not be provoked. We will not accept the distortion of truth. We will defend our land, our people, and our sovereignty. Thailand must stop distorting the facts to suit its narrative — the truth is clear and undeniable.
To the international community: Cambodia is ready to cooperate, to engage, and to build lasting peace based on mutual respect and historical truth. But we will not allow ourselves to be bullied or scapegoated.
Thailand’s dangerous games must end — before they lead us down a path no one wants to take.
Roth Santepheap is a geopolitical analyst based in Phnom Penh. The views expressed are his own.
=FRESH NEWS
