In this handout photo from the Thai Army, a Thai military engineer on Aug. 4, 2025, removes an anti-personnel mine that Thai authorities allege was planted by Cambodian soldiers in Phu Ma Kheua, a disputed area that Thailand claims is part of its Sisaket province, where the two nations recently clashed. (Thai Army via AP)

 

The Royal Thai Army is hitting back after a Cambodian landmine exploded on Thai soil in Surin province. The incident happened on Tuesday morning, injuring one Thai soldier, and now there are calls for self-defence. Yes, you heard right; things are getting serious.

 

The explosion, reported at 9:10 am, occurred along a standard patrol route a kilometre from the Ta Muen Thom temple ruins. Seven paramilitary rangers were on duty when Sgt Theerapol Piakhanthee stepped on the device. The blast left him with severe injuries to his left ankle, landing him in Phanom Dong Rak Hospital.

 

The army spokesman, Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree, is not holding back. He claims this explosion is direct evidence of Cambodia violating international laws and the Ottawa Treaty, which bans such landmines. He accuses Cambodia of direct attacks on Thai forces within Thailand, saying these incidents showcase Cambodia's “ill intention” and continuous threats despite the ceasefire agreement.

 

Accusations of Cambodia's territorial integrity violations and the confirmation of the ceasefire pact during the recent General Border Committee meeting intensify the situation. Maj Gen Winthai alleges that these acts reveal Cambodia's intent to use concealed weapons to undermine the peace process between the two nations.

 

“It’s clear Cambodia is systematically using landmines against us,” Maj Gen Winthai asserted. He added that while the Thai Army has maintained a peaceful stance, ongoing aggressions might force them to defend themselves under international law. The aim is to confront the losses faced by Thai military personnel due to repeated violations of the ceasefire and Thai sovereignty.

 

Unfortunately, this isn't an isolated case. Since the onset of landmine explosions on July 16, these concealed threats have resulted in the loss of five Thai soldiers' legs on Thai soil. Thirteen soldiers have sustained injuries in the Surin, Si Sa Ket, and Ubon Ratchathani provinces, leading to increased tension between the neighbouring countries, according to the Bangkok Post.

 

For now, the Thai Army appears to be losing patience, and the demand for protective measures is becoming increasingly louder. Could this latest incident push the relationship between Thailand and Cambodia to a critical point? Only time will tell.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Bangkok Post 2025-08-13

 

Thailand should demand the location of all these landmines, better still, let them clear them..........they probably have no clue where they placed them

Is this on "thai soil" or land cambodia think belong to them ???

Send out a bundle of well trained Thai snipers, anyone caught planting landmines should be shot on sight, give no quarter. 

10 minutes ago, lordgrinz said:

Send out a bundle of well trained Thai snipers, anyone caught planting landmines should be shot on sight, give no quarter. 

Easier said than done. The parts I've seen here in south Surin province are heavily wooded with rugged terrain up & down. Snipers aren't going to help: The mines are already in place, buried over the last 5 or so weeks of actual combat operations. And the Cambodians don't know themselves where they've put them.  

 

Heavy-duty demining equipment including bulldozers is needed. And the border needs to be cleared & flattened as far as possible with clear no-man's-land in the middle ... A multi-year task I should think, with some areas likely impossible to fix. And requiring full cooperation on both sides, which appears unlikely.

 

My b/f informed me a few minutes ago that - just as all the family have been over 3 or 4 days resettling in to the family farm & village (Khok Salaeng) - there are now renewed threats and everyone may need to leave again. I suspect this is a reaction to yesterday's casualty, but the effects can continue and grow larger indefinitely. Fortunately, as I (re)discovered over the last 3 or 4 weeks, the family prefer sleeping on the floor than in ya achel beds.

Doesn't Thailand have any mine clearing tanks available? Seems sad that individuals should crawl along and hope they don't miss a mine.

 

37 minutes ago, Purdey said:

Doesn't Thailand have any mine clearing tanks available? Seems sad that individuals should crawl along and hope they don't miss a mine.

 

 

They don't fit on jungle trails.

1 hour ago, Olav Seglem said:

Is this on "thai soil" or land cambodia think belong to them ???

 It is on Cambodian soil which Siam thinks it owns!

 

1 hour ago, lordgrinz said:

Send out a bundle of well trained Thai snipers, anyone caught planting landmines should be shot on sight, give no quarter. 

 

Does this include Thai soldiers planting landmines?

1 hour ago, Olav Seglem said:

Is this on "thai soil" or land cambodia think belong to them ???

Doesn't really matter they should be removed,

1 hour ago, Purdey said:

Doesn't Thailand have any mine clearing tanks available? Seems sad that individuals should crawl along and hope they don't miss a mine.

 

Ah but a Chinese submarine will help!

1 hour ago, Olav Seglem said:

Is this on "thai soil" or land cambodia think belong to them ???

Yes that is the big Question Thailand says its Thai land and Cambodia will say that it is Theirs. 

Who  is going to be the referee again (ICJ) to say What is what and who's going to listen to the decision.

It seems that Thailand  wouldn't/didn't listen to the decision  last time when ICJ  made the decision  in Favor for Cambodia . 

 

in 2013, when the International Court of Justice (ICJ) reaffirmed its 1962 ruling, extending Cambodia's sovereignty to the surrounding area. 

I wonder if a long handled Kubota as used in many places in Thailand could be modified with flail chains (as in the picture of the flail tank) as it is more of a better size for jungle tracks and the steering arms move the operator away from the anti-personnel mines. Also it is self propelled.

 

Just a random thought.

Six to one half a dozen to the other. The accusations and counter accusations is becoming farcical.

9 minutes ago, digger70 said:

Yes that is the big Question Thailand says its Thai land and Cambodia will say that it is Theirs. 

Who  is going to be the referee again (ICJ) to say What is what and who's going to listen to the decision.

It seems that Thailand  wouldn't/didn't listen to the decision  last time when ICJ  made the decision  in Favor for Cambodia . 

 

in 2013, when the International Court of Justice (ICJ) reaffirmed its 1962 ruling, extending Cambodia's sovereignty to the surrounding area. 

Wrong. Thailand has accepted both ICJ verdicts, where the first one gave them the temple, and the second one the immediate area around it. Now, Cambodia is claiming a much larger area than what the ICJ awarded them.

17 minutes ago, Myran said:

Wrong. Thailand has accepted both ICJ verdicts, where the first one gave them the temple, and the second one the immediate area around it. Now, Cambodia is claiming a much larger area than what the ICJ awarded them.

 

18 minutes ago, Myran said:

Wrong. Thailand has accepted both ICJ verdicts, where the first one gave them the temple, and the second one the immediate area around it. Now, Cambodia is claiming a much larger area than what the ICJ awarded them.

So You Say.

 

Thailand does not accept the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). They have not accepted it since 1960. While Thailand is a member of the UN and bound by the UN Charter, they have consistently stated their preference for resolving border disputes with Cambodia through existing bilateral mechanisms, like the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC). 

Here's a more detailed explanation:

No acceptance of compulsory jurisdiction:

Thailand has explicitly stated that it does not accept the ICJ's compulsory jurisdiction, meaning they don't automatically recognize the court's authority to settle disputes with other nations. 

This mine incident occurred on 04 August 2025.

13 hours ago, webfact said:

“It’s clear Cambodia is systematically using landmines against us,” Maj Gen Winthai asserted

 

That isn't "clear" at all - not independently verified. I wouldn't be surprised if Thailand and Cambodia don't even agree upon whether this incident happened in Thailand or in Cambodia... what a mess!

2 hours ago, digger70 said:

 

So You Say.

 

Thailand does not accept the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). They have not accepted it since 1960. While Thailand is a member of the UN and bound by the UN Charter, they have consistently stated their preference for resolving border disputes with Cambodia through existing bilateral mechanisms, like the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC). 

Here's a more detailed explanation:

No acceptance of compulsory jurisdiction:

Thailand has explicitly stated that it does not accept the ICJ's compulsory jurisdiction, meaning they don't automatically recognize the court's authority to settle disputes with other nations. 

Exactly. You seem to be misinterpreting what you're quoting. "Cumpolsury jurisdiction" is something that a few countries in the world have voluntarily added to their constitutions, meaning they have to take cases like these to the ICJ. Thailand, and most other countries, have not added this to their constitutions, and therefore don't have to attend the ICJ, if they don't choose to do so voluntarily on a case-by-case basis.

 

On two occasions, however, Thailand has accepted going to the ICJ. As we know, the ICJ ruled in Cambodia's favor by first awarding them the temple and then the immediate area surrounding the temple (about 0,35 square kilometers, if I remember correctly). Thailand has accepted these verdicts (as they have to, since they agreed to go to the ICJ), and has withdrawn from the area that was awarded to Cambodia.

 

After this, they expressed that they don't recognize the ICJ's jurisdiction in further border issues, and that they will instead solve any border issues bilaterally with the relevant country, which is in their full right.

 

As I said, Cambodia is now claiming a much larger area than before (4,5 square kilometers), but Thailand is not willing to let the ICJ rule on the matter for a third time. That does not mean that Thailand has not accepted and respected the first two verdicts.

1 hour ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

This mine incident occurred on 04 August 2025.

There has been several. The last one was yesterday.

It is so difficult for Thailand and Cambodia to agree on what belongs to who. One reason is the lack of internationally accepted maps, the other that Thais and Cambodians don't agree on borders. The Khmer Empire ruled most of Thailand from the 9th to the 15th century while the Thai kingdom started displacing the Khmer Empire in the 14th century and eventually ruled all of Cambodia. All of this overlapping history has really confused both sides. 😟

It's as if the UK still claimed Calais and part of Great Britain. 

6 hours ago, PETERTHEEATER said:

This mine incident occurred on 04 August 2025.

No. It occurred yesterday morning (12 Aug). You're confusing the photo & date at the top of the OP with the content of the report.

27 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

No. It occurred yesterday morning (12 Aug). You're confusing the photo & date at the top of the OP with the content of the report.

You are correct, my error. 

Pretty F-ing Sad. Most of the world has outlawed mines. This is another act of war by the Cambodians. 

" Standard patrol routes" are not really a good idea in areas where you expect the enemy to place mines!

 

They are an invitation to mines, IEDs, snipers and ambushes.

13 hours ago, digger70 said:

Yes that is the big Question Thailand says its Thai land and Cambodia will say that it is Theirs. 

Who  is going to be the referee again (ICJ) to say What is what and who's going to listen to the decision.

It seems that Thailand  wouldn't/didn't listen to the decision  last time when ICJ  made the decision  in Favor for Cambodia . 

 

in 2013, when the International Court of Justice (ICJ) reaffirmed its 1962 ruling, extending Cambodia's sovereignty to the surrounding area. 

 

So, after 2 ICJ determinations in favour of Cambodia, Thailand cannot accept the rulings and thus resort to war. Again. 

Or is something else in play here?

 

 

 

Hang on a minute, Cambodia has ratified the Ottawa Convention to stop the use on anti personnel mines. Why is nothing being said about a ratified country planting anti personnel mines?

5 hours ago, Dan747 said:

Pretty F-ing Sad. Most of the world has outlawed mines. This is another act of war by the Cambodians. 

Cambodia has actually ratified the Ottawa convention.

 

A 1000% psyop.

 

The Big Boys don't want your Western axrse living and moving so freely in these SE Asian countries.

 

Same with flying, for the average schmuck that must also come to an end, hence al the fake crash stories and worker strikes.

 

Project Nail Your Axrse To The Floor 2030 in full demon mode.

 

Straight up.

 

 

16 hours ago, Purdey said:

Doesn't Thailand have any mine clearing tanks available? Seems sad that individuals should crawl along and hope they don't miss a mine.

 

simple version ,,,,    take any cambodian prisoners and let them blaze a trail thru the suspected area

28 minutes ago, Luuk Chaai said:

simple version ,,,,    take any cambodian prisoners and let them blaze a trail thru the suspected area

Umh, Third Geneva Convention.