Thai Foreign Ministry Has Yet To Protest Cambodia Regarding Border Landmines

[webfact]

Foreign Ministry has yet to protest Cambodia regarding border landmines
By Digital Media

BANGKOK, Mar 9 – The Foreign Ministry is checking for more information before lodging a protest against Cambodia for allegedly planting landmines along their common border with Surin province in Thailand’s Northeast, an official said.

Suranaree Task Force rangers were wounded after stepping on the landmines in Chong Kana, Panom Dongrak district, Surin, near marker km.21 on the Thai-Cambodian border.

Information Department director general Manasvi Srisodapol said the Foreign Ministry was coordinating with the Thailand Mine Action Centre (TMAC) to determine if any action will be taken against Cambodia.

The TMAC works closely with Cambodia on the issue of landmines along the border of the two countries.

Army Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha earlier affirmed that the landmines were not planted by Thai forces.

He said the 2nd Army Region Command would protest to Cambodia about the use of landmines. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-03-09

[Thai at Heart]

How does a Thai soldier stop on a new Cambodian mine unless, the Cambodians put it in Thailand, or they were in Cambodia?

[janderton]

Cambodia denies planting landmines

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2013/03/08/Cambodia-denies-planting-landmines/UPI-59371362766593/

Edited March 9, 2013 by janderton

[OzMick]

How does a Thai soldier stop on a new Cambodian mine unless, the Cambodians put it in Thailand, or they were in Cambodia?

Or it is an area where the border is certainly unmarked and possibly disputed.?The planting of landmines without accurate mapping, accounting and warning to those who could stumble into the area is reckless indifference if not criminal.

[Mudcrab]

How does a Thai soldier stop on a new Cambodian mine unless, the Cambodians put it in Thailand, or they were in Cambodia?

Or it is an area where the border is certainly unmarked and possibly disputed.?The planting of landmines without accurate mapping, accounting and warning to those who could stumble into the area is reckless indifference if not criminal.

IMHO it is an act of war

[rubl]

Landmines, ugly mindless killing devices.

Cambodia signed on to the Mine Ban Treaty, coming into force in 2000, stockpile is destroyed, clearance deadline 2020-01-01

Thailand signed on to the Mine Ban Treaty, coming into force 1999, stockpile is destroyed, clearance deadline 2018-11-01

Obviously neither country is able to plant new mines

http://www.icbl.org/index.php/icbl/Treaty/MBT/Treaty-Text-in-Many-Languages/English

http://www.icbl.org/index.php/icbl/Universal/MBT/States-Parties

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottawa_Treaty

Edited March 9, 2013 by rubl

[Thai at Heart]

How does a Thai soldier stop on a new Cambodian mine unless, the Cambodians put it in Thailand, or they were in Cambodia?

Or it is an area where the border is certainly unmarked and possibly disputed.?The planting of landmines without accurate mapping, accounting and warning to those who could stumble into the area is reckless indifference if not criminal.

near marker km.21 on the Thai-Cambodian border.

It's marked in some way

[Locationthailand]

PTP is waiting for the words from Dubai. No guesses there so they don't piss off Hun Sen.

Landmines kill more people post conflict than during and documented as such. I had a close association with Asia Landmine Solutions for a year and saw some horrific consequences. People who use landmines need to have a few surprises planted in their own backyards, blindfold them, turn them three times and tell them to go find the front door of their house, to safety. Try justify that to the little kid who goes to play under the shade of a tree which was not even more than a seed 30 years ago in a conflict area - they see a round object or a spike and pick at it. They lose hands, and arms as well as feet, if not their little lives. And then the village will not venture to the nearby well in fear. No matter who planted these, just get in now and clear them or call ALS back (from the UK) to do it. They have worked globally since 1967 and to my knowledge have never lost a worker because they know what they are doing.

[Ian Curtis]

The report I read in the BP a couple of days ago went something like; The Thai army BELIEVED that Cambodian soldiers had planted the mines. Such a statement leads me to believe that they don't really know. Apparently, Thailand doesn't have that type of landmine - again according to the same article? The report went on to say that the landmines were 1m inside the Thai border - 1m ?

So, according to the BPs version I can see why Thailand hasn't yet approached anyone because they don't really know - maybe?

[geriatrickid]

It would help if we knew if the area had been previously cleared of mines. One of the unfortunate legacies of the khmer rouge and Cambodian war period is that there are tens of thousands of mines sitting around that no one knows about. It is the gift that will keep on giving for several more generations.

[rubl]

It would help if we knew if the area had been previously cleared of mines. One of the unfortunate legacies of the khmer rouge and Cambodian war period is that there are tens of thousands of mines sitting around that no one knows about. It is the gift that will keep on giving for several more generations.

I must admit that the 'clean up finished' dates I quoted before seem a bit optimistics. Inhabited parts of Cambodia are still being cleared. Parts of the border on both sides still has dense jungle. Slightly lower on the list of places to clear.

[OzMick]

How does a Thai soldier stop on a new Cambodian mine unless, the Cambodians put it in Thailand, or they were in Cambodia?

Or it is an area where the border is certainly unmarked and possibly disputed.?The planting of landmines without accurate mapping, accounting and warning to those who could stumble into the area is reckless indifference if not criminal.

near marker km.21 on the Thai-Cambodian border.

It's marked in some way

Not familiar with the area, nor do I have any wish to be, but may I suggest that if the border is marked by a concrete post every km then it is "not clearly defined" rather than "unmarked". I would like to amend the previous post to correct that error.

[Teerak2]

Landmines...what's wrong with people?