Three Thai Soldiers Injured by Landmine Near Cambodia Days After Ceasefire

 

Three Thai soldiers were injured on Saturday while patrolling a border area near Cambodia, just days after both countries agreed to a detailed ceasefire to end last month’s deadly conflict. The incident occurred between Thailand’s Sisaket province and Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province, with one soldier losing a foot after stepping on a landmine. According to the Thai army, the patrol took place inside Thai territory in an area that had been cleared of mines. The Thai foreign ministry announced plans to lodge a complaint against Cambodia, accusing it of violating a treaty banning landmines and infringing Thai sovereignty.

This latest incident marks the third time in recent weeks that Thai soldiers have been injured by mines along the border. The first two incidents escalated tensions, leading to five days of violent clashes in late July that killed at least 43 people and displaced over 300,000. The Ottawa Convention, which both nations signed, bans landmine use, but Bangkok previously accused Cambodia of planting new mines, a claim Phnom Penh denies. Cambodia maintains the soldiers may have triggered old mines from its war-torn past.

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The mine blast comes at a sensitive moment, with a ceasefire still in its early stages. On Thursday, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to allow ASEAN observers to inspect disputed border areas and help prevent further fighting. The arrangement followed the worst border clashes between the two countries in over a decade, marked by exchanges of artillery fire and jet sorties.

In this latest case, the Thai military said the landmine was in a zone cleared in previous demining efforts, suggesting a recent placement. Bangkok sees the incident as a breach of the Ottawa Convention and the ceasefire spirit. Cambodia’s defence ministry responded cautiously, saying it had yet to receive confirmation from frontline troops and stressed that its forces have been respecting the agreement.

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The dispute centres on overlapping claims near the ancient Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Previous flare-ups in the area have been fueled by national pride, strategic positioning, and long-standing mistrust. While both governments publicly commit to peace, repeated mine incidents risk reigniting conflict. Observers warn that unless both sides engage in joint demining and transparent patrol coordination, the fragile truce could collapse, threatening another wave of violence and displacement in the region.