Thai soldiers hurt by landmine close to Cambodia during delicate truce
In a recent development, multiple landmine explosions have left several Thai soldiers injured near the Thai-Cambodia border, marking at least the fourth such incident in about a month. The Thai army has accused Cambodia of covertly planting the anti-personnel mines, alleging violations of ceasefire agreements and the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits such mines.
The soldiers, from Infantry Company 111, were conducting a security sweep to lay barbed wire in the Don Ao-Krissana border area when the explosion occurred around 10am. The incident has resulted in injuries to one soldier's left ankle, another's arm and back, and a concussion and ruptured eardrum for the third. However, no new information has been provided regarding the condition or treatment of the injured soldiers.
The Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority has issued a statement denying the laying of new mines. Cambodia's defence ministry has also stated that its army has been strictly respecting the spirit of the ceasefire. In a Saturday statement, the ministry clarified that it has not received clear confirmation from its frontline forces concerning the explosion.
The ongoing tension between the two countries has led to a surge in armed conflict, with exchanges of gunfire, shelling, rocket fire, and airstrikes causing casualties and displacement of over 130,000 people on the Thai side. Both sides accuse each other of violating territorial integrity, and fighting has involved artillery and air force operations, including Thai bombings of Cambodian infantry division command posts.
In an attempt to de-escalate the situation, Thailand's Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai has stated that details of the landmine explosion incident will be sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be raised under the Ottawa Convention. The issue of mine clearance will also be discussed at the upcoming Regional Border Committee meeting, according to Phumtham Wechayachai.
International attention has been drawn to the violence and instability in the region, with urgent meetings held by the UN Security Council to address the peace and security issues stemming from the clashes. The ongoing clashes complicate humanitarian mine clearance efforts, as evidenced by the Thai military's active involvement in mine detection and removal.
Despite the ongoing hostilities, Maly Socheata, Cambodia's spokesperson for its National Defence Ministry, reported that the situation along the frontline in Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey provinces remained calm and stable up until 6am, as reported by news site Khmer Times.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thai-troops-clear-mines-border-area-amid-heightened-tensions-with-cambodia-2021-08-10/ [2] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/11/thai-cambodia-border-tensions-escalate-as-shelling-reported [3] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58297580 [4] https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/thai-army-releases-images-deactivating-mines-near-thai-cambodia-border-2021-08-09/ [5] https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/thai-troops-clear-mines-near-thai-cambodian-border-amid-heightened-tensions
- The International community is paying close attention to the escalating tensions and violence along the Thai-Cambodian border, as the ongoing armed conflicts have resulted in hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians and frequent landmine explosions.
- The General News outlets are filled with reports of the unfolding military conflict, including details of the recent landmine explosion that injured several Thai soldiers, along with the political ramifications, such as the discussion of the issue at the Regional Border Committee meeting.
- In the realm of Health-and-Wellness, the injuries sustained by the soldiers have highlighted the urgency for medical-conditions care and treatment, as they have been suffering from injuries to their arm, back, ankle, and ruptured eardrums.
- Simultaneously, the Science community is focusing on the development of advanced mine detection technologies to support the efforts of dealing with war-and-conflicts-related hazards, while Politics continues to grapple with brokerage of peace agreements and maintaining territorial integrity between Thailand and Cambodia.
