Thailand claims Cambodia planted land mines, escalating dispute
Three Thai soldiers were injured when they stepped on a land mine during a routine patrol along an established route within Thai territory on Jul 16, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement late on Sunday (Jul 30). The mines were not of a type used by Thailand and were recently laid in a 'blatant violation of international law,' it said.
'The Royal Thai government condemns in the strongest terms the use of anti-personnel mines,' the ministry said, adding that it planned to take action against Cambodia under the United Nations' Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention as a state party while pursuing bilateral channels to resolve the ongoing dispute. 'Thailand calls on Cambodia to cooperate on humanitarian demining efforts along the border of the two countries as bilaterally agreed by both Prime Ministers.'
A spokesperson for the Cambodian government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The border dispute between the two countries has blown up into a major point of contention, especially since a May 28 exchange of gunfire which killed a Cambodian soldier. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra subsequently sought to calm tensions in a call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, but the conversation was leaked, triggering an uproar at home and the Thai leader's suspension as premier by a court.
The foreign ministry's statement on the mines represents some of its strongest language towards Cambodia since the Constitutional Court suspended Paetongtarn pending an ethics probe into her handling of the dispute.
The mines were found in Chong Bok, site of the May exchange of fire. Thai officials said that incident occurred because Cambodian soldiers were digging a trench in the border area and opened fire on Thai soldiers, while Cambodia said its troops have long been stationed there and blamed the Thai side for shooting first.
Both countries have a history of clashes over land disputes but have largely maintained cordial relations since a deadly conflict in 2011 left dozens dead. But since May, both sides have massed troops along the frontier and limited land crossings that act as vital trade links.
Cambodia has said it wants the International Court of Justice in the Hague to help settle the disputed status of Chong Bok and three other disputed border areas. Thailand does not recognise the court's jurisdiction. BLOOMBERG
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
9 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Thai, Cambodian leaders set for peace talks nudged by Trump
Earlier on July 27, Cambodia and Thailand each said the other had launched artillery attacks across contested border areas. Thai and Cambodian leaders are set for talks on July 28 to halt the deadliest clash between the neighbors in more than a decade, with the US sending mediators after President Donald Trump used tariffs threats to press for a ceasefire. Thailand's Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet are scheduled to meet in Kuala Lumpur at 3pm local time , according to Thai government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub. The gathering will be at the office of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who's facilitating the dialogue in his role as the chair of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean). The first talks since clashes began on July 24 come within 48 hours of Mr Trump saying Thai and Cambodian leaders had agreed to 'quickly work out a ceasefire.' After separate calls with Mr Phumtham and Mr Hun Manet on July 26, Mr Trump had threatened that Washington will not do a trade deal with either country as long as the fighting continued. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said US officials are on the ground in Malaysia . China, the top trading partner for both the South-east Asian nations and a major backer of Phnom Penh, is due to participate in the talks, officials from Cambodia said. 'Both President Trump and I remain engaged with our respective counterparts for each country and are monitoring the situation very closely,' Mr Rubio said in a statement. 'We want this conflict to end as soon as possible.' Mr Trump's tariff threat set off a flurry of diplomatic activities on July 27 with Mr Anwar eventually getting the two sides to agree to meet. Mr Rubio also spoke to the foreign ministers of Thailand and Cambodia and urged them to immediately de-escalate tensions while offering US help in future talks. Speaking to reporters just before meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on July 27, Mr Trump acknowledged the phone calls with the two leaders. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Not feasible for S'pore to avoid net‑zero; all options to cut energy emissions on table: Tan See Leng Singapore With regional interest in nuclear energy rising, S'pore must build capabilities too: Tan See Leng Singapore New Mandai North Crematorium, ash-scattering garden to open on Aug 15 Singapore Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole did not happen overnight: Experts Singapore Sewage shaft failure linked to sinkhole; PUB calling safety time-out on similar works islandwide Singapore Science Journals: Lessons from weird fish sold in Singapore's wet markets World US and EU clinch deal with broad 15% tariffs on EU goods to avert trade war Asia Displaced villagers at Thai-Cambodian border hope to go home as leaders set to meet for talks 'I called the prime ministers of each and I said, 'We're not going to make a trade deal unless you settle the war.' A lot of people killed,' Mr Trump said. 'And I think by the time I got off, I think they want to settle now.' With Mr Trump's Aug 1 tariff deadline looming, trade-reliant Thailand wants to avoid antagonising the US president, especially as its officials have been holding talks to lower the steep 36 per cent planned levy on its exports. Mr Trump has claimed credit for helping halt border clashes earlier this year between India and Pakistan by leveraging trade measures, and is now applying similar pressure in South-east Asia. 'When all is done, and Peace is at hand, I look forward to concluding our Trading Agreements with both!,' Mr Trump said on Truth Social after speaking to Thai and Cambodian leaders on July 26. Thailand's trade talks with the US have included offering expanded access for American goods in an effort to narrow a US$46 billion trade surplus with Washington. Neighboring Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam have already secured trade deals with the US in recent weeks. Thailand and Cambodia should not have needed the pressure from Mr Trump, and should have turned to Asean as a natural middle ground to mediate the conflict well before US intervention, said Mr Fuadi Pitsuwan, a lecturer in international relations at Thammasat University in Bangkok. 'In the end, Trump will likely frame the situation as a win: he enforced a ceasefire while securing leverage' to impose punitive tariff rates, he said. Despite the economic stakes, Thailand has taken a firm stance ahead of talks on July 28. Officials say any ceasefire must be tied to bilateral resolution of the dispute, the withdrawal of troops, and a halt to the use of lethal weapons. Cambodia, by contrast, has said it is open to an unconditional cessation of hostilities. The talks are 'intended to listen to all proposals that could contribute to restoring peace,' Mr Houngsub said. 'The Thai government remains committed to defending the nation's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Every square inch of it.' The conflict, which escalated from months of simmering border tension, has killed more than 30 people and displaced over 150,000 civilians on both sides. Thailand has reported 22 fatalities, including eight soldiers, while Cambodia has confirmed 13 deaths, including five military personnel. Heavy artillery fire continued Sunday across their 800km border, with both sides accusing each other of targeting civilians. Thailand has responded by deploying F-16s and Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets to strike Cambodian military positions. Thailand and Cambodia share a history of border disputes, though relations have remained largely stable since a deadly 2011 clash that left dozens dead. The last major flare-up centered on the Preah Vihear temple, a historic flashpoint rooted in colonial-era disagreements. Much of the current dispute stems from maps drawn on differing interpretations of early 20th-century Franco-Siamese treaties, which defined the border between Thailand and Cambodia, then part of French Indochina. BLOOMBERG
Straits Times
9 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Thai and Cambodian leaders head to Malaysia for peace talks
Find out what's new on ST website and app. A hole in a wall is pictured at a damaged hospital, caused by Cambodia's shelling in Sisaket province, as Cambodia and Thailand each said the other had launched artillery attacks across contested border areas early on Sunday, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said the leaders of both countries had agreed to work on a ceasefire, Thailand, July 27, 2025. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha BANGKOK/PHNOM PENH - The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia were set to hold talks in Malaysia on Monday to reach a ceasefire in their deadly border dispute, with the United States saying its officials would be assisting in the peace process. Thailand's government said it was attending talks arranged by Malaysia in its role as chair of the regional ASEAN bloc, while Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said the talks were co-organised by the United States with the participation of China. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said State Department officials were in Malaysia to assist peace efforts, after President Donald Trump had earlier said that he thought both leaders wanted to settle the conflict. "We want this conflict to end as soon as possible," Rubio said in statement released late on Sunday in the U.S. and early Monday in Asia. "State Department officials are on the ground in Malaysia to assist these peace efforts." Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have intensified since the killing in late May of a Cambodian soldier during a brief border skirmish. Border troops on both sides were reinforced amid a full-blown diplomatic crisis that brought Thailand's fragile coalition government to the brink of collapse. Hostilities broke out last Thursday and have escalated into the worst fighting between the Southeast Asian neighbours in more than a decade. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Not feasible for S'pore to avoid net‑zero; all options to cut energy emissions on table: Tan See Leng Singapore With regional interest in nuclear energy rising, S'pore must build capabilities too: Tan See Leng Singapore New Mandai North Crematorium, ash-scattering garden to open on Aug 15 Singapore Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole did not happen overnight: Experts Singapore Sewage shaft failure linked to sinkhole; PUB calling safety time-out on similar works islandwide Singapore Science Journals: Lessons from weird fish sold in Singapore's wet markets World US and EU clinch deal with broad 15% tariffs on EU goods to avert trade war Asia Displaced villagers at Thai-Cambodian border hope to go home as leaders set to meet for talks The death toll has risen above 30, including more than 20 civilians, while authorities report that more than 200,000 people have been evacuated from border areas. ANWAR TO CHAIR TALKS Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim had proposed ceasefire talks soon after the border dispute erupted into conflict on Thursday, and China and the United States also offered to assist in negotiations. Thailand had said it supported calls for a ceasefire in principle but wanted to negotiate bilaterally, while Cambodia had called for international involvement. Anwar said he expected to chair the negotiations after being asked by representatives of the two governments to try to find a peace settlement, state media agency Bernama reported. "So, I'm discussing the parameters, the conditions, but what is important is (an) immediate ceasefire," he said late on Sunday. REUTERS
Straits Times
9 minutes ago
- Straits Times
UN climate chief challenges Australia to curb emissions
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Australia is due to release its latest national emission targets in September. SYDNEY – The UN's climate chief on July 28 challenged Australia to take more ambitious climate action, saying the mining superpower faced a 'defining moment' as it prepared new emissions targets. Australia is due to release its latest national emissions targets in September, setting out plans to decarbonise an economy built largely on mining and coal. 'The question is: how far are you willing to go,' UN climate chief Simon Stiell said in prepared remarks ahead of a speech in Sydney. 'This isn't just the next policy milestone. It's a defining moment.' Australia has previously pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 43 per cent before the end of the decade, and to reach net zero by 2050. It is currently developing its next round of targets – or Nationally Determined Contributions – a key obligation under the landmark Paris climate agreement. 'This is the moment: to get behind a climate plan that doesn't just write that vision into policy, but delivers in spades for your people,' Mr Stiell said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Not feasible for S'pore to avoid net‑zero; all options to cut energy emissions on table: Tan See Leng Singapore With regional interest in nuclear energy rising, S'pore must build capabilities too: Tan See Leng Singapore New Mandai North Crematorium, ash-scattering garden to open on Aug 15 Singapore Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole did not happen overnight: Experts Singapore Sewage shaft failure linked to sinkhole; PUB calling safety time-out on similar works islandwide Singapore Science Journals: Lessons from weird fish sold in Singapore's wet markets World US and EU clinch deal with broad 15% tariffs on EU goods to avert trade war Asia Displaced villagers at Thai-Cambodian border hope to go home as leaders set to meet for talks 'So don't settle for what's easy. 'Go for what will build lasting wealth and national security. Go for what will change the game – and stand the test of time.' Australia has poured money into solar power, wind turbines and green manufacturing – pledging to make the nation a renewable energy superpower. But Australia's green ambitions are at odds with its deep entanglement with lucrative fossil fuel industries. It remains one of the world's biggest coal exporters and continues to heavily subsidise fossil fuel sectors. Australia has attempted to burnish its green credentials by bidding to host the 2026 UN climate summit alongside Pacific island neighbours threatened by rising seas. Mr Stiell said Australia was running out of time to make a difference. 'This can be Australia's moment,' he said. 'Consider the alternative: missing the opportunity and letting the world overheat.' Australia Climate Change Authority chair Matt Kean said the country had a 'fighting chance to make a positive difference'. 'The stakes couldn't be higher – but we have solved major challenges in the past, and we can do so again if we remain clear-eyed and unflinching.' AFP
