Thai army announces right to self-defence after latest landmine explosion
Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree, spokesman for the army, said that the landmine explosion happened at 9.10am on a regular patrol route of Thai defence personnel about one kilometre from Ta Muen Thom temple ruins in Surin.
In the incident, seven paramilitary rangers from the 2610 Paramilitary Ranger Company were on duty on the patrol route when Sgt Theerapol Piakhanthee stepped on an anti-personnel landmine. The soldier suffered severe wounds in his left ankle. He was treated at Phanom Dong Rak Hospital, Maj Gen Winthai said.
'This incident is evident proof that Cambodia violates the ceasefire agreement and international humanitarian laws, especially the Ottawa Treaty which bans the use and installation of all kinds of anti-personnel landmines. It is a direct attack on Thai forces in Thai territory,' the Thai army spokesman said.
'Such incidents have recurred in border areas and reflected the ill intention and continous threats of Cambodia against Thailand. This violates the territorial integrity of Thailand and is against the ceasefire agreement reached in the recent General Border Committee meeting. This confirms that Cambodia continues to use weapons during the implementation of the ceasefire agreement,' Maj Gen Winthai said.
The act by Cambodia certainly obstructed the ceasefire implementation and clearly showed that Cambodia intended to threaten Thailand with hidden military weapons, the spokesman said.
During a ceasefire period, there must not be any kind of weapon use, he said.
He believed that Cambodia planned the use of landmines systematically to attack Thailand.
'The army has acted peacefully and did not initiate the border conflict,' Maj Gen Winthai said. 'However, if pressure continues to mount, we may be compelled to exercise our right to self-defence under international law, in order to address the losses suffered by Thai military personnel as a result of Cambodia's violations of the ceasefire agreement and Thailand's sovereignty.'
Cambodian invasion of Thai territory.
The five soldiers were among 13 Thai soldiers injured by five landmine explosions in Si Sa Ket, Surin and Ubon Ratchathani provinces bordering Cambodia.
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