RTAF denies dropping ‘rusty’ MK-84 bomb on Cambodian soil

The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) on Tuesday denied that it had purchased MK-84 bombs and dropped one on Cambodian soil during the border clashes late last month.

Speaking on behalf of the RTAF, Maj Gen Winthai Suvaree, spokesman for the Royal Thai Army, said the rusted and old condition of the MK-84 bomb uncovered by Cambodia could not possibly have been dropped by an RTAF plane during the recent border clashes.

Winthai stated that the Thai armed forces believed the international community understood that Cambodia had been distorting information to discredit Thailand during the border conflict.

Winthai was referring to claims by Heng Ratana, director-general of the Cambodia Mine Action Centre (CMAC), that an MK-84 bomb was dropped by an RTAF plane.

Heng Ratana announced that CMAC experts had found a large, unexploded MK-84 bomb, a 2,000-pound general-purpose bomb. The expert team reportedly conducted a technical inspection of the bomb and found a serial number, "LOT No. IMI96GO15-11," which they say indicates it was manufactured in 1996. This finding directly contradicts the Thai claim that the bomb was from the 1970s.

Heng Ratana also alleged that the RTAF had bought the bomb from Israel Military Industries (IMI).

Winthai quoted the RTAF as disputing the following claims:

• The RTAF has not purchased bombs from IMI.
• The RTAF only buys armaments from allied nations through defence cooperation at the ministerial level.
• The RTAF calls for an inspection of the bomb by neutral third-party nations.
• The RTAF carried out air operations based on Article 51 of the UN Charter, exercising the right of self-defence, and strictly adhered to it.

“The RTAF calls on all parties to rely on data from technical inspections by neutral organisations to prevent distortion during this sensitive time,” Winthai said.