Cambodia denies laying new landmines
Cambodia denies Thailand’s allegations of new landmines, saying the blast that injured Thai soldiers was from old mines dating back to the 1970s–1980s civil war
November 11, 2025: Following the incident in which a Thai soldier became the seventh to lose a leg after stepping on a landmine in the Huai Ta Maria area of Kantharalak district, Si Sa Ket province, on November 10, the Royal Government of Cambodia issued a statement denying allegations that its troops had planted new landmines along the Thai border, asserting instead that the recent explosion — which injured three Thai soldiers — was caused by old mines dating back to previous conflicts.
In a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the government expressed grave concern over media reports quoting Thailand’s leadership as saying that Thailand had suspended implementation of the Joint Declaration signed between the prime ministers of both countries on October 26 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, witnessed by U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the ASEAN Chair.
According to the statement, Thailand reportedly cited the November 10 landmine explosion in the Phnom Trop area near Preah Vihear Temple as a reason for halting implementation of the Joint Declaration and cancelling the scheduled release of 18 Cambodian soldiers still detained in Thailand.
“The Royal Government of Cambodia categorically denies the allegations by Thailand that new landmines have been laid by Cambodia at the border,” the statement read. “It is important to note that most minefields, dating back to Cambodia’s civil wars of the 1970s and 1980s, along the Cambodia–Thailand border, have not yet been fully cleared due to difficult terrain and the undemarcated status of certain border areas.”
Cambodia reaffirmed its commitment to the Joint Declaration, calling it a document widely applauded by the international community. It also emphasised its adherence to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, stressing that Cambodia has never used new landmines and will never do so.
