Thailand has suspended the peace…. commemorative agreement signed with Cambodia. This decision followed a dramatic long landmine explosion that injured two Thai soldiers along the border. Relations between the two countries are growing increasingly tense. They have engaged in a tit-for-tat cycle of skirmishes across a belt of contested border territory.
The peace agreement was significant, as it aimed to remove heavy weapons from the border and facilitate the release of 18 Cambodian prisoners of war held by Thailand. On Sunday, Thailand’s armed forces chief declared the truce stopped because of recent clashes. Prime Minister Anutin Chanvirakul emphasized the need for clarity, stating, “everything has to stop until there is clarity,” in reference to the situation with Cambodia.
The landmine explosion pictured above, in Thailand’s Sisaket province, was caused by a PMN-2 landmine that detonated while a soldier was on an ordinary patrol. One of the injured soldiers had to have his right foot amputated. After the attack Thai soldiers found three other mines around the explosion area. This incident has raised fresh fears of landmines on the poorly marked border. These contentious devices have historically stoked tensions between the two countries.
To date, Cambodia’s foreign ministry has rejected such allegations from Bangkok in no uncertain terms. They rejected accusations that Cambodia has been planting new mines along the route. Specifically, they claimed that no new mines had been laid, refuting accusations that have still managed to keep the hostilities boiling. Expert analysis suggests that the mines responsible for the clashes earlier this year were likely newly planted on Thai soil.
“The Thai military is halting all agreements until Cambodia can show clear sincerity that they will not be hostile,” said a military official, indicating a cautious approach moving forward in negotiations.
In October, the two countries signed an extended ceasefire in Malaysia. This agreement came on the heels of a five-day border conflict that left at least 48 dead and displaced about 300,000 people for a short time earlier this month. Both sides have accused the other of sparking the hostilities, which included retaliatory strikes of rockets and heavy artillery.
With blame and anger on both sides and no sign of easing hostility, the peace deal’s future is in jeopardy. As both countries step through this tense dynamic, the international community is observing with great interest.