Army Accuses Cambodian Media of Falsely Blaming Thailand for Self-Staged Explosion

Thai military officials have firmly refuted Cambodian media allegations that Thailand “staged” recent border bombings, calling the claims fabricated disinformation designed to mislead international observers about ongoing border security tensions between the two nations.

Speaking to reporters on November 12, Royal Thai Army spokesman Major General Winthai Suwaree categorically dismissed Cambodian reports which suggested Thailand had purchased anti-personnel mines and orchestrated bombing incidents to blame on Cambodia. The reports allegedly cited satellite imagery from Malaysia as evidence.

“These reports are entirely untrue and represent the same old dirty methods,” Major General Winthai said. He pointed out that the images used in Cambodian media appeared to be “doctored and specially fabricated in an unconvincing manner” with the intention of deceiving both domestic and international audiences.

The military spokesman suggested that Cambodia’s allegations serve a strategic purpose beyond mere disinformation. “Such behavior appears intended to conceal and deflect attention from Cambodia’s own breaches of international agreements and the Ottawa Convention regarding the use of landmines,” he said, referring to the 1997 international treaty prohibiting the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of anti-personnel mines.

Major General Winthai specifically highlighted what he described as “repeated clandestine emplacement of mines during the ceasefire period” by Cambodian forces, suggesting a pattern of violations rather than isolated incidents.

The Royal Thai Army emphasized that the PMN-2 anti-personnel mines discovered in large numbers along the Thai-Cambodian border have never been part of Thailand’s military arsenal. “These mines have never been in Thai possession, nor have they ever been part of Thailand’s military procurement,” the Army statement clarified.

Thai military officials further asserted that collected evidence points to the mines being Cambodian in origin and deliberately placed to threaten and harm Thai forces operating in border areas.

The accusations highlight the persistent tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, particularly regarding their shared 817-kilometer border. Disputes over this boundary have periodically erupted into armed confrontations, notably around the Preah Vihear temple complex, where deadly clashes occurred as recently as 2011.

Both countries are signatories to the Ottawa Convention, with Thailand joining in 1998 and Cambodia in 1999. Thailand completed the destruction of its stockpiled landmines in 2019, while Cambodia, one of the world’s most heavily mined countries due to decades of conflict, continues extensive demining operations with international support.

Security analysts note that landmine allegations are particularly sensitive in Southeast Asia, where unexploded ordnance continues to claim civilian lives decades after various conflicts. Cambodia especially bears a heavy legacy, with the Cambodian Mine Action Centre estimating that landmines and unexploded ordnance have caused over 64,000 casualties since 1979.

The dispute occurs against the backdrop of relatively improved diplomatic relations between the two neighbors in recent years, with both countries working to boost cross-border trade and tourism before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, border security issues remain contentious, with periodic flare-ups that threaten regional stability.

Regional observers suggest that third-party verification by independent experts might help resolve the contradictory claims, though neither country has formally requested such intervention. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which both countries are members, has historically avoided direct involvement in bilateral border disputes between member states.

As the accusations continue, military forces on both sides remain on alert along disputed border sections, with civilian communities in these areas often caught in the middle of these longstanding tensions.