United Nations petition initiated by Maris seeking an investigation regarding landmines
Thailand has taken a leading role in condemning Cambodia's alleged violations of the Ottawa Convention, an international treaty that bans the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of antipersonnel mines. This strong response follows a series of landmine incidents along the Thai-Cambodian border, the latest of which resulted in a Thai military ranger losing his foot while patrolling in Surin on Tuesday [1].
Foreign Affairs Minister Maris Sangiampongsa has been at the forefront of this diplomatic push. He has urged an international investigation into Cambodia's violations of the Ottawa Convention and has lodged formal protests through international legal channels [2]. The Thai government has presented substantial evidence, including photos, videos, and physical landmines, to support its claims [3].
The Ottawa Convention's secretariat has responded to Maris's request for an investigation, and the matter has been escalated to the Ottawa Convention Implementation Committee in Geneva [4]. Thailand has also engaged key countries and treaty bodies to press Cambodia for accountability and cooperation in mine clearance, emphasising Cambodia's treaty obligations and sovereignty violations [5].
The international community is rallying behind Thailand's call for action. The UN and the Japanese foreign minister have been involved in discussions about the landmine incidents and Cambodia's actions [6]. Maris Sangiampongsa has also discussed using the ASEAN framework to pressure Cambodia to cooperate on mine clearance with his Malaysian and Singaporean counterparts [7].
On Friday, a briefing will be held to discuss Cambodia's rejection of Thailand's mine-clearance proposal, which was raised during the General Border Committee meeting [8]. Nikorndej Balankura, a Thai foreign ministry spokesman, will be part of the briefing. The briefing will also urge donor countries and international organizations to carefully review their assistance to Cambodia [9].
Meanwhile, another landmine incident occurred in Si Sa Ket on Saturday, where three Thai soldiers were injured during a routine patrol [10]. In response, Maris Sangiampongsa announced plans for a site visit for donor countries and international organizations to observe the damage from the landmine incidents on Saturday [11].
As the international community continues to press Cambodia for accountability, Maris Sangiampongsa maintains that Bangkok has clear proof of Cambodian provocations and mine-laying [12]. He spoke by phone with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya on Tuesday to ask for the use of mechanisms under the Ottawa Convention to investigate Cambodia's actions [13].
The goal of this international response is to ensure Cambodia complies with the Ottawa Convention, ceases all use and planting of landmines, and cooperates fully on clearance along the border with Thailand [1].
- The Thai Foreign Affairs Minister, Maris Sangiampongsa, has been advocating for a combination of war-and-conflicts, politics, and general-news topics, urging an international investigation into Cambodia's alleged violations of the Ottawa Convention, which is a crime-and-justice issue.
- As the international community continues to address the war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice issues arising from Cambodia's alleged violations of the Ottawa Convention, donor countries and international organizations are being urged to review their assistance to Cambodia, focusing on crime-and-justice and political implications.
