Summary of Press Briefing on Thailand-Cambodia Border Situation

By the Director-General of the Department of Information and MFA Spokesperson

on 28 August 2025 at 14:30 hrs.

MFA Press Conference Room and MFA FB LIVE / TikTok LIVE

1. On Thai soldiers stepping on anti-personnel landmines

• Deepest sympathy expressed to the Thai soldier who stepped on a PMN-2 landmine planted by the Cambodian side while patrolling in the area of Ta Kwai Temple, Surin Province, on 27 August 2025, which is located within Thai territory. This resulted in one soldier suffering permanent disability. This marks the sixth such incident in which lives have been harmed due to this inhumane weapon.
• Thailand condemns in the strongest terms the use of anti-personnel landmines, which constitutes a violation of Thailand’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Such actions violate the United Nations Charter and international law, in particular international humanitarian law, and constitute a clear breach of obligations under the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (Ottawa Convention). They also represent repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement.
• It is evident that the Cambodian side has systematically planned the use of landmines along the border area with the deliberate intent to threaten and harm Thailand, particularly given that the incident occurred within the Thai operational line.
• As the Director-General, Department of Border Affairs, Royal Thai Armed Forces, stated that “Landmines are not border markers; they are weapons that kill and maim without warning,” the laying of landmines by the Cambodian side reflects their uncivilized conduct with malicious intent.
• This incident further underscores the importance of upholding international obligations under the Ottawa Convention, which encourages the States Parties to report on mine incidents. Thailand therefore has to bring Cambodia’s behavior to the attention of the international community, and calls for a collective pressure on Cambodia to cease such practices.

2. On Foreign Minister’s working visit to Geneva

• H.E. Maris Sangiampongsa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, is currently on a mission in Geneva to present the facts to the international community regarding the laying of landmines and violations of international law by Cambodia.
• The Foreign Minister held a bilateral discussion with Ms. Ichikawa Tomiko, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Japan to the Conference on Disarmament, who is the President-Designate to the 22^nd Meeting of States Parties of the Ottawa Convention, with the participation of Ms. Carolyne-Mélanie Régimbal, Head of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) in Geneva. He also met with Ambassadors and representatives of countries in the Committee on Cooperative Compliance, and relevant parties and stakeholders under the Convention.
• The Foreign Minister reaffirmed Thailand’s full commitment to the Convention. He also shared vital information and updates on the landmine situation along the Thailand - Cambodia border, in particular regarding the discovery of landmines newly laid on Thai soil by the Cambodian side, which has injured and maimed numerous Thai soldiers in recent weeks, including the latest incident yesterday. Thailand calls on the international community to do as much as possible to bring Cambodia back to full compliance as a responsible State Party of the Convention, and to return to joint demining with Thailand.
• He also announced Thailand’s decision to join the United Nations Secretary-General’s Global Advocacy Campaign on Humanitarian Disarmament and Mine Action, reflecting Thailand’s long-standing commitment not only to the Ottawa Convention but also to humanitarian disarmament and international humanitarian law.
• In addition, the Foreign Minister held bilateral discussions with Ms. Nada Al-Nashif, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, where he shared updates on the latest developments on the situation along the Thai - Cambodian border. This was in addition to two previous letters sent to the High Commissioner, regarding Cambodia’s violations of the United Nations Charter and key international human rights instruments, such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), among others. This includes the laying of landmines on Thai territory resulting in the injury and maiming of Thai soldiers, as well as the use of civilians, women and children, in the frontlines to incite confrontation in the border area.
• The Foreign Minister also reaffirmed Thailand's commitment to the ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia. Both the Foreign Minister and the Deputy High Commissioner shared concerns and underscored the importance of key international human rights obligations under the ICCPR, which prohibits states from engaging in propaganda for war. They also expressed concern over the spread of disinformation and distortion of facts that could escalate confrontation.
• Today (28 August 2025), the Foreign Minister will meet with the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to inform her of Cambodia’s violations of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions, arising from its indiscriminate attacks against civilians and civilian objects in Thailand, such as residential homes, schools, hospitals, and convenience stores, which have resulted in numerous injuries and loss of innocent civilian lives.
• This mission to Geneva enables the Foreign Minister to assure the international community of Thailand’s firm commitment to international law and universal norms, and that all of Thailand’s actions are undertaken with sincerity, in good faith, and supported by solid evidence, without making unfounded accusations. Looking forward, the relevant stakeholders, including the States Parties to the Ottawa Convention, will consider the factual and scientific evidence brought forth by Thailand and take actions in accordance with the processes of the Convention. While this may take time, Thailand remains steadfast in upholding the rules and acting with transparency. It is this credibility, grounded in truth, that will ultimately make Cambodia’s contraventions clear.

3. On steps taken by Thailand in other international platforms

• Thailand has also been active at the United Nations in New York. On 22 August 2025, the Thai Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York sent a letter to the United Nations Secretary-General to present further empirical evidence and supporting materials regarding Cambodia’s use of landmines. It also reiterated the request for the Secretary-General to take necessary steps to ensure that this matter receives clarification from Cambodia, in accordance with Article 8, paragraph 2, of the Ottawa Convention.
• Furthermore, today (28 August 2025), the Ambassador is scheduled to meet once again with the Secretary-General of the United Nations to brief him on the latest developments concerning the landmine situation along the border and to convey vital information regarding Thailand’s request for clarification under the mentioned provision of the Ottawa Convention.
• In addition, Thai Ambassadors and Consuls-General around the world continue to brief host governments and countries under their jurisdictions, as well as relevant organizations, local media, and Thai communities abroad, on the facts and latest developments of the border situation, covering both the issue of landmines and other violations committed by the Cambodian side.

• Thailand welcomes the discussions and agreements reached by the military of both sides, during the four Regional Border Committee (RBC) meetings in a few weeks following the conclusion of the Extraordinary General Border Committee (GBC) Meeting on 7 August 2025 in Kuala Lumpur. The two issues that Thailand has consistently prioritized and advocated have been included in the Agreed Minutes of the meetings, namely, mine clearance and combating online scams. These will be followed up on at the next GBC meeting, to be hosted by Cambodia in September 2025.
• Thailand remains committed to finding a solution with Cambodia peacefully through existing bilateral mechanisms. However, should Cambodia continue to plant landmines within Thai territory and persist in provoking confrontations along the border, such actions would pose a serious obstacle to de-escalating tensions, which both sides have been pursuing all along. Thailand therefore calls on Cambodia to adhere, with sincerity and in good faith, to its own statements and its commitment to bilateral mechanisms and the ceasefire agreement.

Watch the full session at: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/16sQ3hniL5/?mibextid=wwXIfr