Remarks by H.E. Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa,

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand,

at the Meeting with Relevant Parties and Stakeholders

under the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention

on 27 August 2025 at 16.15 hrs. at Palais des Nations

* * * * * *

Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

• Good afternoon.

• Thank you for having me here in Geneva—the humanitarian capital of the world, and the permanent operational home to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, or the Ottawa Convention.

• As I entered the Palais des Nations (ปาเลย์ - เด - นาซิ อง) today, I passed by “the Broken Chair”.  It reminded me that the APMBC is more than a treaty. It is a symbol of humanity’s determination to end the suffering caused by one of the most indiscriminate and inhumane weapons ever invented.

• The Convention is one of the success stories of international humanitarian law and disarmament. But for that success story to endure, the integrity of the Convention must be safeguarded and implemented in sincerity.

Excellencies,

• As a strong believer and active advocate for humanitarian disarmament, Thailand is fully committed to implementing its obligations under the APMBC.

• As you are aware, Thailand has always played an active role within the framework of the Convention—to save lives, protect human dignity, and support mine victims in their recovery and integration to society. And we will continue to do so.

• To date, we have cleared over 99 per cent of mine-contaminated areas, covering some 2,500 square kilometres—turning them into “safe spaces”, restoring livelihoods for our communities.

• These efforts have been recognised by the international community, including by the President of the ICRC at the HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Lecture on International Humanitarian Law in Bangkok last week, who commended Thailand for “reducing the human cost of mines from 350 casualties between 1999 and 2000 to just 24 in 2011”.

• And in 2024, we recorded zero deaths and 3 injuries from landmines in Thailand.
  
  

• We have cleared all landmines along our borders with Malaysia, Myanmar, and Lao PDR. The remaining 12.8 square kilometres of landmine contaminated area is along the border with Cambodia. 
  
  

• This is why Thailand has, for a long time, been pursuing humanitarian demining cooperation with Cambodia.

Excellencies,

• It is regrettable that we are confronted with the current situation at the Thailand – Cambodia border—one that Thailand neither sought nor stands to benefit from in any way.

• It began on 16 July, when a Thai solider lost a leg to a landmine during a routine patrol in the Chong Bok area of Ubon Ratchathani Province.

• Several more landmines were discovered near the incident site, with clearly visible factory markings, and no signs of vegetation or rooting, indicating that they were newly planted. And we have collected more than enough evidence that can be proved beyond any reasonable doubt that all these landmines were indeed planted just recently. These were PMN-2 type mines—which is in possession of Cambodia, according to its own transparency report, whereas Thailand no longer has landmines of any type in our stockpile.

• Exactly one week later, on 23 July—another incident occurred. I remember it vividly as I was in New York—about to meet the Secretary-General.

• I informed him of the situation and Thailand’s condemnation of Cambodia’s inhumane actions, and the peaceful measures we were taking to address this issue.

• The turning point came the very next day, 24 July, when Cambodia launched cross-border attacks at Ta Muen Tom in Surin Province, followed by heavy artillery, including BM-21 multiple rocket launchers into Thai civilian communities, striking schools, hospitals and convenient store—killing innocent civilians, including children.

• Thailand responded in necessary and proportionate self-defence, limited in scope and strictly aiming at military targets, in full respect of international law, the UN Charter, and international humanitarian law.

• The attack continued even after a ceasefire was reached on 28 July in Putrajaya through the good offices of Malaysia, in its capacity as ASEAN Chair—a ceasefire that Cambodia broke.

• Later, both sides met again at the Extraordinary General Border Committee (GBC) Meeting in Kuala Lumpur and agreed to a ceasefire covering all types of weapons, including landmines—an agreement that Thailand fully respects and is firmly committed to.

• Yet, less than five days later, three additional landmine incidents occurred on 9 and 12 August, and the latest, this afternoon.

• To date, these landmine attacks have caused permanent disability to 6 Thai soldiers. Newly planted and unused PMN-2 mines were also discovered, together with evidence that Cambodian soldiers had been trained to lay such mines—clearly indicating that these mines were planted by Cambodia.

• These acts constitute a serious violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Thailand, and of the Ottawa Convention—in breach of the ceasefire agreement.

• It also undermines the spirit of Siem Reap–Angkor Declaration and Action Plan, adopted under Cambodia’s own presidency, and constitutes a grave breach of international humanitarian law, which forms the foundation of the APMBC.

• The international community has come a long way in our collective efforts to address the humanitarian impacts of landmines—and these incidents threaten our hard-won progress.

• This is why Thailand has decided to pursue this matter under the Convention.  We have notified the President of the 22^nd Meeting of the States Parties to address the issue in the spirit of consultation and cooperation under Article 8, paragraph 1 of the Convention. We have also formally requested for clarification from Cambodia through the UN Secretary-General, pursuant to Article 8, paragraph 2.

• I would like to stress that Thailand’s request for clarification from Cambodia is supported by solid evidence.

• At the same time, Thailand has called on the international community to do what they can to bring Cambodia back to full compliance with the Convention. I reiterate my call to Excellencies and colleagues present at this meeting today to do what you can to ensure Cambodia’s compliance with the Convention.   

• While pursuing these steps under the APMBC, parallel efforts are being taken to resolve this issue bilaterally through existing mechanisms, including the General Border Committee (GBC) and Regional Border Committee (RBC)

• There is positive development on this front.

• Last Friday, at the Extraordinary RBC Meeting, Cambodia finally agreed in principle to cooperate with Thailand on humanitarian demining—the details of which will be addressed at the GBC meeting next month.

• We hope this cooperation can move forward swiftly—to restore peace, clear mines, and advance our shared goal of a mine-free border.

• For such cooperation to be genuine, however, Cambodia must not obstruct Thailand’s demining operations—which has occurred 16 times in the past 8 months.

• It is also imperative that Cambodia refrain from planting new mines.

• It is also crucial that Cambodia refrain from other acts that further aggravate the situation, including the use of women and children, to encroach into the territory of Thailand.

Excellencies,

• Thailand firmly believes that no one should ever suffer from these inhumane weapons and remains guided by the humanitarian principles at the heart of this Convention.

• For this reason, I am pleased to announce today that Thailand will join the United Nations Secretary-General’s Global Advocacy Campaign on Humanitarian Disarmament and Mine Action, a vital initiative that reflects our shared responsibility to support the universal adherence and full implementation of the APMBC.

• Thailand’s participation in this Campaign reflects our long-standing commitment to humanitarian disarmament and international humanitarian law. It also underscores our enduring commitment to the Convention.

• Through this Campaign, Thailand will do what we can to promote mine action, which is about saving lives, protecting dignity, safeguarding human rights and advancing development and the well-being of our peoples and communities.

• Thailand stands ready to work with the United Nations and all partners toward the noble objective of the Convention - to achieve a mine-free world for the present and future generations.

• As Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jody Williams, founder of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines, once said: “Landmines do not stop an invasion. Landmines don’t influence the outcome of a war. All they do is mutilate or kill your own people.”

• It is time that these inhumane weapons be fully removed and never used again for the safety, dignity, and future of all people, and the integrity of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention.

• I thank you.