Following the incidents on 16 and 23 July 2025, in which Thai military personnel stepped on landmines while conducting routine patrols along established routes within Thailand’s territory in the Chong Bok and Chong An Ma areas of Ubon Ratchathani Province—resulting in multiple injuries and two permanent disability of two soldiers—subsequent evidence confirms that the mines were newly planted in previously demined zones, and were identified as PMN-2 type, which are known to be in the possession of the Cambodian military.

In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand instructed the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations Office in Geneva to submit two letters, dated 23 July 2025 and 24 July 2025, to the President-designate of the Twenty-Second Meeting of the States Parties to the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (Ottawa Convention), to which Thailand and Cambodia are State Parties. The letters informed the President-designate of the incidents and Cambodia’s violation of the obligations under Article 1 of the Convention, which prohibits the use or stockpiling of anti-personnel mines. The letters also underscored the grave breach of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Thailand—a severe violation of the fundamental principles of international law, the United Nations Charter and international humanitarian law, and requested that the letters be circulated to all States Parties.

In addition, on 24 July 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand instructed the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations in New York to submit a letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, notifying the Secretary-General of Cambodia’s violation of Article 1 of the Ottawa Convention, and requesting clarification from Cambodia regarding the incidents. This request was made pursuant to the mechanism under Article 8, paragraph 2, of the Ottawa Convention, which provides that a State Party may seek to clarify and resolve questions relating to compliance with the provisions of the Convention by another State Party through the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Currently, 165 countries are States Parties to the Ottawa Convention. Thailand became a State Party in 1999—as the first country in Southeast Asia to do so—while Cambodia became a State Party in 2000. Thailand has remained fully committed to fulfilling the obligations under the Convention. Thailand completed the destruction of all stockpiled anti-personnel mines in 2003, and subsequently destroyed all mines retained for research and training purposes in 2019. Additionally, Thailand has released more than 99 per cent of all mined-contaminated areas, with the remaining areas located along the Thailand – Cambodia border. Thailand continues to play an active role in the Ottawa Convention framework and is currently serving as Chair of the Committee on Article 5 Implementation, with a mandate to intensify efforts to ensure the clearance of all anti-personnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control of States Parties.