Bangkok: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has lodged a formal protest against Cambodia, citing a violation of Thai sovereignty that resulted in injuries to three Thai soldiers. The ministry plans to address this issue with the Cambodian ambassador and Foreign Minister, engage in discussions with senior leaders, and reaffirm Thailand’s stance on the matter during the United Nations meeting in New York.

According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Maratee Nalita Andamo, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Information and Deputy Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed that the anti-personnel mines found were not part of Thailand’s arsenal and were planted on the Cambodian side. This act is considered a serious breach of international law. The Thai government condemns the use of anti-personnel mines, asserting that it violates Thai sovereignty, fundamental international legal principles, and the obligations under the Ottawa Convention.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will issue a written protest to Cambodia and will follow the procedures outlined in the Ottawa Convention to report the violation. The ministry also plans to inform friendly countries and organizations, particularly those involved in mine-clearing efforts in Cambodia, such as Japan and Norway. Additionally, a briefing for the diplomatic mission in Thailand will be organized to address the situation.

Concurrently, the Minister of Foreign Affairs is engaged in high-level discussions on sustainable political development at the United Nations in New York. During these discussions, he will reaffirm Thailand’s commitment to peaceful negotiations and call on Cambodia to collaborate in mine-clearing efforts along the border, as previously discussed by the Prime Ministers of both nations within a bilateral framework.

Ms. Maratee reiterated Thailand’s commitment to bilateral negotiations with Cambodia through existing mechanisms, such as the JBC, RBC, and GBC, and urged Cambodia to participate in the upcoming JBC meeting in September.