Summary of Press Briefing on the Thailand-Cambodia Border Situation

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

On 13 August 2025 at 16:30 hrs.

MFA Press Conference Room and MFA FB LIVE / Tik Tok LIVE

1. The laying of landmines along the Thai-Cambodian border by the Cambodian side

• Over the long weekend between 9 and 12 August 2025, Thai military personnel continued to carry out duties along the Thai - Cambodian border without pause. Then came a regrettable and unacceptable incident, when on 2 occasions Thai soldiers stepped on landmines while patrolling within Thailand’s sovereign territory, resulting in 2 of them suffering permanent disability.
• It is deeply disappointing that these incidents took place only a few days after both sides reached agreement on the implementation details of the ceasefire at the Extraordinary General Border Committee (GBC) Meeting on 7 August 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where both parties committed to refraining from the use of all weapons, including anti-personnel landmines.
• The Ministry wishes to extend its profound sympathies to all Thai soldiers who have been injured and conveys its sincere wishes for their speedy recovery. In this regard, the Ministry has issued two statements to condemn in the strongest term the use of anti-personnel mines by the Cambodian side. Such action constitutes a violation of Thailand’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and an outright breach of international law, including the principles that are fundamental to the United Nations Charter, as well as a clear violation of the obligations under the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (Ottawa Convention) and international humanitarian law.
• Since the initial clash on 28 May 2025, Thai soldiers have repeatedly encountered landmines. These incidents reflect a lack of good faith and sincerity on the part of Cambodia in adhering to the Ottawa Convention and the ceasefire agreement. In this connection, Thailand calls on Cambodia to immediately cease actions that violate the Convention and the ceasefire agreement, as well as to demonstrate genuine commitment to restoring peace along the border as it has continuously declared. Unfortunately, the actions taken by the Cambodian side so far have not corresponded with words of promises.
• Thailand continues to call on Cambodia to cooperate with Thailand on mine clearance along the border areas – an issue that Thailand has consistently raised with the Cambodian side but has repeatedly been refused or evaded. Thailand expects that the issue of demining will be addressed as a matter of priority at the upcoming Regional Border Committee (RBC) and the next GBC Meetings.

2. Steps taken by Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the landmine issue

• Earlier today, the Foreign Minister gave an interview regarding the use of anti-personnel mines by the Cambodian side and the recent actions by the Ministry in response to these incidents, in addition to the measures the Ministry has consistently undertaken from the outset. Following the incidents on 9 and 12 August 2025, the Ministry has taken immediate action by submitting protest letters to Cambodia regarding both cases.
• In the multilateral fora, the Thai Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva submitted a letter to the Chair of the 22nd Meeting of the States Parties to the Ottawa Convention on 9 August 2025, lodging a complaint regarding Cambodia’s breach of its obligations. Meanwhile, the Thai Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York is preparing another letter to the United Nations Secretary-General to provide factual clarification regarding Cambodia’s violation of the Convention, as well as the latest cases. They also met with the Chair of the 22nd Meeting of the States Parties to the Ottawa Convention, the United Nations Secretary-General, as well as high-level representatives of various States Parties to the Convention and relevant civil society organizations. This is to seek appropriate actions in response to Cambodia’s violations of its obligations and to provide factual clarifications to the Committee on Cooperative Compliance under the Convention.
• Recently, the Foreign Minister held a telephone conversation with the Foreign Minister of Japan, in its capacity as Chair of the Ottawa Convention for 2025, to request proceedings against Cambodia under the Convention’s mechanisms. He also had phone calls with the Foreign Ministers of Malaysia and Singapore, requesting ASEAN to pressure Cambodia to cooperate in mine clearance efforts.
• On 15 August 2025, the Ministry and the Ministry of Defense are inviting diplomatic corps from donor countries and international organizations supporting mine clearance to a briefing on Cambodia’s violations of the Ottawa Convention and its refusal to cooperate with Thailand in mine clearance operations. We will also call for a careful review of their assistance to Cambodia on this matter. On 16 August 2025, the Ministry and relevant Thai agencies will arrange a site visit for representatives from these countries and organizations to observe the actual damage firsthand on the ground as well as details and information related to the landmine incidents.

3. Dissemination of Disinformation and Fake News by Cambodia

• Since the armed clashes on 24 July 2025, the Cambodian side has continued the relentless dissemination of disinformation and fake news both from government agencies and media in Cambodia. Such action is in violation of the ceasefire conditions reached during the Extraordinary GBC Meeting, which clearly stipulates a cessation of such conduct in order to de-escalate tensions, mitigate negative public sentiment, and foster an environment conducive to peaceful dialogue.
• In addition, Cambodian citizens are unable to access information regarding the border situation from Thai government sources, major Thai media outlets, or even from Thai influencers' webpages. This reflects the ongoing efforts by the Cambodian authorities to restrict their people’s access to comprehensive information, limiting them to only consume what the government chooses to disseminate. Such actions represent a clear violation of press freedom and the people’s right to information.
• Thailand calls on the Cambodian authorities to allow their citizens open access to diverse sources of information, including those from Thailand, so that the people can exercise their own judgment in deciding what to believe. In contrast, the Thai public is free to access information from all over the world since the Thai government does not impose any restrictions.
• Thailand’s actions are not targeted at the Cambodian people, rather they are being deprived of their right to information by their own government.

Watch the full session at: https://web.facebook.com/share/v/1D1Pf6P98b/