The ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia to end a border conflict appears to be fraying in two weeks, as landmine explosions, disputes over the detention of soldiers and information warfare steadily erode compliance.
Thai military spokesperson Winthai Suvaree rushed to clarify a statement made earlier by the commander of the Second Army Region, Boonsin Padklang, who had announced his intention to take over the disputed Ta Kwai Hindu sanctuary (Ta Krabei in Khmer) before his retirement at the end of September.
The government in Phnom Penh considered the statement as undeniable proof of provocation and Thai intention to invade Cambodian territory.
Under the ASEAN-facilitated ceasefire agreement reached by both sides after a meeting of the General Border Committee (GBC) in Malaysia on August 7, both Thailand and Cambodia had agreed not to take provocative actions that could escalate tensions.
“This includes military activities to enter the other side’s airspace and territory or position as of the ceasefire from 24 hours (local time) July 28,” the agreement said.
Boonsin’s declaration to close another Hindu temple, Ta Moan Thom, is a premeditated attempt to invade Cambodian sovereignty and territorial integrity, the Cambodian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The Ta Moan Thom, also known as Prasat Ta Muen Thom, is a temple complex located on the border between the two countries, in Thailand’s Surin province. The temple’s location within a disputed area has complicated Thailand-Cambodia relations.
Winthai clarified that Boonsin had meant the Ta Kwai Temple is under Thai sovereignty.
“During the recent clashes, there was an attempt to seize it by deploying forces, but the attempt was not successful. As a result, forces were positioned outside the temple, about 30 metres away,” the spokesperson said.
In the future, efforts must be made to bring it back under Thai control through appropriate procedures, Winthai said and added that preparations would be made to raise various matters for discussion and negotiation at the Regional Border Committee (RBC) meeting scheduled to take place in two weeks.
He reaffirmed Thailand’s stance that it would not withdraw from its current deployment line.
The Thai Foreign Ministry reaffirmed Winthai’s statement, saying that Thai forces currently remain in the positions they had held at the time the ceasefire came into effect.
The statement expressed Thailand’s readiness to take part in the RBC meetings with Cambodia, in line with the two-week time frame agreed during the GBC meeting.
This would enable the forces of both sides to discuss the implementation of the ceasefire within their respective areas, it added.
Deadly landmine incidents
On August 12, the Foreign Ministry said it was lodging protests with Cambodia, the president of the Ottawa Convention, and the secretary-general of the United Nations after patrolling Thai soldiers were injured by another incident of anti-personnel landmine explosion.
Thailand is calling upon the international community, including donor countries and international organizations that assist Cambodia in mine clearance and mine action efforts, to reconsider their support in light of these repetitive incidents, it said.
The August 12 incident, at the disputed areas near Ta Moan Thom temple, was the fourth since the July border flare-up. Landmine explosions on July 16 and 23, and August 9 and 12 left many Thai soldiers injured, some of whom lost their legs.
Thailand has requested that the Interim Observer Team, established under the decision of the GBC meeting in Malaysia, give due consideration to this matter during its future field visits, the ministry’s statement said.
“This is crucial to ensuring the safety of the border area for innocent civilians of both countries,” the statement added.
Winthai accused Cambodia of violating the ceasefire agreement as well as international humanitarian law, particularly the Ottawa Convention, pointing to the covert laying of landmines within Thai territory, directly targeting Thai military personnel.
Such behavior has occurred repeatedly and reflects a sustained intent to intimidate, he said. These actions obstruct the ceasefire measures and demonstrate that Cambodia still intends to harm Thailand through covert means, he said, adding, this was consistent with Cambodia's refusal to respond to Thailand’s proposal on landmines at the previous GBC meeting.
Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said all details were now being documented and forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for submission under the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of Anti-Personnel Mines, proving the existence of such weapons.
Thailand and Cambodia have yet to complete landmine clearance despite being parties to the Ottawa Convention since 1999, due to the extensive contamination in remote and contested border areas, recurring security tensions, and resource and technical constraints that have slowed demining operations.
Cambodia’s Defense Ministry rejected the allegation, claiming there had been no official investigation or transparency to confirm the claim.
“Cambodia has reminded Thai parties many times that the region is a mine zone, a remnant of many wars, therefore all parties involved should avoid making any public conclusion before finding out the truth and providing justice for all, to avoid confusion, confrontation and recurrence of tensions,” said spokesperson Mali Socheata.
Dispute over detention of soldiers
Cambodia has accused Thailand of illegally detaining 20 soldiers since July 29, hours after the two countries reached the ceasefire agreement, and has regularly demanded their immediate release.
Cambodian Deputy Defence Minister Rat Dararath, during a meeting with Lloyd Gillet, a representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), claimed that the soldiers were being held illegally since the official ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia came into effect.
Winthai said the 20 Cambodian soldiers, including two who were injured, had surrendered to Thai troops in the border areas. The two injured soldiers had received proper medical treatment before being returned to Cambodia.
Thailand’s actions are fully in accordance with the law, consistent with international legal principles and humanitarian standards, he said.
Thailand has allowed relevant international organizations to coordinate and request visits at any time since the very first day the Thai side took them into custody.
A delegation from the ICRC, comprising a protection officer, a medical specialist, an ICRC program officer, and an interpreter, visited the detained soldiers on August 5, he said.
Celebrity influencers
Another thorny issue is the information campaign on both sides. While they agreed to refrain from disseminating false information or fake news aimed at de-escalating tension, mitigating public sentiment and fostering an environment conducive to peaceful dialogue, Thailand appointed a celebrity volunteer as a spokesperson with a clear intention to counter the Cambodian information campaign.
Deputy Defense Minister Natthaphon Narkphanit said he had appointed former Miss Thailand Panadda Wongphudee to counter Mali Socheata, spokesperson for Cambodia’s National Defence Ministry.
“The appointment was made to confront Lieutenant General Mali, with the assured advantage—at least for now—that she [Panadda] is certainly more beautiful, having been a Miss Thailand, whereas Cambodia’s defence ministry spokesperson is certainly not a Miss Cambodia,” Natthaphon said on August 8 when he introduced the celebrity spokesperson to the public.
While critics in Thailand questioned her ability to strategically communicate information about the conflict, the Cambodian media taunted the move with a provocative headline: “Thailand Brings a Tiara; Cambodia Brings the Truth”.
“While some might almost applaud the creativity, most would perceive Thailand’s move as a gimmick. After all, if the facts aren’t on your side, why not change the lighting, add a glamorous smile, and call it a ‘public communication strategy’?” a guest writer wrote in an opinion piece published by the Phnom Penh Post on August 9.
Panadda denounced the critic, saying that if Thailand wears a crown it is only one crown — not an “18-crown” con artist.
Former member of Parliament Amarat Chokepamitkul expressed her reservations through a post on her Facebook page: “The role of a spokesperson is certainly not to clash like a fighting fish.”
“Communication must focus on composure and accuracy of information, not on thrill or satisfaction. There must be an image of professionalism that the international community can trust,” she said.
“Easy, easy, take it easy,” Amarat responded after Panadda proposed that Thailand refer the landmine incidents to the International Court of Justice, reminding the former beauty queen that “Thailand has not recognized the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice since 1960.”
