The Thai Supreme Command announced today that the ASEAN Observer Team in Thailand (AOT-TH) have concluded that the landmine explosion at Phu Makua, in the Kantharalak district of Si Sa Ket province on November 10th, was caused by a PMN-2 anti-personnel landmine which had been newly laid on Thai territory.
Four Thai soldiers were wounded in the explosion, including one who had his lower right leg amputated.
The command said the AOT-TH’s conclusion is supported by evidence and based on field inspections of top soil at the scene of the explosion, traces of the burial of the landmine and the pattern in which the landmines were planted, which match the findings from the scenes of previous landmine explosions.
A Thai engineering unit and the AOT-TH stopped short of further surveying the area at Phu Makua, however, over concerns that more landmines might have been laid.
The AOT-TH also reported that the locations of all the landmine explosions were checked with the use of GPS system and Google Maps, confirming that the incidents took place on Thai territory.
More importantly, the Supreme Command said the leader of the AOT-TH had checked a personal cellphone, left by a Cambodian soldier after they withdrew from Phu Makua in late July. Stored on the cellphone were still pictures and videos showing Cambodian troops laying PMN-2 anti-personnel landmines “which are empirical evidence of Cambodian soldiers laying landmines on Thai territory.”
The Supreme Command announced that Thailand will, however, proceed with its bilateral commitments with Cambodia with honesty and transparency.
