The Thai military announced on 19/8 that its navy's mine clearance unit found and seized an abandoned mobile phone near the border in Si Sa Ket province. The phone contained videos, photos, and audio recordings allegedly showing Cambodian soldiers secretly deploying PMN-2 anti-personnel mines.

"The digital data, including images and videos with precise timestamps, provides undeniable evidence of a ceasefire violation and the illegal use of anti-personnel mines," the Thai military stated.

Images allegedly showing Cambodian soldiers burying mines at the border, collected by the Thai military from a phone found in the Phu Ma Kia area, Si Sa Ket province. Photo: Thai Ministry of Defense

Images allegedly showing Cambodian soldiers burying mines at the border, collected by the Thai military from a phone found in the Phu Ma Kia area, Si Sa Ket province. Photo: Thai Ministry of Defense

Acting Thai Defense Minister Nattapon Nakpanich announced that Bangkok will soon submit all videos, images, and audio recordings from the phone to the secretariat of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) in Geneva, Switzerland, instead of waiting for the annual conference later this year. The Thai ambassador to Geneva will personally submit the file to the convention's governing body.

The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also directly contacted Japan, the current president of the Conference of the States Parties to the Ottawa Convention, requesting a review of the allegations against Cambodia for violating the ban on anti-personnel mines.

Cambodian government spokesperson Pen Bona stated that the accusations against Phnom Penh are "ineffective and baseless." He emphasized the Cambodian government and people's commitment to peace, adding that "the international community clearly understands this message as all Cambodians affirm our desire for peace."

Pen Bona suggested that Thailand is attempting to exploit the issue of leftover mines at the border to portray itself as a victim, while the Cambodian people "are the true victims, having suffered heavy bombing from F-16 aircraft, including MK-84, MK-82 bombs, and various cluster bombs."

Images of two individuals in Cambodian military uniforms burying anti-personnel mines, found on the phone recovered by the Thai military at the border on 19/8. Photo: Thai Ministry of Defense

Images of two individuals in Cambodian military uniforms burying anti-personnel mines, found on the phone recovered by the Thai military at the border on 19/8. Photo: Thai Ministry of Defense

Responding to Phnom Penh's counter-argument that the videos and images were staged by Thailand, acting Defense Minister Nattapon affirmed that he would "respond with the truth," emphasizing that "peace comes only from truth."

Nattapon acknowledged that the Cambodian government may genuinely desire to adhere to the ceasefire agreement reached by both sides in Malaysia on 28/7. However, he expressed concern about a lack of discipline among some Cambodian soldiers at the border. He warned that Thailand would "respond accordingly" if the ceasefire is not respected.

The Thai military reported that 13 of its soldiers have been injured by landmines at the border since mid-July, the most recent incident occurring on 12/8 when soldiers were patrolling a route previously cleared of mines.

Fighting between Cambodia and Thailand erupted at the disputed border area on the morning of 24/7. This was the most serious clash between the two neighboring countries in over 10 years, resulting in at least 43 deaths on both sides.

Following the ceasefire agreement on 28/7, leaders of the Thai and Cambodian military regions agreed not to deploy additional troops or move forces along the border.

Thanh Danh (Bangkok Post, Nation, Fresh News)