Landmine blasts prompt ban protest

A soldier shows a defused landmine, one of four TMN1 mines found along the Thai-Cambodian border in Surin. Three Thai rangers were injured, one seriously after stepping on landmines while patrolling border areas near Ta Kwai Hindu KHMER temple in Surin’s Phanom Dong Rak district.

Three Thai rangers stepped on landmines along the common border in Surin on Tuesday.

7 Mar 2013

Bangkok Post

The landmines were found to be Vietnamese-made TMN1 mines, which are commonly used by the Cambodian military, a source said.

Thailand will now notify Cambodia that it has violated the Ottawa mine ban treaty, which both countries signed. The treaty bans signatory states from using and stockpiling landmines.

At least four new landmines were found planted along the border area in Surin.

Thai and Cambodian soldiers had earlier conducted joint landmine clearing operations around Ta Muen Thom and Ta Kwai Hindu KHMER temples in Surin following fierce fighting along the border in 2011, the source said.

On Tuesday, a 16-member ranger patrol unit was inspecting areas around Ta Kwai temple in Surin's Phanom Dong Rak district when three rangers stepped on landmines. One ranger's right leg was blown off.

The source said a joint survey in the demilitarised zone around the Preah Vihear temple to pave the way for the clearing of landmines has not yet started as the Thai-Cambodian Joint Working Group (JWG) has to sign the agreement on landmine clearing first.