No ASEAN Report Confirms Mine Was Newly Planted, Cambodian Expert Says

 

 

— A Cambodian military expert has rejected claims by the Thai military that a landmine which detonated under Thai soldiers on Nov. 10 was newly planted, saying no official ASEAN report supports the allegation.

The expert said the Thai military’s statement — issued Nov. 24 and citing findings from the ASEAN Observer Team–Thailand (AOT-Th) — misrepresents the role of ASEAN observers and does not reflect the truth.

ASEAN observation reports must be jointly produced by observers based in both Cambodia and Thailand, the expert noted. A unilateral report from the Thai side alone cannot be considered valid. To date, ASEAN has issued no report verifying that the mine was newly planted.

Cambodia has repeatedly maintained that mines found along the Cambodia–Thailand border are remnants from decades of civil war and that its forces have never planted new mines in the area.

The expert also questioned the credibility of phone images circulated by Thai soldiers purporting to show newly planted mines, saying such photos are not strong evidence and could easily be fabricated. He stressed the need for a joint investigation to establish the facts before drawing conclusions.
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By: In Sopheng