• A July 16 incident involving landmines led to a brief conflict between Thailand and Cambodia.
• Thailand accuses Cambodia of placing PMN-2 landmines; Cambodia denies these allegations.
• Experts suggest the mines might have been recently laid, complicating the dispute further.
• The Ottawa Convention's compliance is under scrutiny as Thailand presses for accountability.
• Demining efforts have uncovered hundreds of PMN-2 mines since September 2023.

A brief but intense conflict erupted between Thailand and Cambodia following a landmine incident on July 16, 2025, which injured Thai Army Second Lieutenant Baramee Sricha. The patrol incident, where a member stepped on a landmine, prompted a five-day standoff between the two nations, ultimately leading to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. The clash also instigated diplomatic tensions over the accusation that Cambodia laid the PMN-2 landmines along the border, which both countries have agreed not to use under international treaties, according to Reuters, Bangkok Post, and Channel News Asia.

The Thai military asserts that the newly-laid PMN-2 mines have increased risks at the border, citing injuries to at least six soldiers, including Lieutenant Baramee. In contrast, Cambodia deflects these allegations, attributing incidents to non-PMN-2 mines left from past civil conflicts. Cambodia's military claims it has no stockpiles of live anti-personnel mines in its inventory, according to statements by the Cambodia Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), as reported by Reuters and Channel News Asia.

Cambodia is positioning itself as an advocate against landmines and has invested around $1 billion in demining efforts across the country over the last three decades. Any use of anti-personnel mines would represent a significant setback to its decades-long commitment to disarmament, highlighting the stakes involved in the ongoing tensions. Experts from the Landmine Monitor have noted that this situation is particularly concerning, especially in light of specific European nations withdrawing from the Ottawa Convention, which prohibits landmine usage, reports Bangkok Post and Channel News Asia.

The Thai military has produced videos and photographs purportedly depicting their demining efforts following the July incident, along with other blast occurrences on July 23. Independent evaluations of these materials suggest that the mines appear freshly laid, complicating the ongoing dispute regarding their placement and origins. Disagreement persists regarding the precise identification of the mines involved and the context of their recent planting, with conflicting assessments from both Thai and Cambodian officials, according to Reuters, Bangkok Post, and Channel News Asia.

Moreover, the CMAA's Vice President Ly Thuch emphasized that mere visual assessments of landmines are inconclusive without rigorous investigation. This sentiment reinforces the complexities of the situation, compounded by the historical context of sustained landmine contamination from decades of conflict, particularly along the 1,046 km stretch of the Thai-Cambodian border. In response to allegations regarding landmine usage, Thailand has sought the intervention of the United Nations and pushed for discussions under the Ottawa Convention's compliance mechanisms to address violations, as noted by Reuters and Bangkok Post.

Despite the ongoing demining efforts that began after a 1991 peace accord, PMN-2 mines remain a significant concern in the region. Since September 2023 alone, the CMAA has reported the recovery of approximately 1,800 PMN-2 mines. This resurgence in mine presence raises alarm for future diplomatic relations and safety along the contested border, compelling both nations to navigate these treacherous discussions carefully, according to Channel News Asia and Reuters.