Thailand protests to Cambodia over landmine blast [This means that Thai soldiers crossed the border line]

Thai protest after border mine casualty 

Writer: Thanida Tansubhapol

Bangkok Post

Published: 4/05/2012

The Foreign Ministry on Friday strongly protested against Cambodia's continued efforts to place landmines along the Thai-Cambodian border, one of which seriously injured a Thai soldier on Wednesday.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongphakdi (Photo by Kosol Nakachol)

Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongphakdi expressed disappointment over the incident, saying the relationship between the two countries had improved recently.[What about Thai soldiers killing Cambodians everyday, more than 30 so far?]

"The incident was an action clearly in violation of Thai sovereignty, and left a Thai soldier seriously injured," said Mr Thani.

Sgt Chatree Kaewprasan, of the 23rd Infantry Division, was on a foot patrol near the 4.6-square kilometre disputed area around Preah Vihear on Wednesday night when he set off a landmine which blew off his right leg.

Mr Thani said Thailand hoped that Cambodia would understand and take action to prevent any similar incident in the future.

Thai agencies were gathering evidence about the explosion and would report it soon to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction, he said.

-----------------------------------

• 

BANGKOK, April 4 - Thailand strongly protested to Cambodia over Wednesday's landmine blast which seriously injured a Thai soldier on patrol in the northeastern province of Si Sa Ket bordering Cambodia, Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson Thani Thongpakdi said on Friday.

Thailand expressed “strong disappointment” over the incident which happened as bilateral ties have been gradually improving, “strongly protests” as the incident was “obviously a violation of Thai sovereignty and territorial integrity," Mr Thani said.

Sgt Chatree Kaewprasan of the 23rd Infantry Division lost his right leg stepping on a landmine while patrolling the Thai-Cambodian border in Si Sa Ket's Kantararak district Wednesday night.

The ministry spokesperson said Thailand would lodge a complaint at the meeting of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention in an attempt to prevent any repetition of the incident.

"Thailand hopes Cambodia will understand this and do its best to prevent a repetition of the incident," Mr Thani stated.

He added concerned agencies were now collecting information on the landmine blast and that the foreign ministry will report the incident to the meeting of the Ottawa Treaty or the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention.

Thailand's Second Army spokesman Col Prawit Hookaew earlier said landmines were recently planted in two spots located in Thai territory.

It was believed that they were planted by illegal loggers who sought to revenge after Thai troops launched a crackdown to prevent them from felling rosewood trees along the border.

Early this week, Cambodia accused Thailand of attacking that its troops on patrol on Sunday, but Thai army spokesman Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd dismissed the claim.

He said the Sunday border skirmish occurred as Thai paramilitary rangers and forestry department workers on patrol to prevent contraband logging fired warning shots when they saw poachers felling rosewood trees in Thai territory half a kilometre from the border. (MCOT online news)