AKP Phnom Penh, August 22, 2025 —

Senior Minister H.E. Dr. Ly Thuch, First Vice President of the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority (CMAA), has reaffirmed Cambodia’s strong commitment to the Ottawa Convention, the international treaty banning anti-personnel mines. 

In a meeting with the Convention’s president, H.E. Dr. Ly Thuch firmly rejected recent accusations from Thailand that Cambodia has deployed new landmines along the border.

Today, H.E. Dr. Ly Thuch held a virtual meeting with Mrs. Ichikawa Tomiko, President of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, and the Convention’s Cooperative Compliance Committee to address the claims. 

Cambodia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, H.E. In Dara, also attended the meeting.

H.E. Dr. Ly Thuch called the allegations from Thailand "baseless" and lacking credible evidence. He highlighted Cambodia’s significant achievements in mine action, which have transformed contaminated land into safe zones for development and saved countless civilian lives. He emphasised Cambodia’s role as a global leader in mine action, sharing its expertise and providing training to other mine-affected nations.

Cambodia has been a trusted leader in the global anti-landmine movement, having chaired the Ottawa Convention twice, in 2011 and again in 2024. H.E. Dr. Ly Thuch underscored that as one of the most heavily mined countries in the world, Cambodia is recognised as a key architect of the anti-landmine movement and the Ottawa Convention itself. 

He stressed that Cambodia "has never used and will never use anti-personnel mines" and that Thailand’s unfounded accusations seriously harm Cambodia’s reputation and the credibility of the Convention.

H.E. Dr. Ly Thuch also shared a new initiative launched by Cambodia’s Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet to promote humanitarian demining cooperation with Thailand in clearly demarcated border areas. He noted that the proposal, which is intended to ensure safety and development in border zones, will be discussed by the Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee. 

The CMAA stands ready to implement the initiative once an agreement is reached.

In her response, Mrs. Ichikawa Tomiko, together with members of the Cooperative Compliance Committee, expressed deep condolences to Cambodian troops and civilians who have suffered casualties and displacement due to recent armed clashes along the border. She extended best wishes for Cambodia’s early return to peace.

She also praised Cambodia’s relentless mine action efforts and commended Prime Minister Hun Manet’s new initiative, calling it a positive step toward safeguarding communities and fostering socio-economic development.

By K. Rithy Reak