Thailand suspends peace pact with Cambodia after landmine explosion

ISTANBUL

Thailand suspended its peace agreement with Cambodia on Monday after Thai soldiers were seriously injured in a landmine explosion in a border province.

"All operations under the Joint Declaration on Thai-Cambodian Relations, signed in Kuala Lumpur on October 26th, must be halted immediately," said Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, according to public broadcaster Thai PBS.

The two countries signed the peace agreement in the presence of US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Cambodia and Thailand agreed to an unconditional ceasefire on July 28 at a trilateral meeting hosted by Anwar following weeks of hostilities.

"The hostility we hoped would subside clearly has not. Following this morning’s incident, cooperation cannot continue for now," Anutin said.

The landmine explosion occurred Monday morning during the troops' patrol in the border province of Si Sa Ket.

Two soldiers were wounded, with one losing his right foot and the other sustaining chest injuries.

Anutin told reporters that any future progress will only proceed if it serves Thailand's interests.

Defense Minister Gen Nattaphon Nakpanich said that "formal protests will be filed right away."

"As for the matter of prisoners of war, that will be put on hold for now. If it turns out that this was intentional, there will be more serious consequences," he added.

Government spokesman Siripong Angkasakulkiat said, "It’s too early to say" whether the suspension is "indefinite."

"Once the protest has been filed, we will assess our next steps," he added.

Cambodia stressed its commitment to the Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration on Peace, Cooperation and Prosperity, according to the Khmer Times daily.

Lt. Gen. Rath Dararoth, secretary of state at the Ministry of National Defense, said Phnom Penh is committed "to implementing its obligations and expressed readiness to work closely with Thailand for the mutual benefit of both countries and peoples."

The Cambodian Foreign Ministry, in a statement issued on Monday, said that Phnom Penh is “gravely concerned” about Thailand’s decision to suspend the peace agreement.

“The Royal Government of Cambodia categorically denies the allegations by Thailand that new landmines have been laid by Cambodia at the border with Thailand,” it said on the US social media company Facebook’s platform.

The statement noted that minefields along the Cambodia-Thailand border, which date back to nearly three decades of Cambodia's civil wars in the 1970s and 1980s, remain uncleared due to “difficult terrains and the un-demarcated status of the border areas.”

“Cambodia remains committed to implementing the Joint Declaration, which was signed amidst much applaud from the international community,” the statement added.