Bangkok: Government spokesman reiterates that the landmines Thai soldiers stepped on are new. Prime Minister's Office spokesman Siripong Angkasakulkiat clarified Malaysia's Bernama news agency's report of a statement by Malaysian Foreign Minister Dato' Seri Utama Haji Mohamad bin Haji Hasan, which deviated from the original Malay language. He stated that the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) reported that the landmines Thai soldiers stepped on were not new. This contradicts the original statement and the evidence, which the Thai side has verified as new mines laid by Cambodia. This has led to misunderstandings about the situation along the Thai-Cambodian border.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Siripong stated that Bernama news agency has verified and confirmed that there was an error in the translation of the statement from Malay to English and has corrected the wording in the relevant paragraph, stating that the ASEAN observer mission in Thailand and Cambodia reported "new mines found", not "no new mines found" as previously mistranslated.
The Prime Minister's Office spokesperson confirmed that Thailand has inspected and verified that the landmine that Thai soldiers stepped on on November 10, 2015, in the Huai Ta Maria area of Kantharalak District, Sisaket Province, was a newly planted mine by Cambodia. The inspection found PMN2 mine fragments in the mine crater and the area near the aircraft, and three more mines were found around the crater. This area is a former Thai patrol route, where Cambodian soldiers had previously intruded and deployed. Therefore, it can be concluded that Cambodian forces secretly came in to lay new mines in Thai territory.
Mr. Siripong emphasized and requested cooperation, stating that this matter is a sensitive one. He urged caution in disseminating information, as any mistake that would cause Thailand to lose its advantage would require the Thai government to fight to the end.