Thailand asks Cambodia to probe new landmine laying

BANGKOK, Oct 17 (TNA) - Thailand urged Cambodia to investigate the suspected laying of land mines in the Thai-Cambodian border areas following the incident in which two Thai paramilitary rangers stepped on land mines and lost their legs while patrolling deep inside Thai territory on Oct 6.

Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Thani Thongphakdee said the ministry's East Asia Department director-general Anuson Chinvanno had summoned Ouk Sophoin, Cambodia's charge d'affaires to Thailand, to present an aide memoire regarding the suspected laying of the land mine which injured the Thai rangers on the border inside Thailand's northeastern Si Sa Ket province.

A senior Foreign Ministry official called on the Cambodian government to investigate the suspected use of land mines by Cambodian forces, a move which may have threatened international peace and violated the Ottawa Convention prohibiting the use of land mines along the common border.

Though the Cambodian government had earlier dismissed allegations that they possessed PMN2 land mines, Thailand insisted that the requested probe should be eventually conducted by Cambodia to determine the truth, the ministry's deputy spokesman said. (TNA)