Bangkok: Thailand has expelled the Cambodian ambassador and recalled its envoy after a Thai soldier lost a leg in a landmine blast as a border dispute festers. Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai announced that an investigation by the Thai military found evidence implicating Cambodia in laying new landmines in the disputed territory.
According to TRTworld.com, the ongoing territorial conflict in the Emerald Triangle, where the boundaries of Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos converge, escalated into military clashes in May, resulting in the death of a Cambodian soldier. The tensions have led to Thailand’s decision to downgrade diplomatic relations by recalling its ambassador and expelling Cambodia’s ambassador in retaliation.
The Thai army reported that, in addition to the soldier who lost his leg, others suffered ear injuries and chest pain due to the explosion. The army chief is scheduled to visit the wounded soldiers on Thursday to assess their conditions and provide support.
The border dispute has adversely affected relations between Phnom Penh and Bangkok, leading to the closure of border crossings. Cambodia has also blocked imports of fuel, gas, fruit, and vegetables from Thailand. This situation has triggered a domestic political crisis in Thailand. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is currently suspended from office pending an ethics probe concerning her actions during the conflict.
A diplomatic conversation between Paetongtarn and Hun Sen, Cambodia’s former longtime leader and father of the current Prime Minister Hun Manet, was leaked from the Cambodian side, prompting a judicial investigation. In response to the escalating tensions, Hun Manet announced last week that Cambodia would initiate conscription of civilians starting next year, reviving a long-dormant mandatory draft law. He emphasized that the situation with Thailand necessitated conscription and a potential increase in the defense budget.