50 envoys to get briefing on landmine breaches

Thailand will today brief more than 50 diplomats from signatories and member states of the Ottawa Convention on repeated landmine incidents along the Thai-Cambodian border, emphasising Phnom Penh's refusal to cooperate in demining operations.

- MONGKOL BANGPRAPA JAKKRIT WAEWKLAYHONG

The briefing comes ahead of site visits scheduled for tomorrow.

Thailand will present documented evidence of mine-related incidents to the international community and push for stronger pressure on Phnom Penh to end the repeated use of antipersonnel landmines, said government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub, speaking on behalf of the government's Ad-Hoc Centre for the Thailand-Cambodia Border Situation.

"The use of antipersonnel landmines is a serious breach of the Ottawa Convention, as well as basic humanitarian principles," he said.

In a bid to increase international scrutiny, Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has invited over 50 diplomatic missions, primarily from countries that are signatories to the Ottawa Convention, to visit the affected provinces of Ubon Ratchathani and Si Sa Ket tomorrow.