Thailand has suspended a peace agreement with Cambodia brokered by US President Donald Trump after a landmine blast injured four Thai soldiers near the border, reigniting tensions between the Southeast Asian neighbours.
The Thai military chief, General Ukris Boontanondha, announced the halt to all agreements, saying Cambodia must show 'clear sincerity' that it will not be hostile. The decision came after an explosion early on Monday in Thailand's Sisaket province during a patrol, leaving one soldier with the loss of his right foot.
Thailand accused Cambodia of planting the mine, alleging that barbed wire had been removed and the ordnance newly laid. Cambodia's foreign ministry expressed 'grave concern' and denied the accusation, noting that the agreement included the removal of heavy weapons and the release of 18 Cambodian prisoners of war.
The peace deal, expanded in October following a five-day border conflict in July that killed at least 48 people and displaced an estimated 300,000, had been seen as a significant step towards stability. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Chanvirakul stated that 'everything has to stop until there is clarity'.
Landmine blasts were a catalyst for the earlier clashes, with both sides trading accusations over the laying of mines. Experts have suggested that the mines involved were likely newly planted.
