Thailand

Thailand nearly halved its remaining mine contamination in 2023, releasing 8.76km² through survey and clearance. Thailand stepped up engagement with Cambodian authorities to try to reach agreement on clearance of un-demarcated areas of their common border without immediate results. TMAC reported Cambodian troops intervened on five occasions to stop clearance operations in border areas. In June 2024, Thailand released a three-year work plan setting revised targets for completing demining by its Article 5 deadline at the end of 2026.

Thailand still had 218km² of confirmed and suspected hazardous areas at the end of 2019 but by implementing a strategy cancelling large areas through non-technical survey (NTS) has slashed its outstanding contamination and come within sight of clearing all known mazards and fulfilling its Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) Article 5 obligations. Final completion now requires diplomatic engagement with Cambodia as well as technical survey and clearance.

• Thailand should step up engagement with Cambodia at political, diplomatic, and military levels to conclude agreement on clearing mined areas on their joint border.
• The Thai Mine Action Centre (TMAC) should complete its review of mine action standards and expedite their operational implementation.
• Thailand should develop and disclose plans for the management of residual contamination.

Click here to download the "Clearing the Mines 2024" report for Thailand.