Phnom Penh, Cambodia – Samdech Techo Hun Sen, President of the Senate, issued a pointed message to the Thai side, offering sarcastic “lessons” on how to stage landmine planting, suggesting that their current efforts lack credibility.
“The Technique Was Lacking”: President of Senate’s Full Statement
Speaking via his Facebook social media page on the evening of December 4, 2025, Samdech Techo Hun Sen delivered a highly critical and memorable statement:
“The acting was good, but the technique was lacking. Next time, the director should prepare the scenario better, choose actors who know how to make the gestures, and especially, teach the cameraman how to film the act of a thief secretly planting a mine, only then will people believe it.”
Context: Ongoing Dispute Over Border Mine Incidents
The Senate President’s remarks constitute a direct, sarcastic response to recent accusations and disputed mine-related incidents near the Cambodia-Thailand border.
This political commentary adds sharp intensity to the ongoing diplomatic tension regarding adherence to the Ottawa Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, where Cambodia has recently accused Thailand of using mine incidents to justify aggressive measures.
Implications for Cambodia-Thailand Relations
Samdech Techo Hun Sen’s statement underscores the severity of the bilateral disagreement and signals that Cambodia is treating the alleged staging of mine incidents as a fabricated pretext, further escalating the high-profile debate over border peace and security.
