Mines in Thailand
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Thailand has experienced intense ground warfare and deployment of a large number of landmines and littering of explosive remnants of war (ERW) in limited areas in the country. Land is still out of bounds due to landmines and ERW: the main problem being a high level of landmine contamination in the Cambodia-Thailand border areas, a lot of which are designated for the establishment of national parks.
Country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Lao PDR, Myanmar, Cambodia, the Gulf of Thailand, and Malaysia.
Area: 513.115 sq km
Population: approx. 64,000,000
Demographic: Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, Other 1%
Thailand is a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty (MBT). Not a signatory to the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM).
Mine/ERW accident rates were in 2001 at approximately 175 victims per year concentrated to the areas bordering Cambodia. Thailand also receives a large number of mine and ERW victims having accidents across the border to Myanmar but the situation along this area is mainly unknown at present. According to the National Authority the estimated area of landmine contamination is 528 square kilometers. There is also a considerable problem with explosive violence in the South of the country with a considerable number of injuries and deaths.
NPA Mine Action History in the Country
NPA carried out the national Landmine Impact Survey (LIS) of Thailand in collaboration with the Thailand Mine Action Centre (TMAC). The survey included mapping of mined and ERW areas using the methodology at the time. NPA resumed support to TMAC in 2008, mainly providing technical advice on TMAC’s capacities in Strategic planning, on information management and introducing the concept of land release.
Capacity
NPA has supported TMAC during 2009 with technical advice on strategic planning, information management and land release; coordinating closely with UNDP and TMAC and other stakeholders such as the Jesuit Refugee Service on advocacy and the Landmine Monitor. The programme also works towards getting Thailand to sign the Convention on Cluster Munitions and address’ the issue of stockpile destruction in particular which is the only known challenge for Thailand in regards to the CCM. NPA will during 2010, and based on the on-going project on information management and land release, assess the possibility to establish survey and clearance operations in cooperation with TMAC. It is NPA’s intention to then develop a technical survey capacity based on the land release methodology, providing essential additional resources to assist Thailand in meeting their obligations under the APMBT.
Donors
The Landmine Impact Survey was funded by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, United States Department of State, UK Department for International Development, United Nations Foundation, Australia, Canada-DFAIT, Finland, Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation and Japan Alliance for Humanitarian Demining Support. The current programme is funded by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
