Cambodia Cites Vientiane Cluster Munitions Declaration in Condemning Alleged Thai Use

Terry Felix On September 28, 2026 - 2:36 pm In Asia Pacific 2mn Read

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 28, 2026 — Cambodia has cited the outcome of a recent international conference on cluster munitions in Laos as further grounds for condemning what it describes as Thailand’s use of cluster munitions on Cambodian territory.

The Third Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions was held in Vientiane from Sept. 14–18, bringing together delegations from 91 countries, including 74 States Parties, 17 observer states and 27 international organizations. The conference adopted three key outcome documents: a review of the Lausanne Action Plan, a Political Declaration and the Vientiane Capital Action Plan for 2027–2031.

The conference’s final message reaffirmed opposition to the use of cluster munitions and called for an end to the suffering caused by the weapons, while emphasizing clearance of contaminated areas, assistance for victims and survivors, and international cooperation.

Cambodian officials and mine-action authorities have separately reported finding M42, M46 and M85 unexploded submunitions in areas affected by fighting with Thailand in 2025. The Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) has said the remnants were left following Thai military operations and pose continuing risks to civilians.

According to the Cambodian account, approximately 6–7 million cluster munitions of the M42, M46 and M85 types were used by Thai forces against Cambodian territory and Cambodian military and police positions. Cambodia further claims that civilian areas were directly affected, including 349 villages, of which 335 have so far been surveyed.

The Cambodian figures also put the affected area at nearly 300,000 hectares, with more than 90,000 families, or over 350,000 people, reportedly affected. Cambodia says the impact extends to schools, hospitals, health centres, pagodas, agricultural land, homes and other civilian infrastructure.

These figures and the attribution of the use to Thai forces are claims by Cambodian authorities and have not been independently established in the sources reviewed for this report.

CMAC has previously confirmed the identification of M42, M46 and M85 submunitions in Cambodian border areas. On Sept. 16, CMAC called for international assistance to survey and clear the remnants, saying unexploded submunitions had already caused 10 Cambodian casualties.

At a Sept. 11 workshop, CMAC Director-General Heng Ratana said specialists had identified the same types of cluster-munition remnants in areas affected by the 2025 conflict and warned that unexploded submunitions continued to pose risks to farmers and rural communities.

The Convention on Cluster Munitions prohibits States Parties from using, developing, producing, acquiring, stockpiling or transferring cluster munitions. The Vientiane conference focused on strengthening implementation of the Convention, including clearance, risk education, victim assistance, stockpile destruction and universalization.

The Cambodian position comes amid continued efforts to document and clear explosive remnants in areas affected by the 2025 Cambodia-Thailand conflict. Cambodia has called for international technical and financial assistance to accelerate clearance and reduce risks to affected communities.