Thailand halts Cambodia ceasefire deal

BANGKOK, Nov 11 (Reuters):Thailand said on Tuesday it was halting implementation of a ceasefire pact with Cambodia a day after a landmine blast maimed a Thai soldier, posing the biggest test for a truce brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The Thai government has accused Cambodia of planting fresh landmines along a stretch of their disputed border, including a PMN-2 anti-personnel mine that injured four Thai soldiers on Monday, with one losing a foot in the explosion.
"The foreign ministry has filed a protest with Cambodia and if there is no further action or clarification, Thailand will consider revoking the declaration," government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat said in a statement.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had told the defence ministry to suspend all agreements with Cambodia indefinitely, the spokesman added.
On Tuesday, Cambodia's defence ministry denied having laid new landmines and urged Thailand to avoid patrols in old minefield areas. It was committed to working with Bangkok in line with an expanded truce deal struck in October, it added.
The United States is gathering more information on the incident, a State Department spokesperson told Reuters, urging the neighbours to maintain stability and implement the deal.
The leaders of the nations signed last month's deal, covering the withdrawal of heavy weapons from border areas and the return of 18 Cambodian prisoners of war, at a regional summit in Malaysia attended by Trump.
The had ended a five-day conflict in July that was their worst fighting in recent history after telephone calls by Trump urging their leaders to end hostilities or face obstruction to respective trade talks with Washington.