KhmerTimes-Sept 14, 2026
Cambodia has filed a complaint with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) over the use of chemical substances by Thailand during the 2025 military aggression against Cambodia, as technical assessments documented hundreds of damage sites and impact craters at the Preah Vihear Temple complex. The complaint follows findings of suspected chemical substances in war-affected areas, including rice fields and villages, while assessments from Cambodian authorities recorded damage at 562 locations and 501 impact craters at the UNESCO-listed temple during fighting in July and December 2025. The Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) said its field operations identified suspected chemical substances and munitions in several areas. The evidence has been submitted to the OPCW, which is responsible for conducting a technical examination and verification. Speaking during a presentation on the impact of explosive remnants from the conflict, CMAC Director-General Heng Ratana said the findings were based on months of field research and
verification, including photographs, location data, samples, shell fragments and munition remnants. Information Minister Neth Pheaktra said figures from a UNESCO World Heritage Centre–ICOMOS Joint Advisory Mission showed damage at 142 locations during the July 2025 fighting and 420 locations during the December fighting. Ratana said CMAC identified 43 types of weapons during clearance operations conducted since July 2025, particularly following the fighting in December.
CMAC Director-General Heng Ratana says evidence that Thailand used toxic chemicals in its attacks on Cambodia has been submitted to the OPCW for verification. Ratana said Cambodia and Thailand are parties to the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits chemical weapons.
“Therefore, under this convention, both states are parties to the convention. And throughout the world, the use of chemical weapons is prohibited,” he said. He said CMAC found evidence of chemical substances in civilian areas and identified methods of deployment involving aircraft, drones and artillery.
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