Cambodian Landmine Museum – 2022 Guide

Despite almost 25 years of peace since the fall of the Khmer Rouge Cambodia remains one of the 3 most mined places on earth after Iraq and Afghanistan. The Cambodia Lindome Museum was created to educate people on what is still a deadly killer within the country.

How mined in Cambodia?

Despite de-ming at breakneck speed Cambodia still has over 2,000,000 square kilometres of land that needs de-mining, with only two provinces, namely Kep and Prey Veng currently being mine-free. 

To read about Prey Veng being mine-free click here.

There has though been a lot of progress and where over 4500 people were injured or killed in 1996, this number had dropped to just 46 in 2021. Still “just” still means that peoples lives are greatly affected and only this year 3 de-miners were killed when trying to defuse 4 mines that had been piled one upon the other.

Anti-Personnel mines and the Khmer Rouge 

Known as “sleeping soldiers” anti-personal mines have been outlawed by almost all countries, with he exception of countries such as China, Israel, Russia and the United States. Read into that what you will.

The reason they are called “sleeping soldiers” is that they are hidden and cause damage to people, usually civilians which can lead to death, or more often that not amputations. The sad, but true theory being that it takes more time and energy to look after an injured person that a dead one.

This was a tactic brutally employed by the Khmer Rouge right up until their last days along the border with Thailand, which remains one of the most mined places in the country.

To read about the last Khmer Rouge state click here.

The Cambodian Landmine Museum AKA CMAA Museum

Located on the outskirts of Siem Reap this is not just a museum to the history of landmines in the country, but is run the Cambodian Mine Action Authority, the body who are responsible for de-mining in the country. This means that as well as the museum element documenting the history and tragedy of mines in Cambodia, but also the work on the CMAA.

 This includes seeing how de-miners work, as well as getting demonstration from both the dogs and highly trained Tanzanian rats who have been trained to sniff out mines. 

There are also numerous relics of war, tales of tragedy and examples of unexploded ordinance.

What is unexploded ordinance?

Essentially unexploded bombs and other kinds of bombs, which in the context of Cambodia  mostly means bombs dropped by US forces in their secret bombing campaign in the country. Sadly these will take hundreds of years to clear, with World War One and Two shells bombs and the like still showing up in various parts of the UK. This was though something that least admitted to having a “historic obligation to help with”.

To read an interview with the de-mining minister click here.

One extreme example of unexploded ordinance is the sunken ship off of the Isle of  Sheppey which if detonated could literally take out the Kent coast and cause a tsunami. Yes we will cover it in an article later. 

How can you visit the Cambodian Landmine Museum

There’s no public transport here, nor even grab if yo happen to get stick here, with the Cambodian Landmine museum being way out in the boonies. It is though well worth a visit, and can be done via Tuk-Tuk for around $20 return.

We include the Cambodian Landmine Museum on our Dark Tourism tour, as well as our Cambodian Independent Tours.

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