Kuala Lampur, July 24 -- When three Thai soldiers were maimed by landmines near the tranquil hills of Chong Bok on July 16, few could have predicted how quickly the incident would spiral into a full-blown diplomatic standoff. But it has.

And the sudden escalation in tensions between Thailand and Cambodia reveals not just the fragility of bilateral ties, but the deeper structural failures of Asean in managing recurring border disputes that threaten regional stability.

At the heart of the crisis is a tragic yet dangerous development: over 100 newly-planted landmines-Russian-made PMN-2 anti-personnel devices-discovered within Thai territory.

The Thai military, shocked by the blast that injured their soldiers, quickly accused Cambodia of c...