Thailand and Cambodia begin UN conciliation process over disputed maritime claims
- On Tuesday, Thailand and Cambodia begin UN-backed conciliation talks in Singapore regarding a 27,000-square-kilometer maritime area before a five-member panel at the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
- Cambodia initiated this process after Bangkok unilaterally terminated MOU 44 in May, which Thailand argued failed to produce progress; Phnom Penh viewed the cancellation as a major diplomatic setback.
- Valued at around $300 billion, the overlapping zone creates tension; Thailand insists on defining official maritime boundaries first, while Cambodia hopes the talks will quickly unlock shared oil and gas extraction.
- Opening statements are expected from Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn and Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow. The Thai foreign ministry remains committed to "safeguarding" its national interests, while Cambodia seeks a "fair and lasting resolution of their maritime differences."
- Spanning at least 12 months, the mediation process will yield non-binding recommendations, meaning the ultimate political decision regarding these contested waters will rest entirely with the national leaders of both Southeast Asian nations.
53 Articles
53 Articles
Thailand and Cambodia begin UN-backed conciliation process over conflicting maritime boundary claims
Representatives for both Cambodia and Thailand on Tuesday delivered opening statements during the first meeting of a United Nations-sanctioned arbitration process intended to resolve a long-running maritime dispute between the neighboring countries. The meeting, which was held in Singapore, served as the first step in the compulsory conciliation process under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), launched by the Cambodian government.…
Thailand and Cambodia have initiated a conciliation process within the framework of UNCLOS in relation to a disputed maritime area where there may be significant reserves of natural gas and other hydrocarbons.
Cambodia ‘playing the victim,’ Thailand says
Thailand yesterday said that Cambodia was playing the victim in a dispute over maritime resources, as the Southeast Asian neighbors took their feud to international mediators a year after deadly clashes over their land border.Cambodia, which initiated the case before the Permanent Court of Arbitrati
Cambodia, which brought the case before the Permanent Court of Arbitration (CPA) in Singapore, expressed its hope that the hearings would lead to a peaceful solution for the two neighbours of South-East Asia. Bangkok and Phnom Penh have been opposing for decades on the demarcation of their land border of 800 kilometres, a legacy of the French colonial era, but also on their maritime territories. In May 2026, Thailand unilaterally withdrew from a…
On Tuesday, Thailand accused Cambodia of "playing the victims" in the dispute over maritime resources and brought before international mediators, one year after deadly clashes linked to their land border.
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