Thai Enquirer
Cambodia proposes interim joint resource development in maritime dispute
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3 แหล่งข่าวยืนยัน
Cambodia said it was prepared to negotiate an interim agreement with Thailand to jointly develop offshore resources without waiting for a final maritime boundary settlement, as the two countries opened their first UNCLOS conciliation meeting in Singa
Key facts
- The two governments signed the 2001 MOU, known in Thailand as MOU 44, to create a negotiating framework
- The issue became increasingly politicised following deadly land-border fighting in 2025
- Cambodia ratified UNCLOS on February 6, 2026, gaining access to the convention’s compulsory conciliation mechanism.
- Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said Phnom Penh ultimately wanted a treaty establishing a single maritime boundary
Summary
Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn said Phnom Penh ultimately wanted a treaty establishing a single maritime boundary. If the two sides failed to reach agreements on delimitation or joint development, Cambodia would ask the conciliation commission to issue recommendations for a future settlement.
Thailand did not explicitly endorse the joint-development proposal. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said Bangkok wanted a fair negotiated boundary and had previously proposed six months of direct talks, followed by mediation if no agreement was reached.