Global panel to hear Cambodia, Thailand sea dispute

Cambodia and Thailand are set to appear before international mediators in Singapore to resolve a longstanding dispute over valuable maritime resources in the Gulf of Thailand. The two Southeast Asian neighbors have been feuding for years over the 27,000 square kilometer area, which is rich in resources.

Cambodia initiated a UN-backed conciliation process at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in Phnom Penh after Thailand withdrew from an agreement to jointly exploit offshore energy. The 2001 memorandum of understanding, known as MoU 44, covered the disputed territory but Bangkok unilaterally pulled out in May claiming no progress was made.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul denied the pullout was connected to the border conflict that erupted last year, causing dozens of deaths and displacing over a million people. Cambodia initiated the conciliation process to protect its sovereignty and maritime rights, as Prime Minister Hun Manet stated in June.

The PCA, the world's oldest international dispute resolution body, will hear the opening statements of both countries' representatives on Tuesday. The recommendations of the five-member conciliation panel, set up in 1899, will take about a year to decide. Both nations hope the process will lead to a fair and lasting resolution and eventually allow them to explore significant oil and gas resources worth around $300 billion according to Thailand's energy ministry.