Cambodia and Thailand begin UN-backed conciliation on maritime dispute
Foreign ministers of Cambodia and Thailand delivered opening statements on Tuesday at the first meeting of a UN arbitration ‌process to resolve a long-running maritime dispute between the two Southeast Asian neighbours.
Cambodia and Thailand commenced a UN-backed arbitration process on Tuesday to address a longstanding maritime disagreement between the two neighboring Southeast Asian nations. The compulsory conciliation, launched under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), aims to establish a maritime boundary for the Gulf of Thailand, a region believed to contain significant natural gas and oil reserves valued at approximately $300 billion.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn expressed Cambodia's intention to secure a single maritime boundary treaty or a joint resource development agreement with Thailand. Thailand's Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow confirmed that Thailand is participating in the process "in good faith," emphasizing compliance with UNCLOS provisions and suggesting direct talks before resorting to UNCLOS proceedings.
The dispute has persisted for over 25 years, with both countries claiming roughly 26,000 square kilometers of sea. Thailand suspended a framework agreement for joint exploitation of resources in the overlapping claims area in May 2020, following deadly border clashes. Cambodia initiated the UNCLOS process in June, which involves an independent panel of experts making recommendations, though these are not legally binding.
This is the first time the UN-backed mechanism has been employed successfully in resolving a maritime dispute, with a previous instance involving East Timor and Australia.
Written by urgent.news from Bangkok Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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