Cambodia has started a compulsory conciliation process under UNCLOS with Thailand regarding overlapping maritime boundaries in the Gulf of Thailand, following Thailand's cancellation of a 2001 bilateral agreement. The disputed area holds an estimated US$300 billion in energy reserves, and both nations have a long history of border disagreements.
Cambodia has initiated a United Nations-backed dispute resolution process with Thailand over overlapping maritime claims in the Gulf of Thailand. The move, taken under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea ( UNCLOS), follows Thailand's cancellation last month of a 2001 bilateral agreement on overlapping maritime claims and energy exploration, known as MoU 44.
The disputed area contains undersea energy reserves valued at approximately US$300 billion, according to Thailand's energy ministry. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet stated on state-run TVK that his government submitted a formal notice to Thailand and the United Nations secretary-general to begin compulsory conciliation proceedings.
He emphasized that the action aims to protect Cambodia's sovereignty and maritime rights in accordance with international law, adding that both nations stand to benefit from a fair and lasting settlement guided by international expert conciliators. Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul responded that he was not aware of Cambodia's initiation of the compulsory conciliation process. His government had revoked MoU 44 due to a long-standing stalemate in its implementation.
The two Southeast Asian nations have disputed maritime territories and the demarcation of their 800-km land border for decades, a legacy of the French colonial era. The conflict has at times involved armed clashes, with Cambodia repeatedly demanding the withdrawal of Thai forces from disputed areas and condemning damage to several heritage temples sustained during fighting.
The initiation of this UNCLOS-based process marks a significant escalation in the longstanding dispute, bringing international attention to the overlapping claims in the energy-rich Gulf of Thailand. The compulsory conciliation mechanism is a peaceful dispute settlement tool that facilitates dialogue and proposes solutions without binding rulings, offering a path toward a negotiated resolution that could unlock access to substantial hydrocarbon resources for both countries
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