Cambodia has formally informed the United Nations and Thailand that it is initiating a compulsory conciliation process under international law in an effort to resolve a long-standing maritime boundary dispute between the two neighbouring countries.
The move comes after Thailand last month unilaterally terminated a 2001 agreement that had provided a framework for negotiations over overlapping territorial claims in the Gulf of Thailand.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said the decision was taken to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and maritime rights in accordance with international law.
“We have taken this step to protect Cambodia’s sovereignty and maritime rights in accordance with international law,” Hun Manet said.
The dispute centres on a resource-rich area of the Gulf of Thailand where both countries claim overlapping maritime boundaries.
Thailand’s decision to withdraw from the 2001 agreement followed a campaign promise by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who secured re-election earlier this year amid a wave of nationalist sentiment.
Tensions between the two countries have remained high following two rounds of deadly military clashes along their disputed border last year.
Under the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the compulsory conciliation mechanism allows a panel of independent experts to review the dispute and issue recommendations aimed at helping both sides reach a resolution.
However, any findings or recommendations produced by the panel are not legally binding on either Cambodia or Thailand.
While the process does not guarantee a settlement, analysts view the move as a significant diplomatic effort to prevent further escalation and encourage dialogue over one of Southeast Asia’s most sensitive territorial disputes.
The latest development places renewed international attention on the maritime disagreement, which has remained unresolved for decades despite multiple rounds of negotiations.
