Agreements Between Cambodia and Thailand are Complex, Not Easily Explained as Positive or Negative for Either Side

#Opinion

A quick glance at current views of the Thai government’s actions suggest that they are attempting to decouple the conflict with Cambodia over demarcation of sea boundaries from the matter of joint exploration of resources. Favoring the former plays to the nationalist interests of the populace, while actioning the latter plays to the interests of the elite, who care less about nationalism and more about making money.

MoU 44 seems to be more supportive of national interests because joint exploration and development of resources in the sea required settling disputes as a condition precedent. Cambodia ratified UNCLOS in January 2026, so Thailand’s shift to UNCLOS is not necessarily adversarial as it is a possible strategic move to accommodate Thai elites.

None of these speculations are set in stone and more analysis is required to see how this effort matures.

Youk Chhang is director of the Documentation Center of Cambodia (DC-Cam). The views and opinions expressed are his own.