Foreign Ministry rejects Thai claim UNCLOS process delaying border talks

Foreign Ministry rejects Thai claim UNCLOS process delaying border talks

Synopsis: Phnom Penh urges Bangkok not to stall negotiations over the frontier, saying maritime conciliation proceedings have no bearing on bilateral frameworks to map out the land boundary.

Cambodia has rejected Thailand’s claim that its recourse to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has prevented the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) from resuming joint survey and boundary demarcation work, saying the maritime conciliation process cannot be used as an excuse to delay negotiations over the land border.

The response came after Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow told Thai media that formal JBC negotiations could not proceed while Cambodia was pursuing compulsory conciliation under UNCLOS over the maritime boundary dispute.

In response to Sihasak, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said Cambodia’s decision to invoke UNCLOS concerns only the maritime boundary and should not affect the bilateral mechanism for land boundary demarcation.

“Cambodia’s recourse to UNCLOS cannot possibly be used as yet another excuse by Thailand to stall the agreed demarcation work on the land boundary,” the spokesperson said.

The ministry said UNCLOS provides a peaceful and internationally recognised mechanism for resolving maritime disputes and is intended to strengthen bilateral security and prevent tensions from escalating.

“UNCLOS is a peaceful means to settle the maritime border, consistent with international law. It is designed to give rise to greater security in our relations and prevent escalation. It does not provide a basis for a breakdown in trust,” the spokesperson said.

The ministry noted that Thailand had previously withdrawn from the only bilateral framework—the 2001 Memorandum of Understanding—intended to facilitate negotiations, despite Cambodia’s request that it remain in place.

It said Thailand had earlier declared its intention to negotiate with Cambodia under the UNCLOS framework.

“Cambodia strongly urges Thailand not to walk away from yet another bilateral mechanism intended to build trust and confidence. Cambodia remains committed to continued talks to resume the agreed demarcation process in relation to the land boundary,” the spokesperson added.

Thailand has repeatedly postponed JBC meetings, citing reasons including the completion of domestic procedures, a general election, the appointment of a new prime minister, the formation of a new cabinet, and the approval of a new Thai JBC leadership.

While Thailand has since appointed a new prime minister and formed a new cabinet, Cambodia noted that Bangkok has yet to appoint a new chairperson and members of its JBC, despite commitments made under the Joint Statement of the Third Special Meeting of the Cambodia-Thailand General Border Committee, signed on December 27, 2025, to resume survey and demarcation work as part of the agreed de-escalation measures.

According to a report published by The Standard on July 1, Sihasak said Thailand has suspended meetings of the JBC because Cambodia has initiated compulsory conciliation proceedings under UNCLOS to resolve their maritime boundary dispute.

Sihasak said Thailand had sought to address both the land and maritime boundary issues through bilateral negotiations as a confidence-building measure. However, he said Cambodia’s decision not to pursue bilateral talks on the maritime boundary and instead proceed with compulsory conciliation under UNCLOS prompted Thailand to put formal JBC discussions on hold.

Asked whether this meant JBC talks would remain suspended until the UNCLOS conciliation process concludes in July next year, Sihasak said the resumption of JBC talks would depend on progress in resolving the maritime dispute.

He said Thailand would consider resuming formal talks if Cambodia adjusted its position, including by reducing or ceasing criticism of Thailand in international forums, describing such steps as potential confidence-building measures. However, he stressed that official JBC negotiations could not proceed “at this time”.

On Thailand’s construction of a border wall, which has raised questions about its potential impact on future negotiations with Cambodia, Sihasak said national security remained Thailand’s top priority. He said Thailand must take all necessary measures to protect its national security interests in response to the current situation.

Thailand on June 26 gave members of the ASEAN Observer Team (AOT) a tour of its border fence project along the Thai-Cambodian border in Chanthaburi province, opposite Cambodia’s Battambang province.

Bangkok said the project is intended to strengthen border security and improve border management, while stating that the construction complies with international law.

Meanwhile, Sreu Bora, Director-General of the Technical Affairs Department at the State Secretariat of Border Affairs, said Cambodia does not oppose Thailand’s construction of a border fence, provided it complies with technical border demarcation standards and is agreed upon through the JBC before construction begins.

“What we want to see is for the joint committee of both countries to first reach an agreement before the fence is built. It would not be too late to construct the fence afterwards,” Bora said.

He said that although the fence is built within Thai territory, its close proximity to the borderline could complicate future boundary demarcation if the JBC later agrees to install additional concrete boundary markers between the existing French-era boundary pillars.

Bora said Thai military officers had previously indicated they would remove sections of the fence if future demarcation affected the structure. However, he argued that dismantling the fence after it has been built would not be practical or straightforward.

He reiterated that Cambodia does not oppose Thailand constructing a border fence, provided it remains within Thai territory and complies with the agreed technical requirements for border demarcation.

The growing border tensions follow Thailand’s construction of a border wall between Boundary Markers 52 and 54 along the border between Battambang province and Thailand’s Chanthaburi province, as well as claims that the Thai military is attempting to produce new maps to justify its illegal occupation of Cambodian territory.

-Khmer Times-