Cambodia to seek legal solutions if Thailand exits maritime pact

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn. MFAIC

#National

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Prak Sokhonn has affirmed that Cambodia will pursue peaceful, law-based mechanisms to resolve maritime disputes should Thailand withdraw from the 2001 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

In a special interview with National Television of Cambodia (TVK) on Friday, Sokhonn addressed reports that Bangkok may unilaterally revoke the agreement, which governs overlapping maritime claims in the Gulf of Thailand. He stressed that abandoning the pact would mean relinquishing a bilateral framework that has managed these sensitive continental shelf disputes for nearly 25 years.

“In the absence of this bilateral framework, Cambodia would continue its efforts to explore alternative avenues for peaceful resolution in accordance with international law,” Sokhonn said.

The Foreign Minister reiterated that Phnom Penh remains committed to respecting both the letter and the spirit of the MoU. However, he clarified that a formal withdrawal by Thailand would signify the termination of the only mutually established mechanism designed to address these overlapping claims.

Sokhonn concluded that Cambodia remains steadfast in upholding peaceful approaches and legal principles to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The 2001 MoU was intended to facilitate joint development of energy resources and to delimit maritime boundaries, a process that has recently attracted renewed domestic political scrutiny in Thailand. Regardless of the outcome, Sokhonn maintained that Cambodia’s priority remains regional stability through adherence to global legal standards. -AKP-