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Thailand on Tuesday scrapped a longstanding agreement with Cambodia on joint offshore energy exploration, drawing objections from Phnom Penh, as the neighbors grapple with tensions after deadly border clashes last year.
The agreement, known as MoU 2001 in Cambodia and MoU 44 in Thailand, seeks to pave the way for joint hydrocarbon exploration in overlapping claims in the Gulf of Thailand. Signed 25 years ago, it has seen little progress and faces strong opposition from Thai nationalists.
The unilateral move, a campaign pledge by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who won reelection this year, follows two rounds of border clashes with Cambodia last year that killed more than 100 people and displaced hundreds of thousands before a ceasefire was reached in December.
“Cancelling the deal is not related to the border conflict with Cambodia, but part of my policy. It has been 25 years and there has been no progress,” Anutin told reporters on Tuesday.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet called the decision “regretful” in a Facebook post and said Phnom Penh would pursue maritime boundary settlement mechanisms under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS.
Cambodia would seek compulsory conciliation under UNCLOS, Hun Manet said, describing the move as a reflection of the country’s “sincere hope that both countries can reach a just and lasting solution in line with international law.”
Hun Manet’s father, former longtime prime minister and current Senate President Hun Sen, backed the move and urged critics not to accuse Phnom Penh of “internationalizing” a bilateral dispute.
Thai government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek said on Tuesday future talks with Cambodia on maritime boundary issues would be based on UNCLOS.
Bangkok has historically rejected Cambodian efforts to settle border disputes through international mechanisms, including the International Court of Justice, insisting such issues be resolved bilaterally.
Thailand’s embassy in Phnom Penh, operating with limited diplomatic representation since Bangkok recalled its ambassador last year, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Thailand’s foreign ministry also did not respond.
Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a professor at Kyoto University’s Center for Southeast Asian Studies, said Thailand’s decision reflected a mix of domestic political pressure and energy concerns.
“In Thailand, the government is navigating a minefield where conservative factions and ‘ultra-patriotic’ groups frame any maritime negotiation as a potential loss of sovereignty, making the leadership extremely cautious,” he said.
He added that Cambodia faces pressure to develop resources in the overlapping claims area, while avoiding perceptions it is conceding to its larger neighbor.
Pavin said Cambodia’s push for compulsory conciliation under UNCLOS was unlikely to produce a binding settlement, but could help Phnom Penh show it was pursuing legal avenues while keeping the dispute active internationally.
Independent Cambodian political analyst Seng Vanly said compulsory conciliation was likely chosen because it allows Cambodia to pursue negotiations under UNCLOS even without Thailand’s consent.
He said the move reflected Phnom Penh’s effort to preserve the status quo in negotiations while avoiding further conflict and responding to strong domestic sensitivities over sovereignty issues.
