Cambodia, Thailand Engage in First UN-Mediated Talks on Maritime Dispute

SINGAPORE, Sept 14, 2026 (KPT) — Cambodia and Thailand began their first meeting Monday under a United Nations conciliation process aimed at resolving their long‑running maritime dispute. The three‑day session of the Conciliation Commission, established under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), runs until September 16. The talks seek to address disagreements over maritime areas and find a peaceful settlement. Cambodia’s delegation is led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, serving as Agent in the proceedings. He arrived in Singapore Sunday with a team of legal experts. Both sides are expected to present their positions during the meetings. Opening statements are scheduled for Tuesday, with Sokhonn delivering Cambodia’s remarks. The session will be open to the public and webcast live in Khmer, English and Thai. Cambodia’s national broadcaster TVK is also carrying the proceedings. The Permanent Court of Arbitration, which supports the process, confirmed the commission would meet from September 14 to 16. The maritime talks come against a backdrop of wider tensions over the countries’ land border. However, the UNCLOS conciliation process is limited to maritime differences and operates separately from mechanisms dealing with land boundaries. The meeting marks the first formal stage of the UN‑backed process as the two sides seek to resolve their maritime dispute through peaceful negotiations.