Cambodia Seeks Peaceful Maritime Boundary Resolution with Thailand Under UNCLOS

AKP Phnom Penh, September 15, 2026 -- Cambodia has expressed its objective of reaching a peaceful and mutually beneficial resolution to its maritime dispute with Thailand through the conciliation process under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Speaking at the first meeting of the Conciliation Commission under UNCLOS between Cambodia and Thailand in Singapore on Tuesday morning, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation H.E. Prak Sokhonn, in his capacity as Cambodia’s Agent, said Cambodia’s overriding objective is to achieve a resolution that serves the peoples of both countries and contributes to peace, cooperation and shared prosperity in the region. The meeting was chaired by Ms. Katrina Cooper, Chairperson of the Conciliation Commission, with the participation of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) as Registry. H.E. Prak Sokhonn said Cambodia seeks, with the assistance of the Commission and in accordance with international law, to conclude a treaty with Thailand delimiting a single, all-purpose maritime boundary between the two countries. As an alternative, Cambodia is prepared to conclude an agreement with Thailand on the joint development and equitable sharing of resources between the two countries pending a final agreement on their maritime boundary. He further explained that if neither a final maritime boundary agreement nor a joint development arrangement can be concluded, Cambodia would request the Conciliation Commission to prepare a report containing recommendations to the Parties. Such recommendations, he said, could subsequently serve as a basis for the conclusion of an agreement in compliance with the obligations of both Cambodia and Thailand under UNCLOS. Cambodia’s position, therefore, is to seek a peaceful and legally grounded solution that protects the interests of both countries while promoting cooperation and shared prosperity in the region. By C. Nika