MOU 44 row deepens — Anutin says Koh Kood remains Thai

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has pushed back against what he described as false claims circulating on social media, insisting that Koh Kood remains part of Thailand following the government’s decision to cancel MOU 44.

Posting on his personal Facebook account while attending the ASEAN Summit in Cebu, the Philippines, Anutin said he had met Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet at the request of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who sought to ease tensions between the two countries ahead of the regional leaders’ meeting.

Anutin said he took the opportunity to directly inform the Cambodian leader that Thailand had formally decided to cancel the 2001 memorandum of understanding, commonly known as MOU 44, concerning overlapping maritime claims in the Gulf of Thailand.

According to the Thai premier, Cambodia formally acknowledged the decision during the meeting.

He said the Cambodian prime minister expressed disappointment over Thailand’s move and informed him that Cambodia would proceed through the compulsory conciliation mechanism under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) regarding future maritime benefit negotiations.

However, Anutin described the development as beneficial for both countries, saying future discussions would now proceed under the same legal framework and principles after Cambodia ratified UNCLOS earlier in 2026.

The prime minister said the face-to-face meeting helped speed up communication between the two governments, noting that without the meeting Thailand might otherwise have needed to send formal written notification through diplomatic channels, a process he said could have taken several months.

Anutin also sought to reassure the Thai public over sovereignty concerns surrounding Koh Kood.

“Once there is no MOU 44, there will no longer be any maritime line crossing Koh Kood that could create doubt or concern,” he said, adding: “Koh Kood belongs to Thailand.”

On broader bilateral relations, Anutin said both sides agreed to continue border negotiations and discussions through existing mechanisms, including the Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) and General Border Committee (GBC), while increasing meetings between senior officials from both countries.

He added that Thailand and Cambodia also agreed to strengthen cooperation against call-centre gangs and online scam networks, with police from both countries expected to coordinate more closely and pursue tougher legal action against criminal groups.

Anutin stressed that the meeting did not include discussions about reopening border checkpoints or broader cooperation initiatives.

Instead, he said both sides agreed that preserving peace and avoiding military confrontation remained the most important priority.

In his post, Anutin also criticised what he described as misinformation spreading on social media about the talks, accusing some users of fabricating stories designed to fuel division and hatred.

He insisted that the government would continue handling the issue carefully and transparently, while prioritising the interests of the country and its people under international law and mutually accepted principles.

The prime minister also urged the public to remain confident in the government’s handling of the situation, saying he had been directly involved in the issue since serving as deputy prime minister and interior minister before returning for a second term as premier.