Thailand pushes ahead with MOU 44 revocation, keeps Cambodia talks alive
Sihasak Phuangketkeow says Thailand will proceed with revoking MOU 44, while stressing that border talks with Cambodia will continue.
Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow has informed Cambodia that Thailand is moving ahead with the process of revoking MOU 44, while stressing that the move will not mean an end to bilateral negotiations.
Sihasak held bilateral talks with his Cambodian counterpart, Prak Sokhonn, on Monday (April 27) on the sidelines of the 25th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting (AEMM) in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam.
The key issue raised directly with the Cambodian side was Thailand’s ongoing process to revoke MOU 44, formally the Memorandum of Understanding between the Royal Thai Government and the Royal Government of Cambodia regarding the Area of their Overlapping Maritime Claims to the Continental Shelf.
The matter will soon be submitted to the Cabinet for consideration. Once the Cabinet approves the revocation of MOU 44, Thailand will formally notify Cambodia in writing.
Sihasak stressed that revoking MOU 44 did not mean cancelling negotiations. Instead, he said, Thailand was seeking to move towards a clearer and more internationally recognised framework under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
He said the process would begin with clearer management of maritime boundaries, which would help make negotiations over overlapping areas more effective.
Addressing concerns among the Thai public, Sihasak said MOU 44 had been in force for more than 20 years but had yet to produce concrete progress. Thailand therefore needed to find a more suitable approach, he said.
He also cited past negotiations with Malaysia as an example, saying talks had been conducted under the UNCLOS framework without the need for a similar MOU.
Sihasak insisted that the change in framework would not affect Thailand’s national interests. Instead, he said, it would make negotiations clearer and fairer under international law.
The Thai government is ready to move forward with the gradual restoration of relations with Cambodia through border cooperation, border security and confidence-building measures, he said. These efforts would help create a more constructive atmosphere for discussions at all levels.
As Cambodia has expressed its wish to hold a Joint Boundary Commission (JBC) meeting, Thailand explained that internal preparations must first be completed, particularly regarding the composition of the Thai delegation.
The Thai side also said preparatory work should take place before any formal JBC meeting to ensure that discussions proceed effectively.
