No more MOU44 — Anutin says Cabinet backs policy shift
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul says cancelling MOU44 is not tied to Cambodia tensions and that Thailand will not lose out.
At Government House, Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul gave an interview after the Cabinet meeting on the cancellation of MOU44, saying the Cabinet had approved the move.
He stressed that cancelling MOU44 was not related to any conflict Thailand had with Cambodia, but reflected his policy view that arrangements in place for a long time should be reviewed.
He said MOU44 had existed for 25 years, but efforts to reach a conclusion had made no progress. With other references now available, such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Thailand would use them as a common guide for both countries, as both were parties to the convention.
Asked about Hun Sen’s remark that cancelling MOU44 would lead to more disputes, Anutin said: “You will have to interview him on that.”
Asked whether such differing views would affect negotiations, Anutin said: “There are no negotiations at the moment.”
Asked whether Thailand could proceed with negotiations in parallel, Anutin said: “This is a new context. Do not tie it to the old one. For Thailand, MOU44 no longer exists.”
Asked how Thailand would resolve its conflict with Cambodia from now on, Anutin said MOU44 had been established to consider how benefits from undersea resources would be shared. “Therefore, if talks are to be held again, they must be discussed anew. A new set-up may be MOU70 instead, not 44. That can be discussed there,” he said.
Asked whether the cancellation of MOU44 would take legal effect immediately from today, Anutin said: “Not yet. We have to notify our MOU partner. A letter will be sent.”
Asked whether he would discuss the issue with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet during his visit to the Philippines to attend the 48th ASEAN Summit from May 7-9, Anutin said they would inevitably meet in various discussion forums.
He said there was no problem with meetings or talks, adding that what he could assure the Thai people was “Thailand first” and that Thailand would not lose out.
Asked whether the border situation would become more tense, Anutin said Thailand was monitoring the border every day and was not complacent. Security agencies and the military were fully protecting Thailand’s border, he said, adding there was nothing to worry about.
He said he asked the armed forces for updates almost every week and that the situation had, if anything, improved.
