Thailand prepares legal position on Cambodia’s UNCLOS move
Foreign minister meets international legal advisers in Paris after Cambodia seeks UNCLOS compulsory conciliation over maritime claims
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow has met Thailand’s international legal advisers in Paris as the government prepares its response to Cambodia’s move to initiate compulsory conciliation proceedings under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The talks followed Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet’s decision to submit letters to Thailand and the United Nations Secretary-General to begin the process under UNCLOS, raising diplomatic pressure over the long-running overlapping maritime claims between the two countries.
Sihasak held the meeting at the Thai ambassador’s residence in Paris during his visit to attend the ministerial-level meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, or OECD.
The discussion focused on Thailand’s proactive legal strategy, the country’s position on the disputed continental shelf area, and possible steps under the compulsory conciliation process.
The Thai side said preparations had been under way for some time, with relevant agencies already working together on how to protect Thailand’s rights and national interests in the international legal arena.
Cambodia turns to compulsory conciliation
Cambodia has sought to use compulsory conciliation under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to address overlapping maritime claims with Thailand.
The mechanism is intended to help parties seek a peaceful settlement under international law. However, any recommendations from the process are generally not binding in the same way as a court judgment or arbitral award.
The move has drawn close attention because it adds a new international legal layer to a dispute that Thailand has long preferred to manage through bilateral discussions.
The disputed area concerns overlapping claims on the continental shelf between Thailand and Cambodia, a zone seen as strategically and economically significant because of its potential energy resources.
Thailand says it prepared in advance
Before travelling to Paris, Sihasak chaired a meeting on May 29 of a Thai committee tasked with considering approaches to resolve the overlapping continental shelf claims between Thailand and Cambodia.
The meeting brought together relevant Thai agencies to integrate their work and prepare a coordinated response.
That earlier preparation is now being used to support Thailand’s legal and diplomatic position after Cambodia formally moved to start the UNCLOS process.
Thai officials have stressed that the government is not approaching the matter passively, but is preparing both legal and policy responses to ensure that Thailand’s position is clear and timely.
The latest development marks another escalation in the maritime dispute, with Cambodia seeking an international legal mechanism while Thailand moves to strengthen its own legal strategy and safeguard its interests.
