Senate backs Cambodia’s UNCLOS conciliation move, urges Thailand to maintain dialogue

PHNOM PENH, May 8, 2026 (KPT) — Cambodia’s Senate has thrown its weight behind the government’s decision to trigger compulsory conciliation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) after Thailand scrapped a 2001 memorandum of understanding on overlapping maritime claims in the Gulf of Thailand.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the Senate called the move legitimate, responsible and consistent with international law, stressing it reflects Cambodia’s commitment to peace and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

Lawmakers urged Thailand to uphold constructive engagement and negotiations in line with UNCLOS, warning that the unilateral termination of the MoU risks undermining decades of diplomacy and delaying resolution of maritime issues.

Officials recalled that for more than 25 years the 2001 pact had served as the sole bilateral framework for managing overlapping claims through dialogue and good neighbourly relations.

Reaffirming support for the Royal Government, the Senate said the Gulf of Thailand should remain a zone of peace, cooperation and shared prosperity.

“Peace can only endure when dialogue is preserved, agreements are respected and the rule of law remains the common foundation guiding relations between nations,” the statement added.