PM Hun Manet Announces UN-Led Conciliation in Maritime Dispute With Thailand

PHNOM PENH, June 1, 2026 (KPT) — Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Thipadei Hun Manet said Monday that Cambodia has formally notified Thailand and the United Nations of its decision to initiate compulsory conciliation proceedings under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) over a long-running maritime boundary dispute.

Hun Manet told reporters the move was aimed at safeguarding Cambodia’s sovereignty and maritime rights in line with international law. “We have taken this step to protect Cambodia’s sovereignty and maritime rights in accordance with international law,” he said.

The prime minister stressed that Cambodia remained committed to resolving disputes peacefully and to maintaining relations with Thailand based on cooperation and mutual respect.

“At the same time, the sovereignty of Cambodia and its maritime rights must be respected,” he added.

He noted that Cambodia and Thailand had worked for years under a 2001 Memorandum of Understanding to address overlapping claims in the Gulf of Thailand, but said Phnom Penh was disappointed by Bangkok’s withdrawal from the framework.

“Regrettably, Thailand has chosen to walk away,” Hun Manet said, adding that prospects for a bilateral solution had been exhausted.

He described compulsory conciliation under UNCLOS as a peaceful mechanism involving independent experts. “This is not an escalation. It is a facilitation process overseen by international conciliators,” he said.

The dispute concerns overlapping claims in parts of the Gulf of Thailand believed to contain significant energy resources.