Cambodia Promotes UNCLOS Legal Mechanisms in Maritime Dispute with Thailand

PHNOM PENH, May 26, 2026 (KPT) — Cambodia’s National Assembly has spotlighted the use of international law and diplomacy to address its maritime boundary dispute with Thailand, hosting a lecture on compulsory conciliation procedures under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The session, held at the Assembly Palace in Phnom Penh, was delivered by An Pasty, a Cambodian legal expert trained by the United Nations in maritime law.

Moderated by Deputy Secretary‑General Chheang Vannarith, the event drew 85 officials from the Assembly’s Secretariat‑General.

Speaking at the forum, Vannarith said Cambodia remained committed to peaceful and legal solutions.

“As a small nation, Cambodia remains firmly committed to resolving disputes through international law, peaceful legal mechanisms, and diplomacy,” he said, stressing that such efforts bolstered regional stability and the rules‑based order.

An Pasty outlined what he described as a strategic roadmap to strengthen Cambodia’s response to sovereignty challenges.

His proposals included greater reliance on UNCLOS conciliation procedures and deeper diplomatic engagement with regional and international partners.

He urged Thailand to respect the UN Charter, the ASEAN Charter and international law, while calling for Cambodia to expand ties across ASEAN, Europe and Asia to build support against what he termed longstanding territorial encroachments.

Organisers said the lecture aimed to reinforce Cambodia’s legal and diplomatic toolkit amid continuing sensitivities over maritime and territorial issues with Thailand, which have periodically strained relations between the two neighbours.

The initiative comes as Phnom Penh presses for broader international backing to reinforce peaceful dispute resolution and counter actions seen as undermining international law.