Bangkok Appoints Arbitration Team in Maritime Dispute with Cambodia
Bangkok Appoints Arbitration Team in Maritime Dispute with Cambodia
BANGKOK, June 16, 2026 (Reuters) — Thailand has appointed two internationally recognized legal experts from Germany and South Africa to represent its interests in a United Nations conciliation process initiated by Cambodia over a long-running maritime dispute in the Gulf of Thailand.
Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow announced on Tuesday that Germany’s Rüdiger Wolfrum and South African maritime law specialist Albert Hoffman have been selected as Thailand’s conciliators under the compulsory conciliation mechanism of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The move marks a significant step forward in the UN-backed process launched by Cambodia on June 2 after Thailand withdrew from a 2001 Memorandum of Understanding that had served as the framework for bilateral negotiations over overlapping maritime claims and the development of offshore energy resources.
Cambodia previously appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn as its agent for the proceedings, alongside Danish diplomat Peter Taksøe-Jensen and French international law scholar Jean-Marc Thouvenin as conciliators.
Under UNCLOS procedures, the conciliators appointed by both sides must meet within 30 days to select an independent chairperson before formal proceedings begin.
The dispute centers on an estimated 26,000 square kilometers of overlapping maritime claims in the Gulf of Thailand, an area believed to contain nearly 12 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and significant oil reserves with an estimated value of around US$300 billion.
The conciliation process is intended to help both countries reach a mutually acceptable solution through dialogue and international law rather than confrontation. While the commission’s recommendations will not be legally binding, the process provides a structured mechanism for addressing both maritime boundary issues and the future management of offshore resources.
The development comes as relations between Cambodia and Thailand continue to recover following deadly border clashes in 2025 that left nearly 150 people dead and displaced hundreds of thousands. A ceasefire agreed in December remains in effect.
The appointment of conciliators by both countries signals that Phnom Penh and Bangkok are moving ahead with the UNCLOS process, opening a new chapter in efforts to resolve one of Southeast Asia’s most valuable and strategically important maritime disputes through peaceful means and international legal mechanisms.
