Cambodia Rejects Thai Criticism at UN Over UNCLOS Maritime Case
Cambodia Rejects Thai Criticism at UN Over UNCLOS Maritime Case
UNITED NATIONS, June 19, 2026 – Cambodia has told a meeting of states party to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that it initiated compulsory conciliation proceedings with Thailand after Bangkok unilaterally withdrew from a 2001 bilateral memorandum that had provided the framework for negotiations over their overlapping maritime claims.
Speaking at the 36th Meeting of States Parties to UNCLOS in New York, Cambodia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Keo Chhea, said Thailand’s withdrawal from the 2001 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) left Cambodia with no alternative but to invoke the compulsory conciliation mechanism under UNCLOS.
The MoU had served as the sole bilateral legal framework governing negotiations over the two countries’ overlapping maritime claims in the Gulf of Thailand, he said.
Cambodia’s Deputy Permanent Representative, Yeung Chan Sophea, rejected Thailand’s assertion that Phnom Penh had bypassed bilateral negotiations by internationalising the dispute.
He said Thailand had repeatedly declined Cambodia’s requests to hold bilateral talks under the 2001 MoU, citing numerous reasons before ultimately terminating the agreement unilaterally.
Yeung also accused Thailand of using military force to violate Cambodian sovereignty following the cancellation of the agreement.
He said Cambodia remained committed to resolving disputes peacefully with all neighbouring countries and had chosen the UNCLOS compulsory conciliation process to safeguard its sovereignty and maritime rights under international law.
The meeting, held from June 15 to June 18 at United Nations headquarters in New York, brought together representatives from 171 states parties and one regional organisation to UNCLOS.
Delegates also elected seven judges to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), with candidates from Ghana, Tunisia, Vietnam, Russia, the Netherlands, India and Brazil winning seats.
