Cambodia Welcomes First UNCLOS Conciliation Meeting With Thailand in Singapore

Cambodia Welcomes First UNCLOS Conciliation Meeting With Thailand in Singapore

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 9, 2026 — Cambodia has welcomed the upcoming first meeting of the Conciliation Commission established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to address the maritime differences between Cambodia and Thailand.

In a statement issued on September 9, Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) had announced that the five-member Conciliation Commission would hold its first meeting with the two countries in Singapore from September 14 to 16, 2026.

Cambodia will be represented by its Agent, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn, together with Deputy Agent Lam Chea, Minister in Charge of the State Secretariat of Border Affairs, as well as the Cambodian delegation and legal team.

The opening statements by the two parties are scheduled for 8 a.m. Cambodia time on September 15, or 9 a.m. Singapore time, and will be open to the public and webcast live in Khmer, English and Thai.

Cambodia’s opening statement will be delivered by Prak Sokhonn.

The Cambodian Foreign Ministry described the meeting as another important milestone in the peaceful process initiated by Cambodia to resolve the two countries’ maritime differences.

According to the ministry, Cambodia turned to compulsory conciliation after Thailand unilaterally terminated the bilateral framework through which the two countries had negotiated their overlapping maritime claims for more than two decades.

The process is being conducted under Annex V of UNCLOS, which provides for compulsory conciliation as a non-adjudicatory mechanism. Under the procedure, a neutral commission assists the parties in seeking an amicable settlement rather than issuing a binding judicial ruling.

The PCA has said the commission may hear the parties, examine legal and factual issues, explore possible areas of agreement and make proposals or recommendations.

Cambodia Eyes Fair and Lasting Maritime Settlement

Cambodia said it hopes the conciliation process will help the two countries reach a fair and lasting resolution to their maritime differences.

The government also highlighted the potential economic significance of resolving the dispute, saying the process could provide an opportunity to unlock significant oil and gas resources in the overlapping claims area for the benefit of both countries.

Phnom Penh said this would be particularly important at a time when regional energy security remains a critical concern.

The Cambodian government reaffirmed its belief that international law provides the foundation for the peaceful settlement of disputes between states.

It said Cambodia was entering the proceedings “in good faith and in a spirit of cooperation”, expressing full confidence in the Conciliation Commission.

The PCA previously confirmed that the commission would convene its first meeting with Cambodia and Thailand in Singapore from September 14 to 16, with the parties’ opening statements scheduled for September 15.

The five-member commission is chaired by Australian diplomat Katrina Cooper, with Ambassador Peter Taksøe-Jensen of Denmark, Professor Jean-Marc Thouvenin of France, Judge Albert Hoffmann of South Africa and Judge Rüdiger Wolfrum of Germany serving as the other members.

The upcoming meeting marks the next formal stage in the UNCLOS conciliation process after Cambodia initiated the proceedings on June 2, 2026, and Thailand submitted its response on June 19.