UNCLOS Panel Set to Begin Cambodia-Thailand Process
UNCLOS Panel Set to Begin Cambodia-Thailand Process
PHNOM PENH, August 14, 2026 — Cambodia has welcomed the appointment of Katrina Cooper as Chairperson of the Conciliation Commission established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), describing the move as an important step in the maritime conciliation process initiated by Cambodia.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said the appointment followed an announcement by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) that the four conciliators had selected Cooper to chair the five-member commission.
Cambodia expressed its appreciation to Cooper for accepting the position and thanked the conciliators for conducting what it described as a rigorous selection process.
The commission is expected to provide an opportunity to address differences over the maritime boundary between Cambodia and Thailand, while also creating a framework for the development of potentially significant oil and gas resources in the overlapping claims area.
Cambodia said progress on the maritime issue is particularly important at a time when regional energy security remains a critical concern.
The five-member commission comprises independent conciliators appointed by the two sides.
Cambodia appointed Ambassador Peter Taksøe-Jensen and Professor Jean-Marc Thouvenin, while Thailand appointed Judge Rüdiger Wolfrum and Albert Hoffmann. The four conciliators agreed to appoint Cooper as chair following consultations with both parties.
The Cambodian government reaffirmed its commitment to resolving maritime issues peacefully and in accordance with international law, saying it would continue to place its confidence in the compulsory conciliation mechanism provided under UNCLOS.
With the Conciliation Commission now in place, the process is expected to move to its first procedural meeting in the coming weeks.
The development marks a significant institutional step toward addressing the long-standing Cambodia-Thailand maritime dispute through a rules-based international mechanism rather than unilateral action.
