Cambodia and Thailand to Begin UNCLOS Maritime Conciliation Talks Over Maritime Claims
Cambodia and Thailand will begin formal UNCLOS maritime conciliation talks in Singapore from September 14–16, marking the first formal stage of an international process aimed at peacefully resolving their longstanding overlapping maritime claims. The proceedings under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) could have wider implications for maritime law, offshore oil and gas development, regional energy security and international maritime relations.
The two countries will appear before a UNCLOS Conciliation Commission in Singapore as they seek to address their long-running maritime dispute through an international mechanism rather than judicial adjudication. The meeting comes after years of negotiations over overlapping maritime claims and follows Cambodia’s decision to initiate compulsory conciliation under UNCLOS.
According to a September 9 statement from Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Conciliation Commission was constituted under Annex V of UNCLOS. It will hold its first meeting with representatives of Cambodia and Thailand following an announcement by the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
Cambodia has welcomed the Singapore meeting as an important development in efforts to resolve the two countries’ maritime differences. The Cambodian government also sees the process as a potential pathway toward unlocking significant offshore oil and gas resources in the disputed waters, which could provide economic benefits to both countries if an eventual settlement is reached.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn will serve as Cambodia’s agent in the proceedings and lead the Kingdom’s delegation. He will be accompanied by Lam Chea, minister in charge of the State Secretariat of Border Affairs, who will serve as deputy agent.
Opening Statements Scheduled for September 15
The two parties are scheduled to deliver their opening statements on September 15. The session will begin at 8am Cambodian time, or 9am in Singapore, and will be open to the public. The proceedings will also be broadcast live in Khmer, English and Thai.
Sokhonn is scheduled to deliver Cambodia’s opening statement.
The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the meeting as another important milestone in the peaceful process initiated by Cambodia to resolve the countries’ maritime differences.
According to the ministry, Cambodia initiated the compulsory conciliation process under UNCLOS after Thailand unilaterally terminated an agreed bilateral framework through which the two kingdoms had negotiated their overlapping maritime claims for more than two decades.
The upcoming proceedings therefore represent a significant shift toward an international maritime dispute-resolution mechanism following the breakdown of the previous bilateral framework.
UNCLOS Conciliation is not a Court Judgment
Under Annex V of UNCLOS, compulsory conciliation is a non-adjudicatory process. This distinction is important because the Conciliation Commission does not function like a court or arbitral tribunal and does not impose a binding judgment on either party.
Instead, the neutral commission assists the two countries in identifying areas of agreement and working toward an amicable settlement. Its role is therefore focused on facilitating dialogue and helping the parties address their maritime differences through negotiation.
The conciliation process itself will not determine the maritime boundary between Cambodia and Thailand. Its effectiveness will depend largely on the willingness of both governments to cooperate, negotiate and consider the commission’s work and eventual recommendations.
This means the Singapore proceedings are an important diplomatic and legal step, but they do not automatically produce a final maritime boundary settlement.
Timor-Leste and Australia Provide a Precedent
Cambodia has pointed to Timor-Leste and Australia as an example of the successful use of the UNCLOS conciliation mechanism. Conciliation between the two countries concluded with the signing of a treaty establishing their maritime boundaries in 2018.
The Cambodian foreign ministry has expressed hope that the same international mechanism can help Cambodia and Thailand achieve a fair and lasting resolution to their maritime differences.
Beyond the question of maritime boundaries, a settlement could potentially create an opportunity for the development of oil and gas resources in the disputed waters. Cambodia described these resources as increasingly important at a critical time for regional energy security.
The possibility of offshore resource development adds an economic dimension to the longstanding maritime dispute. A mutually acceptable settlement could potentially provide a framework for future cooperation in offshore exploration and exploitation, although the conciliation process itself does not determine how such resources would ultimately be developed.
International Law at the Center of the Process
Cambodia has emphasized that international law should provide the foundation for peacefully resolving disputes between states.
The foreign ministry said Cambodia would participate in the proceedings in good faith and in a spirit of cooperation, while expressing full confidence in the Conciliation Commission.
The approach places UNCLOS and international maritime law at the center of Cambodia’s efforts to address its competing maritime claims with Thailand.
Importantly, the maritime dispute is separate from the two countries’ land-border issues. The upcoming Singapore proceedings are specifically focused on competing maritime claims and should not be interpreted as a process for determining sovereignty over disputed areas along the land boundary.
Singapore Talks Could Shape Future Maritime Negotiations
The September 14–16 meeting will provide the first indication of how Cambodia and Thailand intend to engage with the Conciliation Commission and whether the process can help revive substantive negotiations following the breakdown of their previous bilateral framework.
For the regional maritime sector, the proceedings will be closely watched because their outcome could influence future discussions involving maritime boundaries, offshore energy resources, international maritime law and regional energy security.
The Singapore meeting is therefore more than a procedural step. It represents Cambodia and Thailand’s first formal engagement with the UNCLOS conciliation mechanism over their overlapping maritime claims and could establish the direction of future negotiations.
While the commission cannot impose a binding maritime boundary, its work could help identify common ground and create conditions for the two governments to pursue a negotiated settlement. Cambodia’s stated objective is a fair and lasting resolution based on international law and cooperation.
The coming proceedings will ultimately test whether compulsory conciliation can provide a pathway for Cambodia and Thailand to move beyond their prolonged maritime differences and return to substantive negotiations over their overlapping claims.
Recommended Stories
- EU Stops Sixth Tanker in Mediterranean Over Russian Oil Shadow Fleet and UNCLOS Flag Verification
- ASEAN-UK Indo-Pacific Partnership Strengthens Maritime Security, UNCLOS Cooperation and Regional Trade Connectivity
- China Highlights Global South Cooperation, AI Development and South China Sea Position
- What is Maritime Law? A Complete Guide to Maritime Admiralty Law and Shipping Regulations
