[CLSTR]
< Back to situations

Monitor this situation.

[SITUATION] · [ACTIVE] · [INTERNATIONAL]

2 clusters · 11 sources · 4 days · First seen · Last updated

Thailand-Cambodia maritime boundary dispute

Overview

Thailand and Cambodia have entered a United Nations-backed compulsory conciliation process in Singapore to address a maritime boundary dispute in the Gulf of Thailand. The disagreement involves an overlapping claims area of approximately 26,000 to 27,000 square kilometers, a region estimated to hold roughly $300 billion in oil and natural gas reserves.

The proceedings are being conducted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) before a five-member commission of independent experts. This international mediation follows the unilateral termination of a 2001 memorandum of understanding by Thailand in May 2026 and a period of armed clashes along the land border in late 2025.

Negotiations remain complicated by differing national objectives. Cambodia is seeking either a definitive maritime boundary or an agreement for the joint development and equitable sharing of resources. Thailand, however, maintains that the maritime boundary must be clearly established before any discussions regarding resource sharing can occur. While the conciliation commission can provide recommendations, its findings will be non-binding.

Entities

Thailand · United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea · Gulf of Thailand · Sihasak Phuangketkeow · Cambodia

Timeline

  1. 4 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 2 sources
    Thailand and Cambodia negotiate maritime border dispute

    Thailand and Cambodia are engaged in UNCLOS-governed conciliation talks to resolve overlapping maritime claims in the Gulf of Thailand, a region rich in potential oil and gas reserves.

  2. 7 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 9 sources
    Thailand and Cambodia begin UN conciliation over maritime dispute

    Thailand and Cambodia have begun UNCLOS-backed conciliation talks in Singapore to resolve a maritime dispute in the Gulf of Thailand involving significant natural gas and oil reserves.

Sources

anninhthudo.vn · bairdmaritime.com · baoquangninh.vn · ca.sports.yahoo.com · chiangraitimes.com · lesinguliersete.fr · news.az · srnnews.com · thailandblog.nl · thailandnews.co · thediplomat.com