Phnom Penh: Government Spokesperson Pen Bona said that the decision of the Cambodian Prime Minister to use the mechanism of forced mediation after the Thai side unilaterally withdrew from the 2001 Cambodia-Thailand Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU 2001, reflects the sincere hope that the two countries can reach a just solution.
In a statement on the Cambodia-Thailand situation on May 6, 2026, the government spokesperson said that the Cambodian government decided to use the mechanism of forced mediation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to find a peaceful solution based on the law to resolve the overlapping maritime claims between Cambodia and Thailand.
He said that the mechanism of forced mediation was established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea To assist the parties to resolve the dispute peacefully and in accordance with international law.
The spokesperson stated that “Cambodia’s decision therefore reflects the sincere hope that the two countries can reach a just, lasting and in accordance with international law solution that will allow our people to live together in peace, stability and happiness.”
According to Mr. Pen Bona, quoting the King, as a state that respects and adheres to international law as well as the peaceful resolution of disputes, Cambodia has no choice but to rely on international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, especially the mechanism of forced conciliation established under this Convention.
