Phnom Penh: Dr. Kin Phe, a political analyst, said that if the Thai leadership is truly brave enough to resolve the 2001 Cambodia-Thailand Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU 2001, which it unilaterally withdrew, it should be brave enough to resolve the land border dispute with the Cambodian side in accordance with international law.
Dr. Kin Phe, a political science expert at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, said that Thailand decided to unilaterally withdraw from the 2001 Cambodia-Thailand Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU 2001, which was decided by the Thai Cabinet on May 5, 2026. He said that after the official announcement from the Thai side, the head of the Royal Government of Cambodia also 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.
The doctor said, “If Thailand has the courage to resolve the overlapping maritime claims with Cambodia based on international law or UN mechanisms, Thailand must have the courage to resolve the land border issue with Cambodia to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as well.”
The analyst added that Thailand should therefore return to accepting the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice to resolve border issues at points where there is no dispute with Cambodia.
He said that doing so would allow the Thai leadership to escape internal pressure, especially to ensure that The borders of the two countries are clear, peaceful, stable, friendly and cooperative, and provide long-term benefits for the two nations that share a common border.
