Phnom Penh: Royal Government Spokesperson Pen Bona said that Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to use the mechanism of forced mediation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to resolve the issue of overlapping maritime boundaries.
In a statement on the Cambodia-Thailand border situation on May 11, 2026, Pen Bona said that the Royal Government has decided to use the mechanism of forced mediation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to seek a peaceful solution based on the law to resolve the overlapping maritime claims between Cambodia and Thailand.
He said that this position was officially announced by President Hun Sen after the Thai Cabinet approved the withdrawal. From the Memorandum of Understanding between Cambodia and Thailand, abbreviated as MOU-2001 or the Thai side calls it MOU-44. The Prime Minister also confirmed this position to Thai Prime Minister Anutin Chanwirakul in person at the trilateral meeting in Cebu, Philippines.
The spokesperson added that “the Thai side has acknowledged the notification of Cambodia’s position to use the forced conciliation mechanism under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Cambodia and Thailand have agreed to use the UNCLOS mechanism to resolve the issue of overlapping maritime boundaries. Cambodia has also sent a diplomatic note to the Thai side on May 6, 2026 to confirm the use of the forced conciliation mechanism under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.”
According to Pen Bona, Acting Head of State Samdech Techo Hun Sen also underlined Cambodia’s position that there is no need to negotiate with the Thai side to establish any new bilateral agreement after the Thai side canceled The 2001 MOU is unilateral, meaning that Cambodia and Thailand must move towards the 1982 Law of the Sea mechanism to resolve the issue with a third party participating in seeking justice. The position of the Royal Government of Cambodia has also received full support from both legislative bodies, the Senate and the National Assembly.
