Post by : Shakul

Thailand has appointed two international legal experts to represent its interests in a United Nations-backed conciliation process initiated by Cambodia over a long-standing maritime dispute in the Gulf of Thailand. The move marks a significant step in efforts to address one of Southeast Asia’s most sensitive territorial disagreements.

Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow announced that Germany’s Rüdiger Wolfrum and South African maritime law specialist Albert Hoffman will serve as Thailand’s conciliators during the proceedings. The process falls under the framework of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Cambodia launched the compulsory conciliation process earlier this month after Thailand withdrew from a 2001 agreement that had provided a basis for bilateral negotiations over the disputed maritime area. Phnom Penh argued that international mediation was necessary to advance discussions.

The disputed region, known as the Overlapping Claims Area, covers around 26,000 square kilometres in the Gulf of Thailand. Experts estimate the area contains nearly 12 trillion cubic feet of natural gas along with substantial oil reserves valued at approximately $300 billion.

Cambodia has already appointed Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn as its representative in the process, alongside Danish diplomat Peter Taksøe-Jensen and French legal scholar Jean-Marc Thouvenin. Both countries will now work through a panel of conciliators to seek a peaceful resolution.

According to the agreed procedure, the appointed conciliators must meet within 30 days to select a chairperson before formal proceedings begin. Cambodian officials welcomed Thailand’s decision to participate in the process, describing it as a positive step toward dialogue.

The maritime dispute comes amid fragile relations between the neighbouring countries. Although a ceasefire reached in December remains in place, tensions remain high following two rounds of border clashes last year that reportedly killed nearly 150 people and displaced more than 300,000 residents on both sides of the border.

#world news #Thailand News #Diplomacy #Global Diplomacy