Thailand open to UN mediation as maritime dispute with Cambodia escalates

Email: online@newsofbahrain.com

Bangkok: Thailand has signalled that it is willing to participate in a United Nations-sponsored mediation process as tensions rise over a long-standing maritime border dispute with Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand.

Cambodia has formally launched a compulsory conciliation procedure under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the maritime (UNCLOS), seeking international mediation over overlapping claims in a highly resourced maritime area thought to hold large oil and gas deposits.

The move comes after Thailand recently terminated a 2001 bilateral agreement that supervised collaborative exploration efforts in the disputed zone.

Although they have not rejected the UN procedure, Thai officials say they are still considering Cambodia's request and are open to further engagement through international legal channels, preferring bilateral talks as the main route.

A panel of independent experts will be established under the UNCLOS mediation procedure to assess the conflict and provide neutral recommendations for a peaceful resolution.

Thailand insists that direct negotiations are still the best course of action, while Cambodia claims the procedure is required to safeguard its maritime rights.

Both sides confirmed their desire to prevent conflicts and maintain the situation within peaceful diplomatic frameworks despite the rise in tensions.