Thailand Accuses Cambodia of ‘Playing the Victim’
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Singapore: Thailand accused Cambodia of portraying itself as a victim as the two Southeast Asian neighbours launched UN-sponsored reconciliation talks to address their longstanding maritime dispute.
At a hearing held before a conciliation commission in Singapore on Tuesday, Thailand dismissed Cambodia’s claims and stood by its stance in the ongoing dispute regarding overlapping maritime boundaries in the Gulf of Thailand. The discussions are taking place under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), after Bangkok pulled out of a 2001 agreement aimed at joint offshore energy exploration.
The disagreement arises against the backdrop of wider tensions between the neighbours, which escalated after deadly border clashes last year. Thailand has accused Cambodia of leveraging international platforms to frame itself as a victim and disseminate what Bangkok describes as false statements.
The three-day conciliation process, held in Singapore from September 14 to 16, seeks to reach a peaceful resolution. Its recommendations will not carry legal force.
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