Cambodia launched compulsory conciliation proceedings under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on Tuesday to resolve maritime boundary disputes with Thailand.
The move signals a shift toward international arbitration to secure access to energy reserves in the Gulf of Thailand. With estimated undersea energy reserves valued at $300 billion [1], the disputed area has become a focal point for national security and economic stability.
This legal action follows the termination of a 2001 memorandum of understanding that had previously guided negotiations between the two nations [2]. Thailand cancelled the agreement on May 5, 2026 [3], ending a deal that had been in place for 25 years [4].
Cambodian officials said the urgency to resolve the boundary dispute has increased due to oil-price shocks resulting from the war in Iran [5]. By invoking the UNCLOS conciliation process, Cambodia seeks a formal resolution to the overlapping claims that have hindered resource extraction for decades.
Responses from Bangkok have been mixed. Thailand's prime minister said he was not aware that Cambodia had started the conciliation process [6]. However, the previous cancellation of the maritime agreement on May 5 drew a sharp rebuke from Phnom Penh, suggesting a heightened state of diplomatic tension [3].
The Gulf of Thailand remains a volatile region for maritime diplomacy. The compulsory conciliation process is designed to provide a structured framework for settlement when bilateral negotiations fail to produce a result.
“Estimated undersea energy reserves in the disputed area are valued at $300 billion.”
The transition from a bilateral memorandum to a UN-backed compulsory conciliation reflects a breakdown in direct diplomacy between Phnom Penh and Bangkok. By leveraging UNCLOS, Cambodia is attempting to internationalize the dispute to gain leverage over the $300 billion in potential energy wealth, especially as global energy markets remain unstable due to conflict in Iran.
