BANGKOK: Thailand reaffirmed that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) 44, which serves as a framework to facilitate peaceful negotiations over the Thailand-Cambodia overlapping claim area (OCA), does not affect the kingdom’s sovereignty over Koh Kut in the southeastern province of Trat.
In a statement, Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa (pic) clarified that MoU 44 provides a structured mechanism for addressing disputed areas.
He explained that MoU 44 was established in accordance with international legal obligations for countries with overlapping maritime claims.
"It requires both Thailand and Cambodia to set up a Joint Technical Committee (JTC) to address two primary issues: establishing the maritime boundary and developing shared energy resources in the disputed area,” he said in a statement on Tuesday (Nov 12).
Thailand and Cambodia claim sovereignty over the mineral and oil-rich OCA, spanning approximately 26,000sq km in the Gulf of Thailand.
Meanwhile, Maris emphasised that cancelling MoU 44 would not nullify Cambodia’s existing claims.
He also highlighted a safeguard clause within the agreement that prevents any changes to maritime sovereignty until a formal, ratified agreement is reached.
He reiterated that MoU 44 functions solely as a basis for discussions and does not affect Koh Kut, which remains undisputed Thai territory under the 1907 Treaty between Siam and France.
"Cambodia has acknowledged Thailand’s sovereignty over Koh Kut, where Thai citizens have resided for more than a century,” he added.
Maris outlined Thailand’s primary goals in the negotiation process as establishing a definitive maritime boundary and safeguarding economic interests tied to potential energy resources.
He added that any agreement reached under MoU 44 would undergo parliamentary review to ensure public endorsement.
Meanwhile, Thai media reported that Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai denied claims of a secret deal between former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Cambodia’s ex-premier Hun Sen concerning disputed maritime areas in the Gulf of Thailand.
"There is no such deal whatsoever. How could someone without an official role reach an agreement?” he questioned.
Phumtham said the JTC would be established upon Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s return to Thailand on Nov 18.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is tasked with forming the JTC, which will include officials from the Royal Thai Navy’s Hydrographic Department, the Council of State, legal experts, and other relevant agencies.
In 2021, Thailand and Cambodia signed an MoU during Thaksin’s administration, which aimed to jointly develop parts of the OCA and demarcate a maritime boundary.
At the time, the MoU stipulated that maritime boundary demarcation and joint development should proceed as an "indivisible package”, with a Thailand-Cambodia JTC to facilitate discussions.
Several rounds of talks have been held since, but little progress has been made, primarily due to each side’s reluctance to concede on territorial claims. - Bernama
