Thailand and Cambodia seek maritime conciliation under UNCLOS

Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn (first row, second from left) and Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow (first row, second from right) are in Singapore for a conciliation meeting on overlapping maritime claims.

Listen Summarise Thailand and Cambodia began a conciliation meeting in Singapore to resolve a long-standing maritime dispute over resource-rich waters, initiated under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Thai Foreign Minister accused Cambodia of false claims, while Cambodia is positioning the talks as a peaceful step to rebuild trust and seek joint development or boundary agreement. Analysts are hopeful the legal process can ease tensions despite strong rhetoric, with Singapore playing a key neutral role and ASEAN likely to address the dispute in 2027. AI generated