Thailand-Cambodia Maritime Dispute Enters Mediation Process, Parties Begin Appointing Members

(Central News Agency reporter Li Zongxian, Bangkok, 16th) Thailand's Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow announced today that Thailand has nominated two mediators to participate in the mediation process initiated by Cambodia under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to resolve the long-standing maritime sovereignty dispute in the Gulf of Thailand.

Cambodia announced on the 2nd that it had formally notified the United Nations and Thailand, initiating the UNCLOS mediation mechanism to settle the prolonged maritime sovereignty dispute between Cambodia and Thailand in the Gulf of Thailand. This move follows Thailand's May decision to cancel the 2001 joint offshore energy exploration agreement with Cambodia.

According to today's report by the Bangkok Post, Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak stated that Thailand has nominated German judge Rudiger Wolfrum and South African maritime law expert Albert Hoffman as its mediators.

The report indicates that Cambodia has appointed its Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn as the procedural representative and nominated Danish diplomat Peter Taksoe-Jensen and French international law scholar Jean-Marc Thouvenin as mediators.

Under the procedure, the appointed mediators from both sides must convene within 30 days to jointly select the chair of the mediation panel, after which the formal mediation process will begin.

The maritime area in dispute between Thailand and Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand covers approximately 26,000 square kilometers. According to Reuters, the region is estimated to contain vast reserves of natural gas and oil worth around USD 300 billion.

Thailand and Cambodia experienced intense border clashes last year, resulting in nearly 150 deaths and about 300,000 people temporarily displaced. The two countries reached a ceasefire agreement in December last year, but the underlying disputes remain unresolved. (Editor: Chen Cheng-gong) 1150616