PM Hun Manet Defends Cambodia's Decision to Pursue UNCLOS Process in Maritime Dispute with Thailand

PM Hun Manet Defends Cambodia's Decision to Pursue UNCLOS Process in Maritime Dispute with Thailand

PHNOM PENH, July 24, 2026 — Prime Minister Hun Manet has defended Cambodia's decision to pursue compulsory conciliation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), rejecting claims that the move has undermined bilateral negotiations with Thailand.

In an interview with Bloomberg Television, Prime Minister Hun Manet said Cambodia sought international conciliation only after Thailand cancelled the 2001 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which had provided the framework for bilateral maritime discussions for more than 15 years.

"We had no choice but to go to conciliation," he said.

The Prime Minister said previous Cambodian and Thai governments had continued working under the MOU to seek a mutually acceptable solution before its cancellation.

He added that the current priority is completing the appointment of the conciliation panel before discussing the scope of future negotiations, saying it is too early to consider expanding the issues under discussion.

Source: Bloomberg Television Exclusive Interview with PM Hun Manet.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2026-07-23/cambodian-pm-pledges-to-tackle-evolving-scam-networks-video

Reported by The Khmer Today