SCMP: Thailand and Cambodia Agree to Naval Hotline Over Contested Gulf Waters, But Process Is Not Legally Binding

PHNOM PENH, Oct. 20, 2026: Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to calm public rhetoric and set up a hotline between their navy commanders to prevent incidents in disputed, energy-rich waters in the Gulf of Thailand, the South China Morning Post reports.

The agreement came during a second round of UN-backed mediation talks held last week at the Peace Palace in The Hague. The Permanent Court of Arbitration said late Monday that both sides showed good faith and agreed to confidence-building measures as the process continues.

What both sides agreed to

The measures include a commitment to handle public statements carefully — aiming to create space for constructive engagement rather than pressure the other side. Both parties also pledged to avoid comments that could inflame public sentiment or raise tensions, and to guard against misinformation that could undermine the talks.

The naval hotline will allow commanders to report and manage maritime incidents quickly, avoiding misunderstandings.

Background to the dispute

The two countries have disputed their 800-kilometre land border for decades. Clashes last year killed scores of people on both sides and halted billions of dollars in cross-border trade. A ceasefire agreed in December still holds, but relations remain deeply strained.

Attention has now shifted to the Gulf seabed, which is estimated to hold oil and gas reserves worth US$300 billion. Thailand ended a bilateral negotiation channel in May, prompting Cambodia to request the UNCLOS conciliation process. Talks began in Singapore in September and continued in The Hague last week, covering a 27,000-square-kilometre area of sea.

What the process means

The five-member commission is chaired by Australian lawyer and diplomat Katrina Cooper. The process is not legally binding. Only one other UNCLOS conciliation case has been held — East Timor against Australia in 2016 — and it took nearly two years to resolve.

After the talks, Thailand's Foreign Ministry said the measures would help create conditions for progress, while Cambodia's Foreign Ministry reaffirmed its full support for the process it initiated.

Source: South China Morning Post

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Reported by The Khmer Today