“PM Hun Manet was informed”: Thai PM defends MoU 44 withdrawal

The Thai prime minister has reiterated that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet was officially informed of Thailand’s decision to withdraw from the 2001 Memorandum of Understanding on maritime boundaries, known as MoU 44, during their recent meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Cebu.

Anutin Charnvirakul made the remarks in a Facebook post responding to Cambodian media reports claiming that Thailand had not yet formally notified Cambodia of the decision.

The The Phnom Penh Post also reported that Thailand had agreed to use the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea as the mechanism to address maritime disputes following the cancellation of the MoU.

According to Anutin, he took the opportunity to inform Hun Manet directly that the Thai government had already decided to withdraw from the agreement.

“The Cambodian prime minister acknowledged the decision and said he was disappointed by Thailand’s move,” Anutin wrote.

He said Hun Manet told him Cambodia would therefore have no alternative but to pursue compulsory conciliation under UNCLOS regarding overlapping maritime claims.

Anutin said Thailand supports the use of UNCLOS principles because future discussions between the two countries will now be conducted under the same legal framework, noting that Cambodia ratified the convention only earlier this year.

“For me, informing Cambodia of Thailand’s withdrawal from MoU 44 during this meeting can clearly be regarded as official notification,” Anutin wrote, adding that Cambodia had also informed Thailand of its intended next steps and publicly declared its position during the ASEAN leaders’ meeting.

He argued that this dispelled any doubt over whether Cambodia accepted Thailand’s withdrawal.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow dismissed Cambodian media reports claiming that Bangkok had agreed to enter compulsory conciliation under UNCLOS to settle overlapping maritime claims with Cambodia.

Sihasak said Cambodia appeared to be trying to draw conclusions before formal negotiations had even begun, describing it as part of Cambodia’s negotiating style aimed at gaining an advantage.

He insisted that Thailand would not allow itself to be placed at a disadvantage in future negotiations and stressed that the main objective is to restore bilateral relations, rather than allow either side to claim victory.

Sihasak said any future negotiations over overlapping maritime claims must proceed within the UNCLOS framework.

He explained that the convention contains several mechanisms and stages for dispute settlement, but said the primary approach should first be direct bilateral negotiations between the two countries.

Only if those negotiations fail, he said, would other mechanisms under UNCLOS, including compulsory conciliation, be considered. Such mechanisms would also require the consent of both parties.

Sihasak also clarified that no commitments were made during recent discussions between the Thai and Cambodian leaders.

The foreign minister said Thailand had made clear that, before discussions could advance to issues involving land borders or boundary demarcation, both sides would first need to rebuild trust and confidence, adding that the process had not yet reached that stage.

He urged the Thai public to remain confident that negotiations would not undermine Thailand’s interests and reiterated that the focus should remain on repairing relations between the neighbouring countries.

“Thailand has always acted with openness and sincerity, but sincerity from the Cambodian side remains elusive,” Sihasak said, adding that both countries should engage as neighbours, rather than seek advantage or distort discussion outcomes for their own benefit, and should work together to find the best possible solution.