The Cabinet on 5 May 2026 approved the termination of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between Thailand and Cambodia in 2001 regarding the area of their overlapping maritime claims to the continental shelf.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul explained that the decision was not related to any conflict between the two countries, saying that it was his policy to cancel the MOU, which had existed for 25 years now, but no progress had been made.

However, he said, there are other references now available, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which could be used as a common guide, since both countries have already become parties to this convention.

According to Government Spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek, the Cabinet decided to use UNCLOS as a mechanism for Thailand’s future courses of action on the issue. She stated that cancelling the 2001 MOU is meant to adjust the “cooperation framework” and not to end relations or negotiations. 

Thailand would continue to hold talks with Cambodia to resolve maritime boundary issues on the basis UNCLOS, which is clear, complete, and more systematic, so that the resolving of the issue between the two countries would become more effective.

The Government Spokesperson stressed the need for Thailand to review this MOU, based on internationally accepted rules, to achieve equitable outcomes while fully safeguarding its national interests. She said that Thailand had unofficially informed Cambodia about the termination of the MOU and that it was preparing to use UNCLOS as a framework of engaging bilateral negotiations in the next step.

The Government is also in the process of establishing a technical and legal committee, under the new negotiation framework, in relation to Thailand-Cambodia overlapping maritime claims.