The long-running maritime dispute between Cambodia and Thailand is moving into a formal international conciliation process under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). A Conciliation Commission established under the UN-backed framework is scheduled to hold its first meeting with representatives of both countries in Singapore from September 14 to 16.
The proceedings focus on overlapping maritime claims and the delimitation of the maritime boundary between the two Southeast Asian neighbors. Cambodia initiated the compulsory conciliation process after Thailand ended the bilateral framework previously used to address the disputed maritime claims. Thailand has agreed to participate while maintaining that the process should focus specifically on maritime boundary delimitation.
Opening statements from both sides are scheduled for September 15 and will be publicly webcast. The conciliation process is expected to take around 12 months, after which the commission will issue conclusions or recommendations. However, these recommendations will not be legally binding on Cambodia or Thailand.