AKP Phnom Penh, May 06, 2026 --

Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Acting Head of State, has expressed strong support for the Royal Government’s position on resolving the overlapping maritime area with Thailand through international legal mechanisms, following Bangkok’s unilateral cancellation of the 2001 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU 2001).

In a statement released on Wednesday morning, Samdech Techo Hun Sen argued that no new bilateral mechanism should be created to replace the scrapped agreement. Instead, the process should move directly toward mechanisms under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which allow for a fair and impartial resolution with third-party involvement. The approach aligns with recent remarks by Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet.

Drawing on personal experience, Samdech Techo noted long-standing involvement in the issue dating back to negotiations during the tenure of former Thai Prime Minister Chatichai Choonhavan from 1989 to 1990 and participation in the signing of the MOU 2001. He expressed regret over Thailand’s decision to terminate the agreement on the grounds of "lack of progress".

The statement questioned the reasons behind the slow progress, pointing to political instability in Thailand since the 2006 coup that ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. While Cambodia has maintained continuity in its leadership and negotiation approach, Thailand has seen frequent changes in government, which may have affected the consistency of negotiations.

“I would like to clarify: what caused the lack of progress? Thailand itself knows better than anyone. How many prime ministers has Thailand had since the 2006 Thai coup d'état that ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra? Cambodia, on the other hand, has maintained continuity under Prime Minister Hun Sen and now under Hun Manet, without changing the negotiation mechanism or substance. Meanwhile, Thailand has changed prime ministers around ten times—could this be one of the reasons for the lack of progress?” he stated. 

Despite this, Samdech Techo acknowledged that successive Thai leaders had shown willingness to continue dialogue. He recalled a 2010 meeting at his residence in Takhmao with then-Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan under Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s government, highlighting ongoing engagement at the time.

“It was during that visit that both dignitaries experienced Cambodian "Samlor Korko" (traditional Cambodian soup) for the first time, prepared personally by my wife for their lunch,” he added.

Reaffirming Cambodia’s stance, the Acting Head of State emphasised that pursuing international legal avenues should not be viewed as “internationalising” a bilateral issue or as a strategic maneuver. He also rejected calls to establish a new bilateral framework to replace the cancelled MOU.

Samdech Techo concluded by expressing hope that both Cambodia and Thailand would work together to pursue an appropriate international mechanism with jurisdiction over maritime disputes, in line with international law.

By C. Nika