Cambodia Opens UNCLOS Conciliation Talks With Thailand
Cambodia and Thailand have launched formal conciliation talks under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to resolve maritime disputes, with Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister opening proceedings in Singapore on September 15, 2026. The comm
Singapore — On September 15, 2026, Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn delivered an opening statement at the first meeting of the Thailand-Cambodia Conciliation Commission under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
In his remarks, Sokhonn expressed gratitude to the Commission's chairperson and members for their service, as well as to the Permanent Court of Arbitration and its registry staff for their efficient administration of the proceedings. He also thanked Thailand's representatives and other participants for their attendance.
Sokhonn outlined Cambodia's historical context, tracing the nation from the Khmer Empire of the 9th century through French protectorate status beginning in 1863. He noted that Cambodia's modern territorial boundaries, including its land border with Thailand, were established through treaties and maps including the Franco-Siamese Convention of 1904 and the Treaty of 1907.
He recounted Cambodia's difficult recent history, including the aerial bombardment during regional conflicts in the 1960s and 1970s, and the devastating Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979, which killed approximately one-quarter of the nation's population. Sokhonn emphasized that following the 1991 Paris Peace Agreement and UN-supported peace process, Cambodia has been engaged in the enormous task of rebuilding its economy, institutions, and society after decades of conflict and isolation as one of the world's least developed nations.
