Thailand Closes Talks Door as Cambodia Pursues UNCLOS Dispute

Thailand has closed the door on negotiations with Cambodia after Cambodia chose to bring their maritime dispute to the UNCLOS mechanism, making progress on land border talks impossible. Thai officials expressed concern about Cambodia's publicizing of Chinese tank deliveries during this delicate period, and urged China to consider the impact of supplying weapons to Cambodia.

On July 20, 2025, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Siwarak Phuangkaetkaew stated that China has offered to facilitate Thai-Cambodian talks, but communication channels between the two countries remain limited. Although Thailand proposed after the leaders' meeting in Cebu during the ASEAN summit that bilateral negotiations be used to build mutual trust on all issues, Cambodia instead moved forward with compulsory arbitration proceedings on maritime borders rather than negotiating bilaterally first.

Siwarak emphasized that UNCLOS offers multiple mechanisms, such as voluntary mediation, before proceeding to binding arbitration. "Since Cambodia is not ready to discuss as agreed in Cebu, negotiations on land borders have become difficult," he said. "This closes the door on opportunities to discuss land and maritime border issues. The best outcome would be if China maintains its goodwill and neutrality, and encourages Cambodia to honor the Cebu agreement and recognize the importance of impartiality."

Siwarak also expressed concern that Cambodia's publicizing of Chinese tank deliveries at this sensitive moment—when the ceasefire remains fragile—is unhelpful. He urged China to consider this concern, noting that while gray-zone Chinese businesses represent only a small portion of total Chinese investment, recent incidents involving Chinese nationals obtaining Thai nationality through fraudulent newborn registrations damage public perception and warrant Beijing's attention.