Cambodia, Thailand Vow to End Dispute Over 26,000 sq km Overlapping Claims Area

• Sommana Yan
• 15 September 2022
• Local News
• 5249 Views

Thailand will hold talks with Cambodia over a 26,000 sq km overlapping claims area (OCA) estimated to hold up to 500 million barrels of oil and gas deposits under the seafloor, reported the Bangkok Post.

The move comes following efforts by the two countries to work together to develop new energy sources and this involves first ironing out the territorial dispute.

Both countries will meet via video conference on Friday. The two sides will discuss various areas of cooperation such as management of cross-border travel, trade, and investment, labor and industrial cooperation, and public health and community development.

Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Supattanapong Punmeechaow said on 13 September that the joint development was expected to form part of the government’s long-term policy.

“In seeking new energy sources, particularly in neighboring countries with potential energy sources such as Cambodia, if the talks start and finish early, we hope we will soon be able to make use of these resources, and for the next year, as all infrastructure is now available to the benefit of both Thailand and Cambodia,” said Mr. Supattanapong.

The Thai government has set up a committee to look into ways to jointly develop the overlapping claims area.

According to the Phnom Penh Post on 23 August, Cambodia is ready to meet Thailand for talks as both nations strive to avert potential energy crises further down the line.

Speaking at a press conference earlier this month, a spokesman for the Ministry of Mines and Energy HE Meng Saktheara said that although the leaders of both countries have called for a speedy resolution, talks have made little progress.

He proposed the countries follow the model set by the Malaysia-Thailand Joint Development area and Cambodia is ready to negotiate.

Khomgrich Tantravanich, secretary-general of Thailand’s Energy Regulatory Commission, suggested policymakers of both countries be vocal and establish a clear put positive dialogue over the long-disputed OCA in the Gulf of Thailand.