Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet announced on Tuesday that Cambodia will initiate a “compulsory conciliation” with Thailand over a maritime boundary dispute under the mediation of the UN.

The claim stems from the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) which includes an internal dispute resolution mechanism outlined in Annex V of the treaty. The area in dispute is a section of the Gulf of Thailand that is believed to be rich in natural gas. UNCLOS rules allow for a certain amount of nautical miles beyond the low-tide mark of a state to be allotted the exclusive jurisdiction over the exploitable resources within. However, due to the nature of many coastlines, these boundaries can often overlap.

Historically, Thailand and Cambodia have sought to settle border disagreements bilaterally rather than through a third party ever since the 1962 International Court of Justice decision that gave Cambodia sovereignty over the mutually culturally-significant Preah Vihear temple. Thailand saw this decision as unfair, which has led to a number of border skirmishes over the past decades. These tensions notably flared up again in 2025, resulting in an exchange of hostilities that caused hundreds of deaths and half a million civilians internally displaced. The two states signed a ceasefire in December.

Last month, Thailand unilaterally withdrew from a 2001 Memorandum of Understanding that sought to outline a method for solving maritime boundary disputes and managing common resources. However, talks had been stalled for the past two decades. Hun Manet denounced this move by Thailand and in Tuesday’s announcement said, “This is not unilateral action. It is an effort to resolve the dispute peacefully, through international law, and in good faith.”

Once the conciliation committee has been made they have 12 months to issue a report, which the involved states are urged to consider in good faith. However, the decision will not be legally binding.