Cambodia: In a significant development, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Prak Sokhonn, who also serves as Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, led the Cambodian delegation to attend the first meeting of the Conciliation Commission under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in Singapore. The meeting, held on Monday afternoon, aimed to address the maritime boundary dispute between Cambodia and Thailand following the latter's unilateral cancellation of a 2001 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, the meeting was chaired by Ms. Katrina Cooper, President of the Conciliation Commission, and involved the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) as the Registry. The Thai delegation was led by H.E. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. The UNCLOS conciliation process was initiated after Thailand decided on May 5, 2026, to cancel the 2001 MoU concerning the overlapping maritime claims on the continental shelf, despite Cambodia's repeated requests for reconsideration.

The cancellation of the 2001 MoU ended the bilateral framework for negotiations between the two countries, prompting Cambodia, under the leadership of Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet, to seek resolution through the compulsory conciliation mechanism under UNCLOS. This mechanism aims to bring the negotiation process into an international framework, facilitating a peaceful resolution with the help of independent conciliators.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation noted that the opening statements by both nations during the first meeting of the Conciliation Commission will be publicly accessible and webcast live in Khmer, English, and Thai, and will also be broadcast on Cambodia's national television. H.E. Prak Sokhonn is scheduled to deliver Cambodia's opening statement at 8:00 a.m. Cambodia time on September 15, 2026.