-- Thailand's cabinet on Tuesday formally terminated MOU 44, a 25-year-old framework with Cambodia intended for joint energy exploration in the Gulf of Thailand, several media outlets reported.
Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed the decision following a recommendation from the National Security Council, stating that the 2001 pact had failed to deliver results after decades of stalled negotiations.
This unilateral withdrawal fulfills a key election pledge and marks a pivot away from bilateral joint-development talks toward international legal frameworks, specifically the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The move effectively freezes the development of the 27,000-square-kilometer Overlapping Claims Area, a region believed to harbor significant natural gas reserves, as per the reports.
In response, Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn expressed deep regret, reportedly noting that Cambodia now has no option but to pursue compulsory conciliation under UNCLOS.