Thai-Cambodian Committee to Be Established for Negotiation of Underwater Treasures.

Bangkok: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul announced the necessity of establishing a Thai-Cambodian committee to address the allocation of benefits from underwater treasures in the maritime area around Koh Kood, Trat Province. This follows discussions held during a recent coalition party meeting concerning the overlapping interests defined in MOU 44. According to Thai News Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs clarified to the MOU 44 parties that the memorandum does not pertain to the land of Koh Kood. Anutin emphasized that Koh Kood remains firmly within Thai territory and dismissed rumors suggesting otherwise. The necessity for a new committee arises from the conclusion of the previous government's term, which had been handling the negotiations. Anutin further clarified that the MOU 44 is solely concentrated on developing energy resources in the Gulf of Thailand and does not involve territorial land issues. The focus is on marine areas, thus excluding land boundaries suc h as Koh Kood from the discussions. The committee's purpose is to draw conclusive agreements on the maritime boundary lines and the management of underwater resources. The overlapping area results from different interpretations of boundary lines drawn by both countries since 2015. Anutin highlighted the need for continuous dialogue to reach a mutual agreement and stressed that any unresolved matters could potentially be jointly developed. The negotiations must consider surveys and economic benefits, ensuring any shared resources are equitably distributed. Anutin reiterated the importance of reaching a consensus through a series of negotiations if necessary. The goal is to ensure both parties agree on how to manage and share the benefits from the overlapping areas. The process will continue until a satisfactory conclusion is achieved for both nations.