Bangkok: The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs has introduced two distinguished Thai mediators, both of whom have served as former presidents of the International Court of Law of the Sea, to assist in resolving a maritime dispute between Thailand and Cambodia.
According to Thai News Agency, these appointments are part of the compulsory conciliation process outlined in the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The aim is to address the ongoing dispute over overlapping continental shelf claims between the two nations. The profiles of the mediators reveal their extensive expertise and experience in international maritime law.
One of the appointed mediators is Judge Albert J. Hoffman, a South African lawyer known for his specialization in Commonwealth maritime zones. Judge Hoffman served as President of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) from 2020 to 2023. His background includes roles as Chair of the Legal and Technical Committee and Chair of the Dispute Resolution Committee of the International Seabed Organization from 2002 to 2005.
The second mediator, Judge Rdiger Wolfrum from Germany, is a recognized expert in international law. He has previously mediated on the Maritime Dispute Resolution Commission between Timor-Leste and Australia and served as President of ITLOS from 2005 to 2008. Currently, he holds the position of Honorary Director at the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law.
Thailand and Cambodia have each selected two mediators as part of the conciliation process. The next step involves appointing a chairman for the mediation committee, a task that must be completed within a month to facilitate further discussions.