Bangkok: Thailand has appointed two representatives to the Compulsory Conciliation Committee for negotiations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sihasak Phuangketkaew, announced the appointments after a Cabinet meeting, confirming that he will lead the Thai negotiating team with Ambassador Songchai Chaipatyudh, the Thai Ambassador to Kuwait, as deputy head.
According to Thai News Agency, the two appointed representatives from the Compulsory Conciliation Committee are former presidents of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), hailing from South Africa and Germany. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs carefully selected these experts, acknowledging their extensive expertise in maritime law.
The conciliation process requires that both Thailand and Cambodia appoint two mediators each, followed by the selection of a fifth person to act as chairperson for the negotiations. This setup must be finalized within a month before discussions commence.
Mr. Sihasak clarified that the committee's role is not judicial but rather to facilitate discussions on resolving key issues with Cambodia. He suggested that initial discussions should concentrate on defining maritime boundaries and the continental shelf, dismissing Cambodia's request to discuss joint development areas as inappropriate at this stage.
When questioned about decision-making on Cambodia's proposal, Mr. Sihasak stated that the mediation committee would need to address it. He reiterated that the primary objective should be establishing clear maritime boundaries before considering joint underwater development areas.