Wanwichit points out that the Thai side has anticipated and controlled the timing of Cambodia's moves, preventing Thailand from falling behind, and expects to formulate a plan to oppose Cambodia's maritime claims.
On 8 June 2026 GMT+7, Associate Professor Dr. Wanwichit Boonprong, a faculty member of the Political Science Department at Rangsit University, commented on Cambodia's recent move to enter the UNCLOS process. He said Cambodia's announcement appointing Mr. Peter Thacker-Jensen, a former senior Danish diplomat and former chair of the UNCLOS Conciliation Commission who previously played a role in the maritime boundary dispute between Australia and Timor-Leste, along with Mr. Jean-Marc Touveyran, a French international law expert experienced in cases before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and international arbitration bodies, might give the impression that Cambodia is taking the lead over Thailand. However, in reality, this move does not mean Thailand is lagging behind. The Thai team, led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Puangketkaew, has already anticipated and assessed that Cambodia would try to initiate the UNCLOS process first. Therefore, Thailand chose to fully understand Cambodia's moves before taking control of the pace of the game.
Thailand's position is that it is ready to enter the UNCLOS process but insists that the scope of discussion be limited strictly to the disputed maritime boundary lines. Thailand opposes mixing other issues into the negotiations, which benefits Thailand by focusing the review solely on maritime rights and reducing Cambodia's chances of introducing other claims, such as those related to Koh Kut Island or territorial demands beyond the UNCLOS framework.
Associate Professor Dr. Wanwichit added that Cambodia's declaration of maritime claims in a "Maximum Claim" manner—seeking as much maritime territory as possible, including exclusive economic zones and continental shelves—without fully pursuing bilateral negotiations with Thailand first, may cause some of Cambodia's claims to be questioned for their reasonableness and legitimacy once the process advances.
Meanwhile, Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already engaged international law experts and specialists to prepare the Thai delegation for the UNCLOS dispute resolution process. The official list of representatives is expected to be announced soon. The ministry is evaluating all possibilities, including worst-case scenarios, to prepare comprehensive countermeasures, instilling confidence that Thailand will not be at a disadvantage in this matter.