Australian diplomat and international lawyer Katrina Cooper has been appointed chair of the five-member commission handling the Thailand-Cambodia maritime-boundary dispute under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) issued a statement on August 14 confirming Cooper's appointment, Thailand's Foreign Ministry said. She was among the candidates backed by Thailand.
Cooper becomes the fifth conciliator on the commission, which will hear both countries' positions and issue recommendations intended to help them negotiate a settlement. Its report will not be legally binding.
Commission completed after deadline extension
Thailand and Cambodia had each selected two conciliators, with those four members required to agree on an independent fifth member to chair the body.
The original deadline was July 19, but the two countries agreed to extend it until August 14.
Thailand named Judge Albert J. Hoffmann of South Africa and Judge Rudiger Wolfrum of Germany as its two conciliators. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow was appointed Thailand's Agent, while Songchai Chaipatiyut, Thailand's ambassador to Kuwait, was named Deputy Agent.
Cambodia sent its notification seeking conciliation to Thailand on June 2. Thailand formally responded on June 19, agreeing to take part while stating that its involvement was limited to maritime-boundary delimitation under the 1982 UNCLOS convention.
The Foreign Ministry has stressed that the conciliation is not a court case. The commission members are independent experts, rather than legal representatives for either Thailand or Cambodia, and will aim to identify a balanced way forward.
Cooper brings Timor Sea experience
The ministry described Cooper as an experienced diplomat and international lawyer with expertise in international law, negotiations and sensitive international issues.
She previously served as Australia's ambassador to Mexico and was Australia's Co-Agent during a separate UNCLOS conciliation involving Australia and Timor-Leste. PCA records confirm she represented Australia in that five-member process.
Her role in the Timor Sea proceedings gives her direct experience of the same UNCLOS mechanism now being used by Thailand and Cambodia.
The completed commission is expected to arrange its first meeting in September 2026. One of its first tasks will be to prepare rules of procedure governing meetings and later stages of the process.
The panel is expected to deliver a report with recommendations in around 12 months, unless the countries agree that more time is needed. Thailand said it was ready to cooperate with the commission as a peaceful dispute-settlement process under UNCLOS while protecting its national interests.
Picture courtesy of The Nation
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16 August 2026
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