Thailand says it is finally ‘ready’ to discuss overlapping claims stretching 26,000 sq kms of water with Cambodia

Thailand is preparing to reopen talks with Cambodia on the overlapping claims area (OCA) in the Gulf of Thailand, according to a report by Isra news agency. According to the report, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, who is in charge of security affairs, led a meeting to discuss the draft of the negotiation framework on the development of the OCA on Oct 1.

The meeting discussed the establishment of two working panels — one on demarcation of the maritime border, while the other would look into the joint development of the OCA. The meeting’s results were not made available to the press. Sarawut Kaewtathip, director-general of the Department of Mineral Fuels (DMF), said that the meeting details were classified and he was not at liberty to talk about the matter.

Both countries signed an agreement in 2001 to jointly develop parts of the OCA, covering some 26,000 square kilometres in the Gulf of Thailand and to demarcate a maritime border. However, there was no progress on talks over energy resources in the oil-rich maritime territory. Cambodian has six offshore blocks (A to F) and 19 onshore blocks (I to XIX).

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