ASEAN unity strained by Thai-Cambodia tensions

Kung Phoak

Southeast Asia’s ability to respond to global crises could be undermined by simmering disputes between Thailand and Cambodia and the grinding civil war in Myanmar, a senior Cambodian diplomat has warned.

Speaking ahead of this week’s ASEAN summit in the Philippines, Kung Phoak, Cambodia’s envoy to the bloc, said internal strife was distracting members from tackling urgent challenges such as the energy crisis triggered by the Middle East conflict. Leaders are expected to discuss ratifying the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement, designed to safeguard fuel supplies and strengthen regional coordination.

Governments across the region have already moved to conserve energy, restrict exports and secure access to fuel. But Kung Phoak cautioned that unresolved disputes risk weakening ASEAN’s collective response. He pointed to the fragile ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia, where border talks have stalled and Thai forces remain on contested ground. Tensions escalated further this week when Bangkok withdrew from a decades-old maritime pact covering potentially oil-rich waters.

Myanmar’s civil war, raging since the 2021 coup, remains another obstacle. While the recent transfer of Aung San Suu Kyi to house arrest has raised hopes of dialogue, ASEAN members continue to press for direct engagement with the military-backed government.

Thailand’s foreign ministry said it was preparing “internal procedures” for possible border talks and emphasised the need to build trust. It cited the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea as the framework for maritime negotiations.

Despite these divisions, Kung Phoak insisted ASEAN must look beyond immediate crises. “The sooner we can get all these problems resolved, it enhances our ability and gives us more time to think about what we can do more, not just to respond to the crisis but also to prepare ASEAN for the future,” he told Reuters.

The summit comes at a critical moment for the bloc, which faces mounting pressure to prove it can act decisively on energy security while navigating deep political fractures among its members.

-2026-05-07