PUBLISHED: 26 Nov 2024 at 07: 09
The Ombudsman has been asked to ask the Constitutional Court to rule on whether a Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) signed by Thailand and Cambodia in 2001 breaches the constitution.
Political activistSonthiya Sawasdeesubmitted the request to the Office of the Ombudsman on Monday. He also petitioned the Administrative Court to intervene and order the revocation of the MoU to avoid any complications arising from negotiations based on it.
Due to the public’s doubts about whether the MoU will actually help the nation, critics are stepping up their calling for the authorities to rescind it.
A battle against the MoU has received 100, 000 names, according to Thai Pakdee Party chair Warong Dechgitvigrom before. He added that the deal poses a risk of Thailand losing exposure to subsea power sources and threatens Thai independence, particularly with regard to the island of Koh Kut.
But, the Foreign Affairs Vice Minister Russ Jalichandra said the MoU is the best method for protecting the government’s interests. He claimed that it establishes a foundation and mechanism for discussions of the dispute claims, which have been continuing for 50 years. According to international law, he added that it involves both resource sharing and maritime boundary debate.
Mr. Russ claimed that until an agreement is reached, the MoU does not accept any states from either side.
He claimed that the MoU is essential for preventing Cambodia’s territorial disputes and securing important subsea tools. If cancelled, Thailand would harm escalating independence concerns without a solution.
He said the authorities, like previous governments, supports the continuation of the MoU, believing it serves national interests.