Opposition wants to cancel Thaksin’s joint resources MoU with Cambodia

Palang Pratcharat says Thailand could end up losing sovereign territory

The opposition Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) wants Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to revoke a 2001 memorandum of understanding between Thailand and Cambodia on joint development of oil and gas resources in a disputed area of the Gulf of Thailand.

The MoU was signed during the government of her father, former prime  minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The PPRP claims it could mean Thailand losing some of its territory.

MP Thirachai Phuvanatnaranubala, head of the PPRP’s academic committee, said during a press conference at the parliament on Wednesday that the 2001 MoU indicated that Thailand and Cambodia acknowledged an area in the Gulf of Thailand for joint development. The document also accepted Cambodia’s territorial claim made in 1972 to half of Koh Kut island, which is in Trat province, he said.

“I have no problem with the government’s intention to discuss joint investment with Cambodia. But I will object if the government uses the 2001 MoU as a framework for the discussions, because not only is it illegal but also results in a territorial loss for Thailand,” said Mr Thirachai, a a former finance minister.

PPRP executive member ML Kornkasiwat Kasemsri said Thailand and Cambodia had discussed maritime demarcation in 1970. At the time, Thailand based its boundary on the 1958 Geneva Convention on the Law of the Sea, but Cambodia declared its territorial waters in 1972 without reference to any international law.

He said the Thaksin Shinawatra government started the negotiations that led to the 2001 MoU only two months after it took office. The negotiations began on April 21, 2001, and the MoU was signed on June 4, 2001, after 44 days of negotiations, he said.

The 2001 MoU resulted in an overlapping claims area of about 26,000 square kilometres, although the area had not been acknowledged by any legal document, ML Kornkasiwat said.

“The Palang Pracharath Party urges the prime minister to revoke the 2001 MoU as soon as possible, because a Cambodian map attached to the 2001 MoU included the sea off Trat, Koh Kut and some Thai territory. Thailand is at a disadvantage and risks territorial loss,” ML Kornkasiwat said.

PPRP MP Chaimongkol Chairop (Sakhon Nakhon) said the party, led by Gen Prawit Wongsuwon, would fight both inside and outside parliament to protect Thai territory.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai said the government had done nothing with any bearing on Koh Kut and he did not know why the issue was raised at this time.

The government would do its best to protect Thai territory, he said. Mr Phumtham is a member of the Pheu Thai Party led by Ms Paetongtarn.