According to the foreign ministry, the 2001 MoU on Territorial Claims is an global agreement outside of local laws.
PUBLISHED: 21 Nov 2024 at 20: 33
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs believes that a petition from Thai people asking for the Thai government to revoke the Memorandum of Understanding ( MoU) signed in 2001 between Thailand and Cambodia regarding territorial claims is not legally possible.
The model for resolving the two nations ‘ overlapping territorial claims in the continental shelf place is laid out in the contract signed in 2001 when Thaksin Shinawatra was in charge of the region.
It is an international agreement, and there are no local laws or regulations that allow for a plea to reject it, said Russ Jalichandra, a vice-minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs..
Citizens would need to choose a authorities with a policy to rescind the agreement, he said, in order for any attempt to invalidate it to be made politically.
And while one side was formally cancel the MoU, the different country may reject the withdrawal, maintaining the agreement’s validity, he added.
In the opinion of Mr. Russ, ignoring the agreement could lead to violations, which could lead to foreign court cases, and may harm Thailand’s reputation internationally.
This could also prevent future discussions with other nations, impacting Thailand’s business, trade, investment and advancement, he said.
Mr. Russ emphasized the importance of the 2001 deal in terms of resolving regional disputes with Cambodia and securing important subsea resources. If cancelled, Thailand would harm escalating independence concerns without a solution.
After Warong Dechgitvigrom, the head of the Thai Pakdee Party, filed a petition opposing the MoU, which received the support of more than 100 000 individuals, Mr. Russ made the remarks.
Writing on Facebook on Wednesday, Dr Warong said the deal compromises Thai independence, especially over the island of Koh Kut, and threats Thailand losing access to underwater power tools.
He demanded that the government hold a rally at Government House on Friday to demand that the MoU be renounced.
The House committee on state safety, which is led by opposition People’s Party MP Rangsiman Rome, said his council was even conducting a thorough evaluation of the MoU from 2001.