• Thailand cancels a 25-year-old agreement with Cambodia concerning maritime energy exploration.
• The move follows nationalist sentiments and border conflicts with Cambodia in the previous year.
• Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul emphasizes the decision is part of national policy, with no progress under the agreement.
• Cambodia expresses regret and intends to pursue resolution through the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
• Relations between the two countries remain tense following armed conflicts resulting in casualties and displacement.

The Thai government announced the cancellation of a 2001 agreement with Cambodia aimed at joint offshore energy exploration. This decision was made public by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and is aligned with rising nationalist sentiments following recent border conflicts. The agreement, known as Memorandum of Understanding 44, was intended to facilitate collaborative exploration of hydrocarbons in overlapping territorial claims in the Gulf of Thailand but made little progress over its 25 years, according to reports from Bangkok Post, South China Morning Post, and LA Times.

In explaining the rationale for the termination, Anutin stated, "Cancelling the deal is not related to the border conflict with Cambodia, but part of my policy. It has been 25 years and there has been no progress." While the cancellation aligns with his electoral promises, it has faced backlash. Cambodia's Foreign Minister, Prak Sokhonn, expressed regret over the decision, asserting that Cambodia would initiate compulsory conciliation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to address maritime disputes, as noted by Bangkok Post, South China Morning Post, and LA Times.

The breakdown of MOU 44 follows two rounds of armed conflicts last year, which exacerbated tensions and highlighted historical disputes over land and maritime boundaries. Thailand and Cambodia have experienced deteriorating relations, marked by violent clashes that left close to 150 dead and displaced many more, as reported by South China Morning Post, Bangkok Post, and LA Times.

The Thai government maintains that while the agreement has been terminated, discussions regarding maritime boundary issues will continue through other international frameworks, particularly the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. Thai officials reiterated their commitment to a more structured and systematic approach to resolving maritime disputes, as emphasized by spokesperson Rachada Dhanadirek, according to Bangkok Post, South China Morning Post, and LA Times.