Bangkok: Government agencies have affirmed to the Security Committee that the Memorandum of Understanding 44 (MOU44) between Thailand and Cambodia does not include discussions on border sharing, ensuring that Koh Kood remains under Thai sovereignty without any territorial alteration.

According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Piyarat Chongthep, who serves as the spokesperson for the House of Representatives’ Committee on State Security, Thai Border Affairs, National Strategy and National Reform, addressed the media following a committee meeting. The meeting focused on overlapping continental shelf claims and the MOU44 framework. Representatives from several government bodies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Security Council (NSC), and the Ministry of Energy, were invited to discuss energy security and the distribution of petroleum resources in the disputed sea area. It was revealed that the government is in the process of forming a Joint Technical Working Group (JTC) to address these issues,
though progress has been hindered by changes in government and cabinet resolutions.

The spokesperson further disclosed that the JTC working group has only engaged in negotiations twice, with the last discussions occurring in 2001 and 2002. Subsequent meetings have been informal and lacked substantial progress. Presently, under the administration of Ms. Paethongtarn Shinawatra, the JTC working group has not been established, although the Deputy Prime Minister for Security Affairs is expected to lead the initiative. Concerns had been raised regarding the possible impact of negotiations on border delineation, but government agencies have assured that border areas, including Koh Kood in Trat Province, remain unaffected. The discussions have solely focused on evaluating Thailand’s involvement in MOU44 without compromising its territorial integrity.