Talks with Cambodia could focus only on profit sharing over OCA: PM
Discussions on the natural gas and oil-rich overlapping claims area in the Gulf of Thailand could shift to profit sharing instead, says the Thai premier
If Thailand fails to reach an agreement with Cambodia on the overlapping claims area (OCA) in the Gulf of Thailand, the two countries can focus on sharing profits generated in the area instead.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said this on Friday in response to reporters’ questions about calls to abolish MOU44, a document drawn up in 2001 (BE 2544) between the two countries.
Thailand and Cambodia have been squabbling over a 27,000-square-kilometre territory in the Gulf since the 1970s.
In the MOU, both countries agreed that all territorial claims should be discussed at the same time as the prospects of joint resource development.
The claims area is believed to contain about 10 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 300 million barrels of crude oil.
Paetongtarn explained that the MOU does not just cover territorial claims, but also how both countries can share profits from resources in the OCA.
“If the territorial claims cannot be agreed upon, we can share the profit generated instead. This is why we need the MOU and a joint technical committee [JTC] to consider the issues,” she said.
The PM added that the Thailand-Cambodia JTC should be established within this month. The panel on Thailand’s side will be chaired by Deputy PM and Defence Minister Phumtham Wechayachai, she added.
Calls to abolish MOU44 became louder after the Pheu Thai-led coalition announced plans to go ahead with talks on jointly exploring and drilling for oil in the OCA.
Several parties have voiced concerns that by acknowledging the terms of joint exploration under MOU44, Thailand is at risk of losing its claim on the area permanently.
On Friday, a group called Khon Khlang Chart (ultranationalists), led by Warong Dechgitvigrom, chairman of the Thai Phakdee Party, submitted a petition signed by 104,697 individuals urging the PM to abolish MOU44.
The petition was received at Government House by Somphas Nilphan, adviser to the deputy permanent secretary of the Prime Minister's Office.
