Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul calls for overhaul of border MoUs with Cambodia

Bangkok: Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has renewed calls for a fundamental review of two long-standing memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with Cambodia governing unresolved land and maritime border disputes, arguing that advances in technology and internationally recognised standards make the existing frameworks outdated, reports Bangkok Post.

Speaking this week, Anutin said the MoU signed in 2000, which covers land border demarcation, and the one signed in 2001, dealing with overlapping maritime areas, should be revised or replaced altogether. He suggested a new, updated framework — potentially under a different title — that would reflect modern surveying methods and clearer legal principles.

However, Anutin stressed that his caretaker administration could not push through binding changes, as parliament has already been dissolved ahead of fresh elections. The government’s immediate responsibility, he said, was to preserve stability and prevent confusion until a new administration takes office, reported Bangkok Post.

The prime minister also addressed the broader security situation along the Thai-Cambodian border, saying he had been informed that “conditions were calm and under control, though authorities remained on alert following recent clashes.”

Border issues have become a prominent campaign topic in Thailand as political parties mobilise ahead of the next election. On Saturday, Thai Pakdee Party leader Warong Dechgitvigrom and the party’s Bangkok District 2 candidate, Isaraporn Narin, staged a campaign event in central Bangkok, criticising the use of Cambodia’s preferred 1:200,000-scale maps. Warong argued that such maps were inaccurate and ignored historical evidence supporting Thailand’s interpretation of the watershed line, evidence he said had been recognised by the International Court of Justice. (ANI)

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