Thailand, Cambodia still torn over gulf claims

Aug. 15, 2006
Thailand and Cambodia have failed to resolve their disagreement about terms of production sharing from their overlapping territorial claims in the Gulf of Thailand.

By an OGJ correspondent
BANGKOK, Aug. 15 -- Thailand and Cambodia have failed to resolve their disagreement about terms of production sharing from their overlapping territorial claims in the Gulf of Thailand.

The issue was high on the agenda of an Aug. 10 meeting in Phnom Penh between Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his Cambodian counterpart, Hun Sen.

The matter has stalled both countries from developing energy resources from the 30,000 sq km area in the gulf's upper half, which is believed to be gas-prone.

In 2001, both countries agreed to adopt the Joint Development Area (JDA), a scheme embraced earlier by Thailand and Malaysia, for developing oil and gas in the disputed zone without resolving the exact maritime boundaries.

The original model negotiated by the two sides called for a 50:50 split of resources arising from the middle portion of the JDA, with differing sharing ratios on areas flanking the area, depending on the proximity to their territorial claims.

Phnom Penh authorities are pressing for a 60-40 sharing ratio, according to Thai officials. In the southernmost part of the Gulf of Thailand, production from the Thailand-Malaysia JDA is split equally.

Bangkok has been eager to tap gas from the Cambodia-Thailand JDA to meet its fast-growing fuel demand, particularly for electric power generation.