The Anutin administration plans to organise a referendum, to enable the public to decide whether to cancel the Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) between Thailand and Cambodia, according to its policy statement.
The 48-page statement is expected to be presented to parliament next Monday. The government emphasises the urgent need to resolve disputes between the neighbours through peaceful means.
According to the statement, the government’s policy is to address the Thailand-Cambodia dispute urgently through diplomacy, to ensure the safety and security of people living along the border and to maintain Thailand’s sovereignty and internationally recognised boundaries.
Furthermore, the government will hold a referendum to encourage public participation in the decision-making process regarding the cancellation of the MoU between Thailand and Cambodia.
The policy statement, in the national security section, does not specify which MoUs would be put to a plebiscite.
Two Thai-Cambodian MoUs have faced growing calls for cancellation, the 2000 MoU (BE 2543) and the 2001 MoU (BE 2544), with several civic and political groups calling for their revocation.
The 2000 MoU, signed on June 14, 2000, in Phnom Penh, focuses on the survey and demarcation of the land boundary. It was intended to serve as a framework for joint demarcation efforts, based on the Siamese-Franco treaties of 1904 and 1907.
A key provision of the agreement states that both countries must refrain from making any changes to the border area while the demarcation is underway.
Over the years, Thailand has accused Cambodia of violating the agreement, allegations that Cambodia has consistently denied.
The 2001 MoU concerns the Overlapping Maritime Claims Area (OMCA) and energy cooperation. It provides for joint exploration and development of petroleum resources in a maritime area of more than 26,000 square kilometers, known as the Joint Development Area (JDA).
This MoU has drawn widespread criticism, particularly over an attached map, which Cambodia has used to assert maritime rights extending into Thai territory, including Kut Island.
Previously, Anutin’s Bhumjaithai party had called for political parties to support the cancellation of both MoUs, arguing that bilateral negotiations could still proceed without them.
