2001 MoU Between Thailand and Cambodia

The so-called “MoU 44”—an agreement regarding maritime claims that Thailand negotiated with Cambodia back in 2001—has incessantly been in the news of late, particularly November and December 2024. All sorts of allegations have been made, including that the agreement compromised Thai sovereignty and that the MoU needs to be revoked. Despite numerous efforts by the government to quell the uproar and assure the public that the MoU is fine and should now be actively implemented, the public is unsure and remains confused. This Commentary describes the entire state of affairs, explains the legal issues involved, reproduces for viewing the MoU itself along with relevant maps, and ultimately concludes that the various “attacks” on the MoU are without merit but being done for imagined political advantage.