BANGKOK, THAILAND – Former foreign minister Maris Sangiampongsa warned at a public forum that terminating two controversial border memoranda of understanding with Cambodia would undermine Thailand’s negotiating position and damage its ability to resolve the long-running frontier dispute.
MOUs described as negotiation tools not territorial loss
Maris, speaking at a podium discussion in Bangkok, said the 2000 and 2001 MOUs known as 43–44 had not ceded Thai territory or altered the country’s sovereign borders. “The MOUs did not cost Thai territory and did not change sovereign borders,” he said, adding that the maps contained in the agreements were reference documents used by the joint border commission.
He cautioned that formally cancelling the MOUs would destroy the existing framework for talks and expose Thailand’s negotiating stance. “Cambodia would know our position, which would make future talks harder,” Maris said, and he stressed that the detailed terms of the MOUs were matters for the executive branch and typically handled confidentially.
Legal experts urge caution under international law
Legal specialists at the event said international law requires measured dispute-resolution procedures between states and does not allow unilateral, immediate enforcement in the same way domestic law might. Veeraphat Pariyawong, a legal expert, said: “Problems in agreements have resolution processes — immediate enforcement like in national law is not possible, because it concerns sovereign equality between nations.” He added that respecting that equality was a matter of national dignity.
Speakers noted MOUs are commonly used worldwide to manage borders, trade and extradition, and that scrapping such instruments could remove a mutually accepted forum for negotiation rather than solve contested claims.
Political motives fuel the controversy
Former government spokesman Chakraphop Penkair argued the debate over the MOUs had taken on a political life of its own. He said the controversy was being used by some to advance a broader right-leaning political agenda. “The real issue is the establishment of rightward political processes using this topic as a pretext for bigger goals,” he said, urging the current administration to keep the dispute at the bilateral level as prior governments had done.
Escalation across the border and unusual tactics
The discussion came amid heightened tensions with Cambodia, which has filed international complaints against Thailand over what it called unusual methods to reclaim disputed areas. Speakers at the forum described reports that nationalist groups, reportedly with military permission, had assisted in efforts to pressure Cambodian villagers.
One widely reported tactic involved activists using large loudspeakers to broadcast eerie sounds or “ghost noises” across the frontier, an effort intended to intimidate and displace residents. Thailand’s deputy prime minister and health minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, defended actions taken against what he described as incursions into Thai sovereignty: “Every Thai does not like those who intrude on our sovereignty,” he said.
Referendum plan draws criticism
The government has proposed holding a referendum on whether to terminate the MOUs alongside the next national election. The plan has been criticised by opposition politicians, who accused the administration of seeking to avoid responsibility by outsourcing a complex legal and diplomatic matter to a popular vote.
Speakers at the Bangkok event warned a referendum could inflame nationalist sentiment without resolving the legal and diplomatic questions at the heart of the dispute.
What comes next
Thailand’s border dispute with Cambodia remains a volatile political issue. Former officials and legal experts urged caution, arguing that keeping established diplomatic instruments in place preserves channels for negotiation and protects Thailand’s long-term interests. As debate continues in Bangkok, the government’s next steps on MOUs 43–44 will likely shape both bilateral talks and domestic politics in the months ahead.