Anutin Urges Fresh Start in Thailand-Cambodia Relations Following Cebu Summit

BANGKOK — It is time for Thailand and Cambodia to look ahead and open a new chapter in bilateral relations based on sincerity, goodwill and a shared determination to overcome challenges, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Thursday following trilateral talks on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Cebu.

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Speaking after a meeting with his Cambodian counterpart, Hun Manet, and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Anutin said that as close neighbours with deep historical, economic and cultural ties, both countries must move beyond conflict, which brings only loss and hardship to both sides.
The meeting was initiated by Marcos in his capacity as ASEAN chair and focused specifically on the situation between Thailand and Cambodia, whose relations have been strained in recent months over overlapping maritime claims and the fate of a 2001 memorandum of understanding that Thailand’s government has since scrapped.

Following the talks, the three leaders held a joint press briefing in alphabetical order, beginning with Marcos as ASEAN chair, followed by Hun Manet and then Anutin. The fact that the meeting took place at all was seen as a positive step, given the tensions that had led Cambodia to initiate compulsory conciliation under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea after Thailand’s unilateral withdrawal from the 2001 MoU.

Anutin said both countries had assigned their foreign ministers to work together on practical confidence-building measures, starting with areas of common ground that can be implemented immediately. Such steps, he said, would be crucial in rebuilding trust and gradually restoring strong bilateral relations. Thai government spokesperson Rachada Dhnadirek described the meeting as constructive, candid and forward-looking.

Sa isang espesyal na trilateral meeting sa Cebu na pinangunahan ng Pilipinas bilang ASEAN 2026 Chair sa ilalim ni Pangulong @bongbongmarcos, pinagtibay ng Cambodia at Thailand ang pangako sa maayos na komunikasyon at mapayapang resolusyon sa border situation ng dalawang bansa. pic.twitter.com/I0gXLFHw70

— Philippine Information Agency (@PIADesk) May 7, 2026

The Thai leader added that both sides should proceed step by step in the same direction, with greater direct communication at all levels to reduce misunderstandings and expand cooperation in mutually beneficial areas. On land and maritime boundary issues, Anutin proposed continued discussions based on good neighbourly relations, aimed at finding peaceful and lasting solutions. He said the meeting marked an important step toward creating an environment conducive to peace and regional cooperation, reaffirming Thailand’s readiness to work constructively with all parties based on mutual understanding, respect and shared interests.

For his part, Hun Manet said his discussions with Anutin focused on de-escalation and trust-building measures aimed at restoring and consolidating a functioning framework for lasting peace and normalised relations. Both sides also discussed resuming existing bilateral mechanisms, including the Joint Boundary Commission, the General Border Committee and the Regional Border Committee, now that Thailand’s new government has assumed full functionality.

On overlapping maritime claims, Hun Manet said future approaches were also discussed, reaffirming Cambodia’s decision to initiate compulsory conciliation under UNCLOS following Thailand’s move to scrap the 2001 Memorandum of Understanding. “Cambodia believes this is a peaceful path toward a fair solution for both parties,” he said.

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The Cebu meeting did not resolve all differences, but it may have prevented them from escalating further. A new chapter, as Anutin called for, requires both sides to turn the page. Whether Thailand and Cambodia can do so remains to be seen, but for a few hours in Cebu, they sat at the same table, spoke to the same microphones and said the same words: peace, trust and cooperation. The next chapter has been opened. The writing of it begins now.

-Thailand News (TN)