"Anutin" responds to Hun Sen warning to Thailand regarding the cancellation of the MOU 2544

Today (5 May 2026), 12:30 PM at Government House, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul gave an interview after the Cabinet meeting regarding the cancellation of the MOU 2544. He stated that the Cabinet approved the decision and reiterated that the cancellation of the MOU 2544 is not related to any conflicts with Cambodia. It is simply his policy that anything that has been in effect for a long time, such as the MOU 2544, which has been in use for 25 years without significant progress in reaching a conclusion, should be addressed using other relevant conventions, such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as both countries are parties to those conventions.

When asked about Cambodian Senate President Hun Sen's statement that revoking the MOU 2544 would lead to more disputes, Mr. Anutin said that this matter would have to be addressed by an interview with him.

When asked further whether such differing opinions would affect negotiations, Mr. Anutin said that there have been no negotiations yet. When asked about proceeding with negotiations concurrently, Mr. Anutin said that it's a new context; we shouldn't be tied to the old system. For Thailand, the MOU 2544 is no longer valid.

When asked further about how Thailand and Cambodia will resolve the conflict going forward, Mr. Anutin said that the MOU 2544 was established to outline the sharing of benefits from underwater resources. Therefore, if we are to have new discussions, we need to establish a new framework, perhaps starting with the MOU 2570, not the 2544 one.

When asked whether the revocation of the MOU 2544 is legally effective today, Mr. Anutin said that it's not yet effective. We must inform our MOU partner through official letters.

When asked about his visit to the Republic of the Philippines regarding the upcoming 48th ASEAN Summit from May 7-9, 2026, and whether he will meet with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet to discuss this matter, Mr. Anutin stated that they will inevitably meet in various discussions. He assured the Thai people that it's "Thailand First" and that Thailand will not suffer any losses. When asked if the border situation might become more tense, Mr. Anutin replied that they are maintaining vigilance along the border and are not taking any chances. He added that the security forces and military are fully protecting the border, and there is nothing to worry about. He said he checks on the situation with the military almost weekly, and in fact, the situation has improved.