Warning over lost advantage

The Mineral Fuels Department is reported to have warned that Thailand could be at a disadvantage if its memorandum of understanding with Cambodia on a maritime pact were terminated.

The 2001 Memorandum of Understanding was the starting point for further negotiations on sharing economic benefits in overlapping territorial waters covering 26,000 square kilometres.

“If we scrapped the MoU, we would have to negotiate the principles again – and we may not get conditions as good as those in the current MoU,” The Nation quoted a source on 14/11/09.

Kurujit Nakorntab, director-general of the Mineral Fuels Department, said Parliament would have to approve the termination of the Thai-Cambodian MoU, which was being sought by the Cabinet following the current diplomatic row with Cambodia.