The Permanent Court of Arbitration has announced that the conciliation commission's meeting is being held in accordance with the relevant provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Cambodia submitted its request to establish the commission in early June 2026, and Thailand responded in the middle of the same month. On opening day, the morning of September 15, both sides will deliver opening statements, which will be livestreamed in English, Khmer, and Thai.
The five-member commission is chaired by Australian national Katrina Cooper, with the other members hailing from Denmark, France, South Africa, and Germany. With the agreement of both parties, the Permanent Court of Arbitration is providing registry services to help manage the proceedings.
Put simply, this neutral body is sitting down to listen to the perspectives of both Cambodia and Thailand, sorting through the legal and factual issues to help the two sides find a path toward a handshake. While local coffee shop owners might not follow the fine print of these major treaties, folks around town generally agree that when neighbors can trade peacefully and go fishing without worry, nothing beats it. Sitting down to talk things out calmly can only be a good thing.
