On 29 December 2011, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul and Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan gave a press interview during their official visit to Cambodia on energy cooperation and maritime boundary negotiations with Cambodian. Gist as follows:
During their courtesy call on Somdech Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia, the two sides stress the need to resolve expeditiously the issue of overlapping maritime claims which is normally a lengthy process. In particular, both countries should consider energy projects that could be jointly developed such as the construction of two new power plants at Stung Num and Koh Kong. Furthermore, the Thai Energy Minister met with Deputy Prime Minister Sok An to discuss ways to promote bilateral cooperation on energy.
The Foreign Minister, as the Thai Co-Chair of the Joint Technical Committee (JTC) on the overlapping maritime claims, also informed the Cambodian Prime Minister and the Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation that the Thai Government is presently considering whether or not to proceed with negotiations within the framework of the JTC. In this regard, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already organized a meeting with legal experts and various academics and will soon submit a report to the Cabinet for its consideration. If the Cabinet decides that negotiations under the JTC should proceed, a negotiation framework would be proposed to the National Assembly for its approval. Once such internal procedures have been completed, the Government would be able to enter into formal negotiations with the Cambodian side. The Foreign Minister reiterated that any action taken in this regard would be done transparently and based on the country's national interest.
For further information, please contact the Press Division, Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel.02-6435170, Fax.02-6435169, E-mail: div0704@mfa.go.th