Bangkok: People are questioning whether the petroleum concession auction will be opened if the Overlapping Continental Shelf Claims Area (OCA) talks between Thailand and Cambodia conclude successfully. “Teng Nattapong” has asserted that Koh Kood is unequivocally part of Thailand, but urges the public to consider the long-term implications and inquire whether the government plans to open bidding for petroleum concessions following successful negotiations. The issue is not about paving the way for “capitalists” to amass wealth, but rather addressing societal skepticism regarding the government’s objectives.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Nattapong Ruangpanyawut, leader of the Prachachon Party, expressed his views on Facebook regarding the Koh Kood dispute with Cambodia, under the topic “Protecting National Interests in the Thai-Cambodian Case: The Real Issue Is the ‘Concession’.” The dispute over the OCA, covering 26,000 square kilometers, is a topic of national interest in Thailand, as it is intricately l
inked to the utilization of petroleum resources from the Gulf of Thailand-a national asset of significant value. The Thai government has been attempting to resolve this issue for over two decades without success.
The focus, Mr. Nattapong suggests, should extend beyond the Koh Kood issue and the Thai-Cambodian border demarcation. There are concerns about the potential loss of sovereignty over Koh Kood due to OCA negotiations and the push for petroleum development projects in the disputed area.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has clarified that Thailand has not signed any binding agreement regarding the territorial line claimed by Cambodia over Koh Kood. The 2001 Memorandum of Understanding between Thailand and Cambodia is merely an agreement to set a framework for negotiations and acknowledge each party’s maritime boundary positions, without accepting Cambodia’s claimed maritime boundary.
The legal and practical stance is that Koh Kood belongs to Thailand, with Cambodia never having claimed or disputed this
boundary. However, the management of benefits from petroleum resources in the OCA, considered national assets of immense value, remains a largely unaddressed concern.
Questions arise regarding the government’s plan for managing petroleum concessions in the OCA area. Should negotiations with Cambodia succeed and lead to the opening of petroleum sources, how will concessions granted to Thai and foreign companies since 1972, but frozen due to unresolved claims, be managed? Will a new auction be held, and if so, how will the government ensure fairness and compliance with international rules?
The People’s Party supports utilizing petroleum resources in the OCA area as the world transitions to clean energy, advocating for transparent and fair resource allocation for national prosperity and energy security. However, public suspicion remains over the government’s intentions in expediting OCA boundary negotiations to access petroleum resources. Transparency in concession management could alleviate concerns and facil
itate smoother negotiations and development of petroleum resources.