Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has announced as part of his policy statement that the government plans to hold a referendum on whether to repeal the two Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) on border demarcation between Thailand and Cambodia.

The referendum is part of the Anutin administration’s national security policy concerning the border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia.

Colloquially known as MOU43 and MOU44, the two MOUs were signed in 2000 and 2001 respectively. MOU43 concerns land surveys and demarcation in disputed territories. MOU44 concerns maritime disputes between Thailand and Cambodia and provides a framework for negotiations on joint petroleum development projects and maritime territory demarcation.

The legal watchdog NGO iLaw noted that the two MOUs were not published in the Royal Gazette, raising concerns that the public are being asked to vote on documents that most have never seen.

The referendum is expected to take place during the upcoming general election, along with another referendum on constitutional amendments.

Pheu Thai MP Dr Sriyada Palimaphan said during Monday’s session (29 September) that Anutin’s foreign affairs and national security policies lack vision and are only a temporary solution. She said that the government should ensure that voters know about the pros and cons of having the MOUs before the referendum, noting that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the military have both said that there are benefits to the MOUs and that repealing them must be done bilaterally for it to be seen as valid in terms of international relations.

Yesterday (1 October), Foreign Affairs Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow told The Reporters that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like the public to be informed about the content and purpose of the MOUs so they can make an informed decision.

Meanwhile, People’s Party MP Rangsiman Rome, Chair of the House Standing Committee on National Security, Border Affairs, National Strategy and National Reform, told ThaiPBS that the public must be sufficiently informed if there is to be a referendum on what he said is a matter so sensitive that recent parliamentary debates on it had to be held in secret.

Rangsiman asked how the government intends to publicize the information without Cambodia knowing, and whether it would be damaging if Cambodia finds out what Thailand is doing. He also raised concerns that without the MOUs, Cambodia could claim that bilateral mechanisms for territory demarcation no longer exist and take Thailand to the International Court of Justice.