The government is set to resume talks with Cambodia in February over a 26,000-square-kilometre energy-rich area in the Gulf of Thailand claimed by both countries.
Observers have noted that the talks should focus primarily on the joint development of energy resources in the overlapping claim area (OCA) in a bid to decrease the country's dependence on expensive liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports.
Pundits say the maritime territorial dispute between the two sides should be put on the back burner to avoid straining ties.
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said yesterday that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet will visit Thailand in February, and energy resources in the OCA will be among the topics tabled for discussion.
Energy Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga said Thailand would need to reopen talks with Cambodia over the issue as the problem remains unresolved despite efforts by previous governments to address it.
He also noted that it would be difficult for both sides to reach a solution if the dispute over the maritime territory in the OCA is discussed alongside the joint development of petroleum resources in the area during the negotiations.
He said he believed both sides are reluctant to back down on the maritime boundary issue, though Thailand must find ways to bring closure to the matter.
"The prime minister and I are concerned about the matter. Thailand needs to tap into energy resources in the area as a solution to energy shortages, as the country's natural gas reserves are being depleted by the day.
"Without new sources of energy, the country will be in trouble in the future. Therefore, this issue is crucial in the negotiations," Mr Pirapan said.
On Oct 18, Mr Pirapan also weighed in on the matter, saying negotiations over joint development are not likely to succeed as long as the demarcation of the maritime territory claimed by both sides is included.
Talks should only focus on possible joint cooperation to make use of energy resources in the OCA rather than raising the maritime border dispute, he said.
"Both sides have yet to hold talks on the issue of the maritime territory. Even if such talks are held, they will have to ask their parliaments to endorse the outcome. I suspect the parliaments of the two countries would not approve," Mr Pirapan said.
He said that during the previous Prayut Chan-o-cha administration, then-deputy prime minister Prawit Wongsuwon headed the negotiations.
It remains to be seen who will lead the talks under the current government, Mr Pirapan said.
However, the Energy Ministry, Foreign Affairs Ministry and the government's legal team must work together to form a new team for negotiations, he added.
Prasert Sinsukprasert, permanent secretary for the Energy Ministry, said the Department of Mineral Fuels has recommended that a joint development area be designated to allow Thailand and Cambodia to co-invest in the production of petroleum in the area without the need to touch on the maritime territorial dispute.
Further talks will be held with the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Mr Prasert said.
"The dispute over the maritime boundary is not going to end any time soon. [Talks on the issue] should be suspended. Any negotiations that can benefit both sides should be held first," he said.
Noppadon Pattama, a Pheu Thai list-MP who chairs the House committee on foreign affairs, said talks on the demarcation of the maritime border claimed by Thailand and Cambodia have so far failed to yield any successful results.
However, the new prime ministers of both countries have ushered in a fresh chapter of cordial bilateral relations, so both sides should take the opportunity to hold talks on joint development in the OCA to ensure energy security for both countries, Mr Noppadon said.
The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding in 2001 during the Thaksin Shinawatra administration to jointly develop parts of the OCA and to demarcate a maritime border.
Under the MoU, the maritime border demarcation and joint development must be carried out as an "indivisible package", with a Thailand-Cambodian Joint Technical Committee set up to discuss them.
Several rounds of talks have been held since, but there has not been any progress made, mainly because of the dispute over the maritime border demarcation.
Foreign Affairs Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara previously said the government would have to appoint representatives to a new joint technical committee before resuming talks.