UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Thailand scraps treaty on energy, maritime territory with Cambodia

Q1. With reference to the Thailand-Cambodia Memorandum of Understanding of 2001 ('MoU 44') and its cancellation by Thailand in 2026, consider the following statements: Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The 2001 MoU was signed before Cambodia's unilateral declaration of its maritime baseline, which created the Overlapping Claims Area.
  2. The 2026 cancellation of the MoU by the Thai Cabinet was preceded by armed border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia in 2025.
  3. The 2026 cabinet decision marked the first time the Thai Cabinet had voted to scrap the 2001 MoU since its signing.
  • A. 2 only
  • B. 1 and 2 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q2. Which one of the following is the principal estimated hydrocarbon resource in the Thailand-Cambodia Overlapping Claims Area (OCA) in the Gulf of Thailand?

  • A. Coal-bed methane
  • B. Natural gas
  • C. Shale oil
  • D. Methane hydrates

Q3. With reference to the geographical limits of the Thailand-Cambodia Overlapping Claims Area (OCA), consider the following: Which of the above is/are correctly identified as boundaries of the OCA?

  1. The 1972 Cambodian maritime claim line
  2. The 1973 Thai maritime claim line
  3. The 1991 Cambodia-Vietnam maritime boundary
  4. The UNCLOS median line drawn by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4

Q4. In the context of the recently-scrapped Thailand-Cambodia maritime agreement, the term 'MoU 44' refers to which one of the following?

  • A. The 44th article of UNCLOS, which authorises bilateral joint development of overlapping maritime claims
  • B. The Buddhist calendar year 2544, corresponding to the Gregorian year 2001 in which the MoU was signed
  • C. The 44 offshore exploration blocks delineated by Thailand and Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand
  • D. The 44° east meridian forming the western boundary of the Overlapping Claims Area

Q5. Under the UNCLOS compulsory conciliation procedure that Cambodia invoked against Thailand in 2026, what is the total number of conciliators that constitute the conciliation commission?

  • A. 3
  • B. 5
  • C. 7
  • D. 9