Cambodia initiates rare United Nations compulsory conciliation proceedings against Thailand to resolve a decades-long maritime border dispute in the Gulf of Thailand. Both countries say the overlapping claims cover the same potentially energy-rich area, which they value at about $300 billion in oil and gas reserves. The move follows the collapse of bilateral talks between the two governments, according to reports. Cambodia is pursuing a UN-backed mechanism intended to help settle the disagreement through conciliation. The dispute centers on maritime boundaries and the rights of each country to exploit resources in the gulf. Thailand and Cambodia dispute the scope of their maritime entitlements, leading to continued disagreement over how the area should be managed. The UN process is framed as a way to address the underlying border and jurisdictional issues rather than through direct negotiation alone.