BANGKOK – Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul stated today that Memoranda of Understanding 43 and 44, agreements established with Cambodia, should be terminated if they are found to be disadvantageous to Thailand. The Prime Minister expressed his personal view that the documents should be scrapped, noting that they are not legally binding and that the Cabinet holds the authority to annul them.

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The government is currently awaiting the results of a study from a House committee examining the potential advantages and drawbacks of the two agreements before reaching a final decision. Prime Minister Anutin emphasized the importance of public input in the matter, stating that he wants the Thai people to have a say regarding the fate of the MOUs. He clarified, however, that involving the public in the decision does not mean the government intends to transfer accountability for the outcome to the people.

Anutin confirms referendum plan on Cambodian border MOUs
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Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirmed on Tuesday that his government plans to hold a national referendum on whether to cancel two controversial memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Cambodia covering border and… pic.twitter.com/w2JNQwrxFI

— Thenationthailand (@Thenationth) September 30, 2025

Regarding the mechanism for public consultation, the Prime Minister indicated that the government has not yet decided whether to include multiple referendum questions in the next general election ballot, an idea previously suggested by Deputy Prime Minister Borwornsak Uwanno. This proposed approach would involve voters casting four separate ballots: one for constituency MPs, another for party-list MPs, a third to decide the fate of the two MOUs, and a fourth to approve the drafting of a new constitution.

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Prime Minister Anutin explained that consolidating these votes into a single election day would result in significant cost savings, as holding a standalone national referendum is estimated to cost approximately six billion baht. He stressed, however, that should this approach be adopted, the public must be thoroughly informed in advance about the reasons for casting four ballots simultaneously.

-Thailand News (TN)