Cambodia has warned that internal conflicts within Southeast Asia could weaken the region’s ability to respond to the global energy crisis triggered by the war involving Strait of Hormuz disruptions and wider Middle East tensions.
Speaking ahead of an upcoming summit in the Philippines, Cambodian diplomat Kung Phoak said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations faces growing strain from disputes involving Thailand and Cambodia as well as the ongoing civil war in Myanmar. The bloc, led by ASEAN member states, is also working on a regional fuel coordination plan known as the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement.
Southeast Asia remains heavily dependent on imported oil, making it vulnerable to global supply shocks and price volatility.
What is causing the regional pressure
The ASEAN bloc is facing three overlapping challenges
- Energy insecurity due to global oil supply disruptions
- Civil conflict in Myanmar following the 2021 military coup
- Border and maritime tensions between Thailand and Cambodia
These issues are limiting cooperation at a time when coordinated energy planning is urgently needed.
Why energy security is now a regional priority
Southeast Asia is one of the world’s largest oil importing regions. Any disruption in global supply chains forces governments to act quickly to stabilise fuel availability.
Countries are already responding with
- Fuel conservation measures
- Export controls on energy products
- Diplomatic efforts to secure alternative supplies
The proposed ASEAN petroleum agreement is designed to improve coordination in emergencies, but political tensions are slowing its implementation.
Key stakeholders
- ASEAN member states, which are trying to build a unified energy response
- Cambodia, which is calling for faster resolution of regional disputes
- Thailand and Cambodia, involved in ongoing border and maritime disagreements
- Myanmar, where civil war continues after the 2021 military takeover
- Global energy markets, which are affected by demand shifts and supply instability
What are the political tensions within ASEAN
Despite a ceasefire agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, border issues remain unresolved. Both sides are still negotiating territorial demarcation, and Cambodia has expressed concern over stalled dialogue.
At the same time, Thailand has moved to end a long standing maritime dispute framework, raising further uncertainty over potential oil rich sea areas.
In Myanmar, continued conflict and limited political progress remain a major obstacle to regional unity.
Implications for energy and regional stability
1. Delayed energy coordination
Without political alignment, ASEAN risks slowing down its shared energy security mechanisms.
2. Increased vulnerability to global shocks
Fragmentation reduces the bloc’s ability to respond collectively to oil price spikes or supply disruptions.
3. Reduced investor confidence
Ongoing disputes may affect long term investment in energy infrastructure and trade stability.
4. Diplomatic fragmentation
Competing national priorities could weaken ASEAN’s traditional model of consensus based cooperation.
Analysis what happens next
The immediate focus is the upcoming ASEAN summit, where leaders are expected to discuss both energy coordination and regional conflicts. Progress on the petroleum security agreement will be a key indicator of whether the bloc can maintain unity under pressure.
Three possible outcomes stand out
- Coordinated progress where energy cooperation moves forward despite political tensions
- Partial cooperation where energy plans advance slowly while disputes remain unresolved
- Continued fragmentation where regional conflicts significantly delay collective action
The core challenge for ASEAN is whether it can separate urgent economic cooperation from long standing political disputes. If it cannot, its ability to respond to global energy shocks will remain limited.
With information from Reuters.
