The US President Compels the Thai government to Reaffirm Commitment to Cambodia Truce with Tariff Warnings

The United States has applied pressure on Thailand to recommit to a ceasefire agreement with Cambodia, indicating that trade talks could be halted as efforts are made to prevent a Donald Trump-brokered peace agreement from collapsing.

Border Tensions Escalate

In recent days, Thai officials declared it was putting on hold the ceasefire deal, accusing Cambodian forces of planting new explosives along the shared border, including one that reportedly wounded a Thai soldier on patrol, who suffered a foot amputation in the blast.

Following this, one person has been killed and several others wounded by gunfire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, raising concerns of a fresh wave of retaliatory clashes.

US Trade Pressure

On Saturday, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson informed reporters that a letter from the Office of the US Trade Representative announcing the suspension of trade deal talks was obtained on the previous evening.

He quoted the letter as saying that discussions on trade – which are focusing on a 19 percent American duty – could restart once the Thai government reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the joint ceasefire declaration.

“Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” stated another government spokesperson.

Trump’s Tariff Threat

Speaking to the press aboard the presidential plane as he traveled to the Sunshine State on Friday, Trump implied that he had used the “threat of tariffs” in calls with the south-east Asian leaders.

He stated, “I stopped a war just today through the use of tariffs, the threat of tariffs,” adding, “they’re doing great. I think they’re gonna be fine.”

Truce Deal Origins

Trump oversaw the signing of a ceasefire agreement, conducted in Malaysian territory this last autumn, and has touted it as one of several deals around the globe he claims should win him the Nobel Peace prize.

The most severe clashes in a decade between military forces of both nations broke out in July, with gunfire, artillery and airstrikes leaving dozens of people killed and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.

Longstanding Border Dispute

The two neighboring countries have a historic territorial disagreement that dates back to disagreements over maps from the colonial period drawn up by the French. Historic shrines along the frontier are disputed by each nation.

International news agency provided input for this coverage.