The US President Urges the Thai government to Recommit to Cambodia Ceasefire with Tariff Warnings

Washington has exerted influence on the Thai administration to reaffirm its dedication to a truce deal with Cambodia, indicating that trade negotiations could be suspended as attempts are made to stop a Donald Trump-brokered ceasefire arrangement from falling apart.

Border Tensions Escalate

Earlier this week, Thai officials declared it was putting on hold the truce agreement, accusing Cambodia of planting new explosives along the shared border, among them an incident that reportedly wounded a Thai military personnel on patrol, who suffered a foot amputation in the explosion.

Since then, one person has been killed and several others wounded by gunfire along the border between the two nations, sparking fears of a fresh wave of tit-for-tat fighting.

American Economic Leverage

On Saturday, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson told journalists that a official communication from the U.S. trade office declaring the suspension of trade deal talks was received on the previous evening.

The spokesperson referenced the letter as saying that discussions on trade – which are focusing on a 19 percent American duty – could resume once Thailand renewed its pledge to implementing the mutual truce agreement.

“Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” said a different official representative.

Trump’s Tariff Threat

Speaking to the press aboard the presidential plane as he flew to Florida on Friday, the US leader suggested that he had employed tariff warnings in discussions with the south-east Asian leaders.

He stated, “I stopped a war just today through the use of tariffs, the threat of tariffs,” continuing, “they are performing well. I believe they will be okay.”

Truce Deal Origins

The President witnessed the finalization of a ceasefire agreement, held in Malaysia this October, and has touted it as one of multiple agreements around the world he says should earn him the prestigious peace award.

The most severe clashes in a ten years between Thai and Cambodian troops broke out in July, with gunfire, artillery and airstrikes leaving dozens of people killed and 300,000 displaced.

Longstanding Border Dispute

The two neighboring countries have a longstanding border dispute that dates back to disagreements over maps from the colonial period created by French cartographers. Ancient temples along the frontier are claimed by both sides.

International news agency provided input for this coverage.