The US President Urges the Thai government to Reaffirm Commitment to Cambodian Ceasefire with ‘Threat of Tariffs’
The United States has applied pressure on the Thai administration to recommit to a ceasefire agreement with Cambodia, warning that trade talks could be paused as efforts are made to stop a Trump-mediated peace agreement from falling apart.
Rising Border Hostilities
In recent days, Thailand declared it was suspending the ceasefire deal, accusing Cambodian forces of laying fresh landmines along the shared border, including one that reportedly wounded a Thai military personnel on patrol, who suffered a foot amputation in the explosion.
Since then, a fatality occurred and multiple individuals injured by exchanges of fire along the border between the two nations, raising concerns of a new round of tit-for-tat fighting.
US Trade Pressure
Over the weekend, a representative from Thailand's foreign office informed reporters that a official communication from the Office of the US Trade Representative declaring the suspension of trade deal talks was received on the previous evening.
He quoted the document as saying that trade negotiations – which are addressing a US tariff of 19% – could restart once the Thai government reaffirmed its commitment to carrying out the mutual truce agreement.
“Trade talks are ongoing and distinct from frontier matters,” stated another government spokesperson.
President’s Economic Warning
Speaking to the press aboard the presidential plane as he flew to Florida on the end of the week, the US leader suggested that he had used the “threat of tariffs” 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,” adding, “they are performing well. I believe they will be okay.”
Truce Deal Origins
Trump oversaw the signing of a ceasefire agreement, conducted in Malaysian territory this October, and has touted it as one of several deals around the world he says should earn him the Nobel Peace prize.
The worst fighting in a ten years between military forces of both nations erupted in July, with exchanges of fire, shelling and aerial attacks leaving dozens of people killed and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.
Longstanding Border Dispute
The two neighboring countries have a longstanding border dispute that dates back to disagreements over colonial-era maps created by French cartographers. Historic shrines along the frontier are claimed by both sides.
International news agency provided input for this coverage.
