The US President Urges the Thai government to Recommit to Cambodia Truce with ‘Threat of Tariffs’

Washington has exerted influence on Thailand to reaffirm its dedication to a ceasefire agreement with the Cambodian side, indicating that trade negotiations could be paused as attempts are made to prevent a Donald Trump-brokered ceasefire arrangement from falling apart.

Rising Border Hostilities

Earlier this week, Thailand announced it was putting on hold the truce agreement, alleging Cambodia of planting new explosives along the shared border, including one that allegedly injured a Thai military personnel 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 border between the two nations, sparking fears of a fresh wave of retaliatory clashes.

American Economic Leverage

Over the weekend, a representative from Thailand's foreign office told journalists that a letter from the Office of the US Trade Representative declaring the pause in trade negotiations was received on Friday night.

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

“Trade talks are ongoing and distinct from frontier matters,” stated another government spokesperson.

Trump’s Tariff Threat

Addressing reporters aboard the presidential plane as he flew to Florida on the end of the week, Trump suggested that he had employed tariff warnings in calls with the ASEAN nation heads.

The US president said, “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.”

Ceasefire Agreement Background

Trump oversaw the signing of a ceasefire agreement, held in Malaysia this October, and has touted it as one of several deals around the world he says should earn him the Nobel Peace prize.

The most severe clashes in a decade between Thai and Cambodian troops broke out in mid-summer, with exchanges of fire, shelling and aerial attacks causing numerous fatalities and 300,000 displaced.

Longstanding Border Dispute

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

International news agency contributed to this report.