The US President Urges Thailand to Reaffirm Commitment to Cambodian Ceasefire with ‘Threat of Tariffs’
Washington has exerted influence on the Thai administration to recommit to a truce deal with the Cambodian side, indicating that trade talks could be halted as attempts are made to stop a Donald Trump-brokered peace agreement from collapsing.
Border Tensions Escalate
In recent days, Thai officials declared it was suspending the truce agreement, accusing Cambodian forces of laying fresh landmines along the mutual frontier, among them an incident that allegedly wounded a Thai soldier on patrol, who lost a foot in the explosion.
Since then, one person has been killed and several others wounded by gunfire along the border between the two nations, raising concerns of a fresh wave of retaliatory clashes.
American Economic Leverage
On Saturday, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson told journalists that a letter from the Office of the US Trade Representative declaring the pause in trade negotiations was obtained on Friday night.
He quoted the letter as stating that discussions on trade – which are focusing on a US tariff of 19% – could restart once the Thai government renewed its pledge to carrying out the mutual truce agreement.
“Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” stated another government spokesperson.
President’s Economic Warning
Addressing reporters on Air Force One as he flew to Florida on the end of the week, Trump implied that he had employed tariff warnings in discussions with the ASEAN nation heads.
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
The President witnessed the finalization of a peace deal, conducted in Malaysian territory this last autumn, and has promoted it as one of several deals around the globe 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 hundreds of thousands forced to flee.
Historic Frontier Conflict
Thailand and Cambodia have a longstanding border dispute that dates back to conflicts regarding colonial-era maps created by French cartographers. Historic shrines along the border are claimed by both sides.
International news agency provided input for this coverage.
