The US President Urges the Thai government to Recommit to Cambodian Truce with ‘Threat of Tariffs’
The United States has applied pressure on Thailand to recommit to a truce deal with Cambodia, warning that trade talks could be suspended as attempts are made to prevent a Donald Trump-brokered peace agreement from collapsing.
Rising Border Hostilities
Earlier this week, Thai officials declared it was suspending the ceasefire deal, alleging Cambodian forces of planting new explosives along the mutual frontier, among them an incident that allegedly injured a Thai military personnel on duty, who suffered a foot amputation in the blast.
Following this, a fatality occurred and multiple individuals injured by exchanges of fire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, raising concerns of a new round of tit-for-tat fighting.
US Trade Pressure
On Saturday, a representative from Thailand's foreign office told journalists that a letter from the U.S. trade office declaring the suspension of trade deal talks was obtained on the previous evening.
The spokesperson referenced the letter as stating that trade negotiations – which are focusing on a US tariff of 19% – could resume once the Thai government reaffirmed its commitment to carrying out 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 the end of the week, Trump implied that he had used the “threat of tariffs” in calls with the ASEAN nation heads.
He stated, “Today, I prevented a conflict using tariffs, the menace of duties,” adding, “they are performing well. I believe they will be okay.”
Ceasefire Agreement Background
Trump oversaw the signing of a peace deal, conducted in Malaysian territory this October, and has touted it as one of several deals around the world he claims should win him the prestigious peace award.
The most severe clashes in a decade between military forces of both nations broke out in July, with gunfire, artillery and airstrikes causing numerous fatalities and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.
Historic Frontier Conflict
The two neighboring countries have a historic territorial disagreement that originates from disagreements over maps from the colonial period created by French cartographers. Historic shrines along the border are claimed by both sides.
Reuters contributed to this report.
