The US President Urges Thailand to Recommit to Cambodian Ceasefire with ‘Threat of Tariffs’
Washington has exerted influence on Thailand to recommit to a truce deal with the Cambodian side, stating that trade talks could be suspended as efforts are made to prevent a Trump-mediated peace agreement from collapsing.
Border Tensions Escalate
In recent days, Thailand declared it was suspending the truce agreement, alleging Cambodia of laying fresh landmines along the mutual frontier, including one that reportedly injured a Thai military personnel on duty, who suffered a foot amputation in the explosion.
Since then, one person has been killed and several others wounded by exchanges of fire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, raising concerns of a fresh wave of retaliatory clashes.
US Trade Pressure
Over the weekend, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson told journalists that a letter from the U.S. trade office 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 19 percent American duty – could restart once the Thai government reaffirmed its commitment to carrying out the joint ceasefire declaration.
“Trade talks are ongoing and distinct from frontier matters,” said another government spokesperson.
Trump’s Tariff Threat
Addressing reporters aboard the presidential plane as he traveled to the Sunshine State on the end of the week, Trump implied that he had employed tariff warnings in calls with the south-east Asian leaders.
The US president said, “I stopped a war just today through the use of tariffs, the threat of tariffs,” continuing, “they’re doing great. I think they’re gonna be fine.”
Truce Deal Origins
Trump oversaw the signing of a ceasefire agreement, held in Malaysia this October, and has touted it as one of multiple agreements around the world he claims should earn him the prestigious peace award.
The worst fighting in a decade between Thai and Cambodian troops erupted in mid-summer, 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 historic territorial disagreement that originates from disagreements over maps from the colonial period drawn up by the French. Ancient temples along the frontier are disputed by each nation.
Reuters provided input for this coverage.
