The US President Urges the Thai government to Reaffirm Commitment to Cambodian Truce with ‘Threat of Tariffs’
The United States has applied pressure on Thailand to recommit to a ceasefire agreement with the Cambodian side, stating that trade negotiations could be paused as efforts are made to stop a Donald Trump-brokered peace agreement from collapsing.
Border Tensions Escalate
Earlier this week, Thai officials declared it was suspending the truce agreement, alleging Cambodia of planting new explosives along the shared border, including one that allegedly injured a Thai soldier on patrol, 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 retaliatory clashes.
US Trade Pressure
Over the weekend, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson told journalists that a official communication from the U.S. trade office declaring the pause in trade negotiations was received on Friday night.
The spokesperson referenced the document as stating that trade negotiations – which are addressing a 19 percent American duty – could resume once Thailand reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the mutual truce agreement.
“Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” said another government spokesperson.
President’s Economic Warning
Speaking to the press aboard the presidential plane as he traveled to the Sunshine State on Friday, the US leader 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,” continuing, “they are performing well. I believe they will be okay.”
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 claims should earn him the Nobel Peace prize.
The worst fighting in a ten years 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
Thailand and Cambodia have a longstanding border dispute that dates back to disagreements over colonial-era maps drawn up by the French. Ancient temples along the border are claimed by both sides.
Reuters provided input for this coverage.
