The US President Urges Thailand to Reaffirm Commitment to Cambodia Truce with Trade Penalties
The United States has applied pressure on the Thai administration to recommit to a truce deal with the Cambodian side, indicating that trade negotiations could be paused as attempts are made to stop a Trump-mediated peace agreement from collapsing.
Border Tensions Escalate
Earlier this week, Thailand announced it was putting on hold the truce agreement, alleging Cambodian forces of laying fresh landmines along the mutual frontier, including one that reportedly wounded a Thai military personnel on duty, who suffered a foot amputation in the blast.
Following this, a fatality occurred and several others wounded by gunfire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, sparking fears 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 official communication from the U.S. trade office declaring the pause in trade negotiations was received on the previous evening.
He quoted the document as stating that discussions on trade – which are focusing on a US tariff of 19% – could resume once Thailand 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 on Air Force One as he flew to Florida on Friday, Trump implied that he had used the “threat of tariffs” 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 peace deal, held in Malaysia this October, and has promoted it as one of several deals around the globe he claims should win him the Nobel Peace prize.
The worst fighting in a ten years between military forces of both nations erupted in mid-summer, with gunfire, artillery and airstrikes leaving dozens of people killed and 300,000 displaced.
Historic Frontier Conflict
The two neighboring countries have a longstanding border dispute that originates from conflicts regarding maps from the colonial period created by French cartographers. Ancient temples along the border are disputed by each nation.
International news agency provided input for this coverage.
