Trump Urges the Thai government to Reaffirm Commitment to Cambodian Ceasefire with ‘Threat of Tariffs’
Washington has exerted influence on Thailand to recommit to a truce deal with the Cambodian side, warning that trade talks could be halted as attempts are made to prevent a Donald Trump-brokered ceasefire arrangement from falling apart.
Border Tensions Escalate
In recent days, Thailand announced it was suspending the truce agreement, accusing Cambodian forces of planting new explosives along the shared border, including one that reportedly injured a Thai soldier on patrol, who suffered a foot amputation in the explosion.
Since then, a fatality occurred and multiple individuals injured by exchanges of fire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, sparking fears of a new round of retaliatory clashes.
US Trade Pressure
On Saturday, a representative from Thailand's foreign office told journalists that a official communication from the U.S. trade office announcing the suspension of trade deal talks was received on the previous evening.
He quoted the document as stating that trade negotiations – which are addressing a 19 percent American duty – could resume once the Thai government reaffirmed its commitment to carrying out the joint ceasefire declaration.
“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 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 touted it as one of multiple agreements around the globe he says should earn him the Nobel Peace prize.
The worst fighting in a decade between Thai and Cambodian troops erupted in mid-summer, with exchanges of fire, shelling and aerial attacks causing numerous fatalities and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.
Longstanding Border Dispute
Thailand and Cambodia have a historic territorial disagreement that originates from disagreements over maps from the colonial period created by French cartographers. Historic shrines along the frontier are disputed by each nation.
International news agency contributed to this report.
