The US President Pressures the Thai government to Recommit to Cambodian Ceasefire with ‘Threat of Tariffs’
The United States has applied pressure on Thailand to recommit to a truce deal with Cambodia, indicating that trade talks could be paused as efforts are made to stop a Trump-mediated peace agreement from collapsing.
Border Tensions Escalate
In recent days, Thailand declared it was putting on hold the ceasefire deal, alleging Cambodian forces of laying fresh landmines along the shared border, including one that reportedly wounded a Thai military personnel on patrol, who lost a foot in the blast.
Since then, one person has been killed and multiple individuals injured by gunfire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, raising concerns of a new round of tit-for-tat fighting.
US Trade Pressure
On Saturday, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson informed reporters that a official communication from the U.S. trade office declaring the pause in trade negotiations was obtained on the previous evening.
He quoted the document as saying that trade negotiations – which are focusing on a 19 percent American duty – could resume once Thailand renewed its pledge to implementing 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 on Air Force One as he flew to Florida on the end of the week, the US leader suggested 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’re doing great. I think they’re gonna be fine.”
Truce Deal Origins
Trump oversaw the signing of a peace deal, conducted in Malaysian territory this October, and has promoted it as one of several deals around the world he says should earn him the prestigious peace award.
The most severe clashes in a ten years between Thai and Cambodian troops erupted in July, with gunfire, artillery and airstrikes causing numerous fatalities and 300,000 displaced.
Historic Frontier Conflict
The two neighboring countries have a historic territorial disagreement that dates back to conflicts regarding colonial-era maps created by French cartographers. Historic shrines along the frontier are disputed by each nation.
International news agency provided input for this coverage.
