Trump Urges Thailand to Recommit to Cambodian Ceasefire with ‘Threat of Tariffs’
The United States has applied pressure on the Thai administration to recommit to a truce deal with Cambodia, indicating that trade negotiations could be suspended as efforts are made to prevent a Donald Trump-brokered ceasefire arrangement from falling apart.
Rising Border Hostilities
In recent days, Thai officials announced it was putting on hold the truce agreement, alleging Cambodia of laying fresh landmines along the mutual frontier, among them an incident that allegedly injured a Thai military personnel on duty, who suffered a foot amputation in the explosion.
Since then, a fatality occurred and multiple individuals injured by gunfire along the border between the two nations, raising concerns of a new round of retaliatory clashes.
US Trade Pressure
On Saturday, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson told journalists that a official communication from the Office of the US Trade Representative declaring the pause in trade negotiations was received on the previous evening.
The spokesperson referenced the document as saying that trade negotiations – which are addressing a US tariff of 19% – could restart once Thailand reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the joint ceasefire declaration.
“Trade talks are ongoing and distinct from frontier matters,” stated another government spokesperson.
President’s Economic Warning
Speaking to the press aboard the presidential plane as he traveled to the Sunshine State on Friday, Trump implied that he had employed tariff warnings in calls with the south-east Asian leaders.
The US president said, “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, held in Malaysia this October, and has promoted it as one of multiple agreements around the globe he says should earn him the prestigious peace award.
The worst fighting in a ten years between military forces of both nations erupted in mid-summer, with exchanges of fire, shelling and aerial attacks leaving dozens of people killed and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.
Historic Frontier Conflict
Thailand and Cambodia have a historic territorial disagreement that originates from disagreements over colonial-era maps drawn up by the French. Historic shrines along the border are disputed by each nation.
Reuters contributed to this report.
