The US President Compels the Thai government to Reaffirm Commitment to Cambodia Truce with Tariff Warnings
The United States has applied pressure on Thailand to recommit to a truce deal with Cambodia, stating that trade talks could be paused as efforts are made to stop a Donald Trump-brokered peace agreement from collapsing.
Rising Border Hostilities
Earlier this week, Thailand announced it was suspending the ceasefire deal, alleging Cambodia of laying fresh landmines along the shared border, including one that allegedly injured a Thai soldier on patrol, who lost a foot in the blast.
Since then, a fatality occurred and several others wounded by exchanges of fire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, sparking fears of a new round of tit-for-tat fighting.
American Economic Leverage
Over the weekend, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson told journalists that a letter from the U.S. trade office announcing the suspension of trade deal talks was obtained on the previous evening.
He quoted the document as stating that discussions on trade – which are focusing on a 19 percent American duty – could restart once Thailand renewed its pledge to carrying out the mutual truce agreement.
“Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” said a different official representative.
President’s Economic Warning
Addressing reporters aboard the presidential plane as he traveled to the Sunshine State on the end of the week, Trump implied that he had used the “threat of tariffs” in calls with the ASEAN nation heads.
The US president said, “Today, I prevented a conflict using tariffs, the menace of duties,” continuing, “they’re doing great. I think they’re gonna be fine.”
Ceasefire Agreement Background
The President witnessed the finalization of a peace deal, held in Malaysia this October, and has promoted it as one of multiple agreements around the globe he claims should win him the Nobel Peace prize.
The worst fighting in a decade between military forces of both nations broke out in mid-summer, with exchanges of fire, shelling and aerial attacks causing numerous fatalities and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.
Historic Frontier Conflict
The two neighboring countries have a historic territorial disagreement that originates from disagreements over maps from the colonial period drawn up by the French. Ancient temples along the frontier are disputed by each nation.
Reuters contributed to this report.