The US President Urges 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 attempts are made to prevent a Donald Trump-brokered ceasefire arrangement from falling apart.
Rising Border Hostilities
Earlier this week, Thailand announced it was suspending the truce agreement, alleging Cambodian forces of laying fresh landmines along the shared border, among them an incident that allegedly injured a Thai military personnel on duty, who suffered a foot amputation in the explosion.
Following this, one person has been killed and multiple individuals injured by gunfire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, raising concerns of a fresh wave of tit-for-tat fighting.
US Trade Pressure
Over the weekend, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson informed reporters that a letter from the Office of the US Trade Representative announcing the suspension of trade deal talks was received on the previous evening.
He quoted the letter as stating that discussions on trade – which are focusing on a 19 percent American duty – could resume once Thailand renewed its pledge to carrying out the joint ceasefire declaration.
“Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” stated another government spokesperson.
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 employed tariff warnings in discussions with the ASEAN nation heads.
He stated, “Today, I prevented a conflict using tariffs, the menace of duties,” continuing, “they are performing well. I believe they will be okay.”
Truce Deal Origins
Trump oversaw the signing of a ceasefire agreement, held in Malaysia this last autumn, and has promoted it as one of several deals around the globe he claims should earn him the prestigious peace award.
The worst fighting in a ten years between military forces of both nations broke out in mid-summer, with gunfire, artillery and airstrikes leaving dozens of people killed and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.
Historic Frontier Conflict
The two neighboring countries have a longstanding border dispute that originates from disagreements over maps from the colonial period created by French cartographers. Historic shrines along the border are disputed by each nation.
International news agency contributed to this report.
