The United States has applied pressure on Thailand to recommit to a truce deal with the Cambodian side, warning that trade talks could be halted as attempts are made to stop a Trump-mediated peace agreement from collapsing.
Rising Border Hostilities
Earlier this week, Thailand announced it was putting on hold the ceasefire deal, accusing Cambodia of planting new explosives along the mutual frontier, among them an incident that allegedly wounded a Thai military personnel on duty, who lost a foot in the explosion.
Since then, a fatality occurred and several others wounded by exchanges of fire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, raising concerns of a fresh wave of retaliatory clashes.
US Trade Pressure
Over the weekend, a representative from Thailand's foreign office told journalists that a letter from the Office of the US Trade Representative declaring the pause in trade negotiations was obtained on the previous evening.
He quoted the document as saying that discussions on trade – which are addressing a US tariff of 19% – could resume once the Thai government reaffirmed its commitment to carrying out the mutual truce agreement.
“Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” stated a different official representative.
President’s Economic Warning
Speaking to the press on Air Force One as he flew to Florida on Friday, Trump implied that he had employed tariff warnings in discussions with the south-east Asian leaders.
The US president said, “I stopped a war just today through the use of tariffs, the threat of tariffs,” adding, “they are performing well. I believe they will be okay.”
Truce Deal Origins
Trump oversaw the signing of a ceasefire agreement, conducted in Malaysian territory this last autumn, and has promoted it as one of several deals around the world he claims should earn him the prestigious peace award.
The most severe clashes in a ten years 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.
Historic Frontier Conflict
The two neighboring countries have a historic territorial disagreement that dates back to conflicts regarding colonial-era maps drawn up by the French. Ancient temples along the frontier are disputed by each nation.
International news agency provided input for this coverage.
