The US President Urges Thailand to Reaffirm Commitment to Cambodia Truce with ‘Threat of Tariffs’
Washington has exerted influence on Thailand to recommit to a truce deal with the Cambodian side, stating that trade negotiations could be suspended as attempts are made to stop a Trump-mediated ceasefire arrangement from collapsing.
Rising Border Hostilities
Earlier this week, Thai officials announced it was suspending the ceasefire deal, accusing Cambodian forces of planting new explosives along the shared border, including one that reportedly wounded a Thai soldier on patrol, who lost a foot in the blast.
Following this, one person has been killed 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
On Saturday, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson 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 letter as saying that discussions on trade – which are addressing a 19 percent American duty – could restart once the Thai government reaffirmed its commitment to carrying out the joint ceasefire declaration.
“Trade talks are ongoing and distinct from frontier matters,” stated another government spokesperson.
President’s Economic Warning
Addressing reporters aboard the presidential plane as he traveled to the Sunshine State on Friday, Trump suggested that he had employed tariff warnings in calls with the ASEAN nation heads.
The US president said, “I stopped a war just today through the use of tariffs, the threat of tariffs,” continuing, “they’re doing great. I think they’re gonna be fine.”
Ceasefire Agreement Background
Trump oversaw the signing of a ceasefire agreement, held in Malaysia this October, and has promoted it as one of multiple agreements around the world he says should earn him the Nobel Peace prize.
The most severe clashes in a ten years between Thai and Cambodian troops broke out in mid-summer, with exchanges of fire, shelling and aerial attacks leaving dozens of people killed and 300,000 displaced.
Historic Frontier Conflict
Thailand and Cambodia have a longstanding border dispute that dates back to conflicts regarding maps from the colonial period drawn up by the French. Historic shrines along the frontier are disputed by each nation.
Reuters contributed to this report.
