The US President Urges the Thai government to Recommit to Cambodian Ceasefire with Trade Penalties
Washington has exerted influence on Thailand to recommit to a truce deal with Cambodia, indicating that trade talks could be suspended as attempts are made to stop a Donald Trump-brokered ceasefire arrangement from falling apart.
Border Tensions Escalate
Earlier this week, Thai officials declared it was putting on hold the truce agreement, accusing Cambodian forces of laying fresh landmines along the shared border, including one that allegedly injured a Thai soldier on duty, who suffered a foot amputation in the blast.
Since then, one person has been killed and several others wounded by exchanges of fire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, raising concerns of a new round of retaliatory clashes.
American Economic Leverage
Over the weekend, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson told journalists that a official communication from the Office of the US Trade Representative announcing the pause in trade negotiations was received on Friday night.
He quoted the document as stating that discussions on trade – which are focusing on a 19 percent American duty – could restart once the Thai government 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.
Trump’s Tariff Threat
Speaking to the press aboard the presidential plane as he traveled to the Sunshine State on the end of the week, the US leader suggested that he had used the “threat of tariffs” 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
The President witnessed the finalization of a peace deal, conducted in Malaysian territory this October, and has touted it as one of multiple agreements around the world he says should win him the prestigious peace award.
The most severe clashes in a ten years between Thai and Cambodian troops erupted in July, with gunfire, artillery and airstrikes causing numerous fatalities and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.
Longstanding Border Dispute
The two neighboring countries have a longstanding border dispute that originates from conflicts regarding maps from the colonial period created by French cartographers. Historic shrines along the border are disputed by each nation.
International news agency provided input for this coverage.
