The US President Pressures the Thai government to Recommit to Cambodia Ceasefire with ‘Threat of Tariffs’
The United States has applied pressure on the Thai administration to recommit to a ceasefire agreement with Cambodia, indicating that trade negotiations could be suspended as efforts are made to prevent a Trump-mediated peace agreement from falling apart.
Rising Border Hostilities
Earlier this week, Thai officials declared it was suspending the truce agreement, alleging Cambodian forces of planting new explosives along the shared border, among them an incident that allegedly injured a Thai military personnel on duty, who lost a foot in the explosion.
Following this, 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.
US Trade Pressure
On Saturday, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson told journalists that a official communication from the U.S. trade office declaring the suspension of trade deal talks was received on Friday night.
The spokesperson referenced the letter as saying that trade negotiations – which are focusing on a US tariff of 19% – could restart once Thailand reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the joint ceasefire declaration.
“Trade talks are ongoing and distinct from frontier matters,” stated a different official representative.
President’s Economic Warning
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 employed tariff warnings in calls with the ASEAN nation heads.
He stated, “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
The President witnessed the finalization of a peace deal, held in Malaysia this October, and has promoted it as one of several deals around the world he claims should win him the Nobel Peace prize.
The worst fighting in a ten years between Thai and Cambodian troops erupted in mid-summer, with gunfire, artillery and airstrikes leaving dozens of people killed and 300,000 displaced.
Historic Frontier Conflict
The two neighboring countries have a historic territorial disagreement that dates back to disagreements over maps from the colonial period drawn up by the French. Historic shrines along the border are claimed by both sides.
Reuters contributed to this report.
