Trump Pressures Thailand to Recommit to Cambodian Ceasefire with Trade Penalties
Washington has exerted influence on the Thai administration to reaffirm its dedication to a ceasefire agreement with the Cambodian side, stating that trade negotiations could be suspended as attempts are made to stop a Donald Trump-brokered peace agreement from falling apart.
Rising Border Hostilities
In recent days, Thai officials declared it was suspending the truce agreement, accusing Cambodian forces of laying fresh landmines along the mutual frontier, among them an incident that allegedly wounded a Thai soldier on duty, who lost a foot in the explosion.
Following this, one person has been killed and multiple individuals injured by gunfire along the border between the two nations, raising concerns of a fresh wave of retaliatory clashes.
American Economic Leverage
Over the weekend, a representative from Thailand's foreign office told journalists that a official communication from the U.S. trade office declaring the pause in trade negotiations was obtained on Friday night.
He quoted the document as stating that discussions on trade – which are focusing on a US tariff of 19% – could resume once the Thai government reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the mutual truce agreement.
“Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” said a different official representative.
President’s Economic Warning
Speaking to the press aboard the presidential plane as he flew to Florida on the end of the week, Trump suggested that he had used the “threat of tariffs” in calls 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,” continuing, “they are performing well. I believe they will be okay.”
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 globe he claims should earn him the Nobel Peace prize.
The worst fighting in a ten years between military forces of both nations erupted in mid-summer, with exchanges of fire, shelling and aerial attacks 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 conflicts regarding colonial-era maps created by French cartographers. Ancient temples along the frontier are disputed by each nation.
International news agency contributed to this report.
