🔗 Share this article

Washington has exerted influence on Thailand to reaffirm its dedication to a truce deal with Cambodia, indicating that trade negotiations could be halted as attempts are made to prevent a Trump-mediated peace agreement from falling apart.

Rising Border Hostilities

In recent days, Thai officials declared it was putting on hold the truce agreement, alleging Cambodia of planting new explosives along the shared border, among them an incident that allegedly wounded a Thai soldier on duty, who suffered a foot amputation in the blast.

Since then, a fatality occurred and multiple individuals injured by exchanges of fire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, raising concerns of a new round of tit-for-tat fighting.

US Trade Pressure

On Saturday, a representative from Thailand's foreign office informed reporters that a official communication from the Office of the US Trade Representative announcing the suspension of trade deal talks was obtained on Friday night.

The spokesperson referenced the document as saying that discussions on trade – which are addressing a 19 percent American duty – could resume once Thailand renewed its pledge to carrying out the joint ceasefire declaration.

“Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” said another government spokesperson.

President’s Economic Warning

Addressing reporters aboard the presidential plane as he flew to Florida on Friday, 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,” adding, “they’re doing great. I think they’re gonna be fine.”

Ceasefire Agreement Background

The President witnessed the finalization of a peace deal, held in Malaysia this October, and has touted it as one of multiple agreements around the globe he claims should earn him the prestigious peace award.

The worst fighting in a decade between military forces of both nations broke out in July, with exchanges of fire, shelling and aerial attacks causing numerous fatalities and 300,000 displaced.

Longstanding Border Dispute

The two neighboring countries have a historic territorial disagreement that dates back to conflicts regarding maps from the colonial period drawn up by the French. Historic shrines along the border are disputed by each nation.

International news agency contributed to this report.