The US President Urges Thailand to Reaffirm Commitment to Cambodian Truce with ‘Threat of Tariffs’
The United States has applied pressure on the Thai administration to reaffirm its dedication to a ceasefire agreement with Cambodia, indicating that trade talks could be paused as efforts are made to prevent a Donald Trump-brokered peace agreement from falling apart.
Rising Border Hostilities
In recent days, Thailand announced it was suspending the ceasefire deal, alleging Cambodia of planting new explosives along the mutual frontier, among them an incident that allegedly wounded a Thai military personnel on patrol, who lost a foot in the blast.
Since then, one person has been killed and several others wounded by gunfire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, raising concerns of a fresh wave of retaliatory clashes.
US Trade Pressure
On Saturday, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson informed reporters that a letter from the U.S. trade office declaring the pause in trade negotiations was obtained on Friday night.
He quoted the document as saying that discussions on trade – which are focusing on a 19 percent American duty – could restart once Thailand 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 on Air Force One as he traveled to the Sunshine State on Friday, Trump implied that he had employed tariff warnings 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,” adding, “they’re doing great. I think they’re gonna be fine.”
Ceasefire Agreement Background
Trump oversaw the signing of a ceasefire agreement, conducted in Malaysian territory this last autumn, and has promoted it as one of several deals around the globe he says should win him the Nobel Peace prize.
The worst fighting in a decade between Thai and Cambodian troops erupted in July, with gunfire, artillery and airstrikes 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 frontier are disputed by each nation.
International news agency contributed to this report.
