The US President Compels Thailand to Reaffirm Commitment to Cambodia Ceasefire with ‘Threat of Tariffs’
Washington has exerted influence on the Thai administration to recommit to a truce deal with the Cambodian side, indicating that trade talks could be suspended as efforts are made to prevent a Donald Trump-brokered peace agreement from collapsing.
Border Tensions Escalate
In recent days, Thai officials announced it was putting on hold the truce agreement, accusing Cambodian forces of planting new explosives along the mutual frontier, including one that allegedly wounded a Thai military personnel on patrol, 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 fresh wave of retaliatory clashes.
American Economic Leverage
On Saturday, a representative from Thailand's foreign office informed reporters that a letter from the U.S. trade office announcing the suspension of trade deal talks was received on the previous evening.
He quoted the document as saying that discussions on trade – which are addressing a 19 percent American duty – could restart once Thailand renewed its pledge to carrying out the mutual truce agreement.
“Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” stated a different official representative.
President’s Economic Warning
Addressing reporters on Air Force One as he traveled to the Sunshine State on Friday, the US leader suggested that he had used the “threat of tariffs” in calls with the south-east Asian leaders.
He stated, “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.”
Truce Deal Origins
Trump oversaw the signing of a ceasefire agreement, held in Malaysia this October, and has touted it as one of multiple agreements around the world he claims should win him the Nobel Peace prize.
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.
Historic Frontier Conflict
The two neighboring countries have a longstanding border dispute that dates back to disagreements over maps from the colonial period created by French cartographers. Ancient temples along the border are claimed by both sides.
Reuters provided input for this coverage.
