The US President Urges Thailand to Recommit to Cambodian Truce with Trade Penalties
Washington has exerted influence on Thailand to reaffirm its dedication to a ceasefire agreement with Cambodia, warning that trade talks could be halted as efforts are made to stop a Trump-mediated peace agreement from collapsing.
Rising Border Hostilities
In recent days, Thailand announced it was putting on hold the ceasefire deal, alleging Cambodian forces of planting new explosives along the shared border, among them an incident that reportedly injured a Thai military personnel on duty, who lost a foot in the blast.
Since then, one person has been killed and multiple individuals injured by gunfire along the border between the two nations, sparking fears of a fresh wave of retaliatory clashes.
US Trade Pressure
On Saturday, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson informed reporters that a official communication from the U.S. trade office declaring the pause in trade negotiations was obtained on Friday night.
He quoted the letter as stating that trade negotiations – which are addressing a 19 percent American duty – could restart once the Thai government renewed its pledge to implementing the joint ceasefire declaration.
“Trade talks are ongoing and distinct from frontier matters,” stated another government spokesperson.
President’s Economic Warning
Addressing reporters on Air Force One as he flew to Florida on Friday, Trump suggested that he had employed tariff warnings in discussions 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.”
Truce Deal Origins
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 world he claims should earn him the Nobel Peace prize.
The most severe clashes in a ten years between Thai and Cambodian troops broke out in July, 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 originates from conflicts regarding colonial-era maps drawn up by the French. Ancient temples along the border are disputed by each nation.
International news agency contributed to this report.
