Trump Urges the Thai government to Reaffirm Commitment to Cambodian Ceasefire with ‘Threat of Tariffs’
The United States has applied pressure on the Thai administration to recommit to a ceasefire agreement with Cambodia, stating that trade negotiations could be paused as attempts are made to stop a Donald Trump-brokered peace agreement from collapsing.
Rising Border Hostilities
Earlier this week, Thai officials announced it was suspending the truce agreement, accusing Cambodian forces of laying fresh landmines along the shared border, among them an incident that reportedly injured a Thai soldier on duty, who suffered a foot amputation in the explosion.
Since then, one person has been killed and multiple individuals injured by gunfire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, raising concerns of a fresh wave of retaliatory clashes.
American Economic Leverage
On Saturday, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson informed reporters that a letter from the Office of the US Trade Representative announcing the pause in trade negotiations was obtained on Friday night.
The spokesperson referenced the document as saying that trade negotiations – which are addressing a 19 percent American duty – could restart once Thailand reaffirmed its commitment to carrying out the mutual truce agreement.
“Trade talks are ongoing and distinct from frontier matters,” stated a different official representative.
Trump’s Tariff Threat
Addressing reporters on Air Force One 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 ASEAN nation heads.
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
The President witnessed the finalization of a ceasefire agreement, conducted in Malaysian territory 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 decade between military forces of both nations erupted in July, with exchanges of fire, shelling and aerial attacks leaving dozens of people killed and 300,000 displaced.
Longstanding Border Dispute
Thailand and Cambodia have a historic territorial disagreement that originates from conflicts regarding colonial-era maps drawn up by the French. Historic shrines along the border are disputed by each nation.
Reuters contributed to this report.
