Trump Pressures Thailand to Recommit to Cambodia Truce with ‘Threat of Tariffs’
Washington has exerted influence on the Thai administration to recommit to a ceasefire agreement with the Cambodian side, warning that trade talks could be halted as attempts are made to prevent a Donald Trump-brokered peace agreement from falling apart.
Rising Border Hostilities
In recent days, Thai officials declared it was putting on hold the ceasefire deal, accusing Cambodian forces of planting new explosives along the mutual frontier, among them an incident that allegedly injured a Thai military personnel on duty, who suffered a foot amputation in the explosion.
Since then, a fatality occurred and multiple individuals injured by exchanges of fire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, raising concerns of a fresh wave of tit-for-tat fighting.
US Trade Pressure
On Saturday, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson informed reporters that a letter from the U.S. trade office announcing the suspension of trade deal talks was obtained on the previous evening.
He quoted the document as saying that trade negotiations – which are addressing a US tariff of 19% – could restart once Thailand reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the mutual truce agreement.
“Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” said another government spokesperson.
Trump’s Tariff Threat
Speaking to the press aboard the presidential plane as he traveled to the Sunshine State on Friday, Trump implied that he had employed tariff warnings in calls with the ASEAN nation heads.
He stated, “I stopped a war just today through the use of tariffs, the threat of tariffs,” adding, “they are performing well. I believe they will be okay.”
Ceasefire Agreement Background
Trump oversaw the signing of a ceasefire agreement, held in Malaysia this last autumn, and has touted it as one of several deals around the globe he says should earn him the Nobel Peace prize.
The worst fighting in a decade between Thai and Cambodian troops broke out in mid-summer, with gunfire, artillery and airstrikes causing numerous fatalities and 300,000 displaced.
Historic Frontier Conflict
Thailand and Cambodia have a longstanding border dispute that originates from disagreements over colonial-era maps created by French cartographers. Historic shrines along the border are disputed by each nation.
Reuters contributed to this report.
