🔗 Share this article

Washington has exerted influence on the Thai administration to recommit to a truce deal with Cambodia, stating that trade negotiations could be halted as efforts are made to prevent a Donald Trump-brokered peace agreement from falling apart.

Border Tensions Escalate

In recent days, Thailand announced it was putting on hold the truce agreement, alleging Cambodian forces of laying fresh landmines along the mutual frontier, among them an incident that allegedly injured a Thai military personnel on duty, who lost a foot in the explosion.

Following this, one person has been killed and multiple individuals injured by gunfire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, raising concerns of a new round of tit-for-tat fighting.

US Trade Pressure

On Saturday, a representative from Thailand's foreign office informed reporters that a letter from the U.S. trade office declaring the suspension of trade deal talks was received on Friday night.

The spokesperson referenced the document as stating that trade negotiations – which are addressing a US tariff of 19% – could resume once the Thai government renewed its pledge to carrying out the mutual truce agreement.

“Trade talks are ongoing and distinct from frontier matters,” 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 suggested that he had used the “threat of tariffs” in calls with the ASEAN nation heads.

The US president said, “Today, I prevented a conflict using tariffs, the menace of duties,” adding, “they are performing well. I believe they will be okay.”

Ceasefire Agreement Background

Trump oversaw the signing of a peace deal, conducted in Malaysian territory this October, and has touted it as one of multiple agreements around the world he claims should earn him the prestigious peace award.

The most severe clashes in a ten years between military forces of both nations erupted in July, with exchanges of fire, shelling and aerial attacks leaving dozens of people killed and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.

Historic Frontier Conflict

Thailand and Cambodia have a historic territorial disagreement that dates back to conflicts regarding colonial-era maps drawn up by the French. Ancient temples along the border are disputed by each nation.

International news agency provided input for this coverage.