The US President Urges the Thai government to Recommit to Cambodia Ceasefire with ‘Threat of Tariffs’
Washington has exerted influence on the Thai administration to recommit to a truce deal with Cambodia, warning that trade negotiations could be suspended as attempts are made to stop a Trump-mediated ceasefire arrangement from falling apart.
Rising Border Hostilities
Earlier this week, Thai officials declared it was suspending the ceasefire deal, accusing Cambodian forces of planting new explosives along the shared border, among them an incident that reportedly wounded a Thai soldier on patrol, who suffered a foot amputation in the explosion.
Since then, a fatality occurred and several others wounded by exchanges of fire along the border between the two nations, raising concerns of a fresh wave of retaliatory clashes.
American Economic Leverage
Over the weekend, a representative from Thailand's foreign office informed reporters that a letter from the Office of the US Trade Representative declaring the suspension of trade deal talks was obtained on the previous evening.
He quoted the letter as saying that trade negotiations – which are focusing on a US tariff of 19% – could restart once Thailand renewed its pledge to implementing the mutual truce agreement.
“Trade talks are ongoing and distinct from frontier matters,” stated a different official representative.
Trump’s Tariff Threat
Addressing reporters aboard the presidential plane as he flew to Florida on the end of the week, the US leader suggested that he had employed tariff warnings 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,” adding, “they’re doing great. I think they’re gonna be fine.”
Ceasefire Agreement Background
Trump oversaw the signing of a ceasefire agreement, held in Malaysia this October, and has touted it as one of several deals around the globe he claims should win him the Nobel Peace prize.
The worst fighting in a ten years between Thai and Cambodian troops erupted in mid-summer, with exchanges of fire, shelling and aerial attacks causing numerous fatalities and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.
Longstanding Border Dispute
The two neighboring countries have a longstanding border dispute that dates back to conflicts regarding colonial-era maps created by French cartographers. Historic shrines along the frontier are claimed by both sides.
Reuters provided input for this coverage.
