The United States has applied pressure on Thailand to recommit to a ceasefire agreement with the Cambodian side, indicating that trade negotiations could be suspended as efforts are made to prevent a Donald Trump-brokered ceasefire arrangement from falling apart.
Earlier this week, Thailand announced it was putting on hold the truce agreement, alleging Cambodia of laying fresh landmines along the mutual frontier, including one that reportedly injured a Thai soldier on duty, who suffered a foot amputation in the blast.
Following this, 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.
On Saturday, a representative from Thailand's foreign office told journalists that a official communication from the U.S. trade office 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 US tariff of 19% – could resume once Thailand reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the mutual truce agreement.
“Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” stated a different official representative.
Speaking to the press aboard the presidential plane as he traveled to the Sunshine State on Friday, Trump suggested that he had employed tariff warnings in calls with the south-east Asian leaders.
He stated, “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.”
Trump oversaw the signing of a peace deal, conducted in Malaysian territory this last autumn, and has touted it as one of multiple agreements around the world he says should earn him the prestigious peace award.
The most severe clashes in a ten years between military forces of both nations erupted in mid-summer, with gunfire, artillery and airstrikes causing numerous fatalities and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.
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 frontier are disputed by each nation.
International news agency provided input for this coverage.
