🔗 Share this article The US President Pressures the Thai government to Reaffirm Commitment to Cambodia Truce with ‘Threat of Tariffs’ Washington has exerted influence on the Thai administration to recommit to a truce deal with Cambodia, indicating that trade talks could be halted as efforts are made to prevent a Trump-mediated peace agreement from collapsing. Border Tensions Escalate Earlier this week, Thailand announced it was suspending the ceasefire deal, accusing Cambodian forces of laying fresh landmines along the shared border, including one that reportedly wounded a Thai military personnel on duty, who suffered a foot amputation in the blast. Since then, a fatality occurred and several others wounded by exchanges of fire along the border between the two nations, sparking fears of a fresh wave of retaliatory clashes. American Economic Leverage Over the weekend, a representative from Thailand's foreign office informed reporters 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 stating that trade negotiations – which are addressing a 19 percent American duty – could restart once Thailand reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the joint ceasefire declaration. “Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” stated another government spokesperson. Trump’s Tariff Threat Addressing reporters on Air Force One as he traveled to the Sunshine State on Friday, Trump implied that he had used the “threat of tariffs” 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.” Truce Deal Origins Trump oversaw the signing of a peace deal, held in Malaysia 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 decade between Thai and Cambodian troops 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 longstanding border dispute that originates from disagreements over maps from the colonial period created by French cartographers. Ancient temples along the border are disputed by each nation. International news agency provided input for this coverage.