🔗 Share this article Trump Compels Thailand to Reaffirm Commitment to Cambodian Truce with ‘Threat of Tariffs’ The United States has applied pressure on Thailand to reaffirm its dedication to a truce deal with Cambodia, indicating that trade talks could be halted as attempts are made to stop a Donald Trump-brokered ceasefire arrangement from falling apart. Border Tensions Escalate In recent days, Thailand announced it was putting on hold the ceasefire deal, accusing Cambodia of planting new explosives along the mutual frontier, including one that allegedly wounded a Thai soldier on duty, who suffered a foot amputation in the explosion. Since then, 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. American Economic Leverage Over the weekend, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson told journalists that a letter from the Office of the US Trade Representative announcing the suspension of trade deal talks was obtained on the previous evening. The spokesperson referenced the letter as saying that discussions on trade – 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,” 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, Trump suggested that he had used the “threat of tariffs” in calls with the south-east Asian leaders. 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.” Truce Deal Origins The President witnessed the finalization of a ceasefire agreement, conducted in Malaysian territory this October, and has promoted it as one of multiple agreements around the globe he says should win him the prestigious peace award. The worst fighting in a decade between military forces of both nations erupted in mid-summer, with exchanges of fire, shelling and aerial attacks leaving dozens of people killed and hundreds of thousands forced to flee. Longstanding Border Dispute Thailand and Cambodia have a historic territorial disagreement that originates from disagreements over colonial-era maps created by French cartographers. Historic shrines along the border are claimed by both sides. Reuters provided input for this coverage.