The United States has applied pressure on the Thai administration to recommit to a truce deal with Cambodia, warning that trade talks could be suspended as attempts are made to prevent a Trump-mediated peace agreement from collapsing.
Earlier this week, Thailand declared it was putting on hold the ceasefire deal, alleging Cambodian forces of planting new explosives along the mutual frontier, among them an incident that reportedly injured a Thai soldier on patrol, who lost a foot in the blast.
Since then, one person has been killed and several others wounded by gunfire along the border between the two nations, raising concerns of a fresh wave of retaliatory clashes.
On Saturday, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson informed reporters that a official communication from the Office of the US Trade Representative declaring the suspension of trade deal talks was received on Friday night.
He quoted the document as stating that discussions on trade – which are addressing a 19 percent American duty – could resume once the Thai government reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the joint ceasefire declaration.
“Trade talks are ongoing and distinct from frontier matters,” said a different official representative.
Speaking to the press on Air Force One as he traveled to the Sunshine State on Friday, Trump suggested that he had employed tariff warnings in discussions with the ASEAN nation heads.
The US president said, “I stopped a war just today through the use of tariffs, the threat of tariffs,” continuing, “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 win him the Nobel Peace prize.
The worst fighting in a decade between military forces of both nations broke out in July, with exchanges of fire, shelling and aerial attacks causing numerous fatalities and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.
The two neighboring countries 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.
Reuters provided input for this coverage.
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