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The United States has applied pressure on Thailand to reaffirm its dedication to a truce deal with the Cambodian side, indicating that trade negotiations could be suspended as efforts are made to prevent a Trump-mediated ceasefire arrangement from collapsing.

Border Tensions Escalate

In recent days, Thai officials announced it was putting on hold the truce agreement, accusing Cambodia of planting new explosives along the shared border, among them an incident that allegedly wounded a Thai soldier on duty, who lost a foot in the blast.

Following this, one person has been killed and several others wounded by gunfire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, sparking fears of a new round of retaliatory clashes.

American Economic Leverage

On Saturday, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson told journalists that a letter from the Office of the US Trade Representative declaring the pause in trade negotiations was received on Friday night.

The spokesperson referenced the document as saying that discussions on trade – which are addressing a US tariff of 19% – could restart once Thailand reaffirmed its commitment to carrying out the joint ceasefire declaration.

“Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” said a different official representative.

Trump’s Tariff Threat

Addressing reporters aboard the presidential plane as he flew to Florida on Friday, Trump suggested that he had employed tariff warnings in calls with the ASEAN nation heads.

The US president said, “Today, I prevented a conflict using tariffs, the menace of duties,” adding, “they are performing well. I believe they will be okay.”

Ceasefire Agreement Background

The President witnessed the finalization of a ceasefire agreement, conducted in Malaysian territory this last autumn, and has promoted it as one of several deals 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 broke out in mid-summer, with exchanges of fire, shelling and aerial attacks leaving dozens of people killed and 300,000 displaced.

Historic Frontier Conflict

The two neighboring countries have a longstanding border dispute that originates from disagreements over maps from the colonial period drawn up by the French. Historic shrines along the border are claimed by both sides.

International news agency provided input for this coverage.