🔗 Share this article The US President Urges Thailand to Recommit to Cambodia Truce with Tariff Warnings The United States has applied pressure on Thailand to reaffirm its dedication to a truce deal with the Cambodian side, stating that trade negotiations could be paused as attempts are made to prevent a Donald Trump-brokered ceasefire arrangement from falling apart. Rising Border Hostilities Earlier this week, Thai officials declared it was putting on hold the truce agreement, accusing Cambodian forces of planting new explosives along the mutual frontier, among them an incident that allegedly wounded a Thai military personnel on patrol, who suffered a foot amputation in the explosion. Following this, one person has been killed and multiple individuals injured by gunfire along the border between the two nations, sparking fears of a fresh wave of retaliatory clashes. American Economic Leverage On Saturday, a representative from Thailand's foreign office informed reporters that a letter from the U.S. trade office declaring the pause in trade negotiations was obtained on the previous evening. He quoted the document as stating that trade negotiations – which are addressing a US tariff of 19% – could restart once the Thai government reaffirmed its commitment to carrying out the mutual truce agreement. “Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” stated another government spokesperson. Trump’s Tariff Threat Speaking to the press aboard the presidential plane as he flew to Florida on the end of the week, the US leader suggested that he had used the “threat of tariffs” in calls 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.” Ceasefire Agreement Background Trump oversaw the signing of a peace deal, held in Malaysia this last autumn, and has promoted it as one of multiple agreements around the globe he claims should win him the Nobel Peace prize. The most severe clashes in a ten years between Thai and Cambodian troops broke out in mid-summer, with gunfire, artillery and airstrikes causing numerous fatalities and 300,000 displaced. Historic Frontier Conflict The two neighboring countries have a longstanding border dispute that originates from disagreements over colonial-era maps created by French cartographers. Ancient temples along the frontier are claimed by both sides. Reuters provided input for this coverage.