Washington has exerted influence on Thailand to recommit to a truce deal with the Cambodian side, indicating that trade talks could be halted as attempts are made to stop a Donald Trump-brokered peace agreement from falling apart.
In recent days, Thailand announced it was suspending the truce agreement, alleging Cambodia of laying fresh landmines along the mutual frontier, among them an incident that reportedly injured a Thai military personnel on patrol, who lost a foot in the blast.
Following this, one person has been killed and several others wounded by exchanges of fire along the border between the two nations, sparking fears of a new round of tit-for-tat fighting.
On Saturday, a representative from Thailand's foreign office 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 letter as stating that trade negotiations – which are addressing a 19 percent American duty – could resume once the Thai government renewed its pledge to carrying out the joint ceasefire declaration.
“Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” said another government spokesperson.
Addressing reporters on Air Force One as he traveled to the Sunshine State on Friday, the US leader suggested that he had used the “threat of tariffs” in calls with the south-east Asian leaders.
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.”
Trump oversaw the signing of a peace deal, held in Malaysia this October, and has touted it as one of several deals around the world he claims should earn him the Nobel Peace prize.
The worst fighting in a decade between Thai and Cambodian troops broke out in mid-summer, with exchanges of fire, shelling and aerial attacks causing numerous fatalities and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.
The two neighboring countries have a longstanding border dispute that originates from conflicts regarding maps from the colonial period drawn up by the French. Historic shrines along the border are disputed by each nation.
International news agency provided input for this coverage.
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