The United States has applied pressure on the Thai administration to recommit to a truce deal with Cambodia, warning that trade talks could be halted as efforts are made to stop a Donald Trump-brokered peace agreement from collapsing.
Earlier this week, Thailand declared it was suspending the ceasefire deal, accusing Cambodian forces of planting new explosives along the mutual frontier, among them an incident that allegedly wounded a Thai soldier on duty, who lost a foot in the blast.
Following this, a fatality occurred 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 representative from Thailand's foreign office informed reporters that a official communication from the U.S. trade office declaring the pause in trade negotiations was received on the previous evening.
The spokesperson referenced the document as stating that discussions on trade – which are addressing a 19 percent American duty – could resume once the Thai government renewed its pledge to implementing the joint ceasefire declaration.
“Trade talks are ongoing and distinct from frontier matters,” stated a different official representative.
Speaking to the press on Air Force One as he traveled to the Sunshine State 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.”
The President witnessed the finalization of a peace deal, held in Malaysia 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 worst fighting in a decade between Thai and Cambodian troops broke out in mid-summer, with gunfire, artillery and airstrikes leaving dozens of people killed and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.
The two neighboring countries have a historic territorial disagreement that dates back to disagreements over maps from the colonial period drawn up by the French. Ancient temples along the border are claimed by both sides.
International news agency provided input for this coverage.
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