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The United States has applied pressure on the Thai administration to reaffirm its dedication to a truce deal with Cambodia, warning that trade talks could be halted as efforts are made to stop a Trump-mediated peace agreement from falling apart.

Border Tensions Escalate

In recent days, Thailand announced it was putting on hold the ceasefire deal, accusing Cambodia of laying fresh landmines along the shared border, among them an incident that allegedly injured a Thai soldier on patrol, who suffered a foot amputation in the blast.

Since then, 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.

US Trade Pressure

On Saturday, a representative from Thailand's foreign office informed reporters that a letter from the Office of the US Trade Representative declaring the pause in trade negotiations was obtained on Friday night.

The spokesperson referenced the document as saying that trade negotiations – which are focusing on a US tariff of 19% – could restart once the Thai government renewed its pledge to implementing the mutual truce agreement.

“Trade talks are ongoing and distinct from frontier matters,” said a different official representative.

President’s Economic Warning

Speaking to the press aboard the presidential plane as he flew to Florida on Friday, the US leader implied 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 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 touted it as one of multiple agreements around the globe he says should win 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 causing numerous fatalities and 300,000 displaced.

Longstanding Border Dispute

Thailand and Cambodia have a longstanding border dispute that originates from conflicts regarding maps from the colonial period created by French cartographers. Ancient temples along the border are disputed by each nation.

International news agency provided input for this coverage.