🔗 Share this article Trump Pressures Thailand to Reaffirm Commitment to Cambodia Truce with Tariff Warnings Washington has exerted influence on the Thai administration to recommit to a ceasefire agreement with Cambodia, stating that trade negotiations could be halted as efforts are made to prevent a Trump-mediated peace agreement from falling apart. Border Tensions Escalate Earlier this week, Thai officials announced it was putting on hold the truce agreement, accusing Cambodian forces of laying fresh landmines along the mutual frontier, among them an incident that reportedly wounded a Thai soldier on duty, who suffered a foot amputation in the blast. Since then, one person has been killed and multiple individuals injured by exchanges of fire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, raising concerns of a new round of retaliatory clashes. American Economic Leverage Over the weekend, a representative from Thailand's foreign office told journalists 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 focusing on a US tariff of 19% – could resume once the Thai government reaffirmed its commitment to carrying out the joint ceasefire declaration. “Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” stated a different official representative. President’s Economic Warning Speaking to the press on Air Force One as he traveled to the Sunshine State on the end of the week, the US leader suggested that he had employed tariff warnings in calls with the ASEAN nation heads. 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.” Truce Deal Origins Trump oversaw the signing of a peace deal, held in Malaysia this October, and has promoted it as one of multiple agreements around the world he says should win him the Nobel Peace prize. The worst fighting in a ten years between Thai and Cambodian troops erupted in mid-summer, with exchanges of fire, shelling and aerial attacks leaving dozens of people killed and 300,000 displaced. Longstanding Border Dispute The two neighboring countries have a historic territorial disagreement that originates from disagreements over maps from the colonial period drawn up by the French. Ancient temples along the frontier are claimed by both sides. Reuters contributed to this report.