🔗 Share this article Trump Compels Thailand to Reaffirm Commitment to Cambodian Ceasefire with Trade Penalties Washington has exerted influence on the Thai administration to recommit to a truce deal with Cambodia, indicating that trade talks could be paused as efforts are made to prevent a Donald Trump-brokered peace agreement from collapsing. Rising Border Hostilities In recent days, Thailand declared it was suspending the ceasefire deal, accusing Cambodian forces of planting new explosives along the shared border, among them an incident that reportedly injured a Thai soldier on duty, who lost a foot in the blast. Since then, a fatality occurred and multiple individuals injured by exchanges of fire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, sparking fears of a new round of tit-for-tat fighting. American Economic Leverage Over the weekend, a representative from Thailand's foreign office informed reporters that a letter from the U.S. trade office declaring the suspension of trade deal talks was received on Friday night. The spokesperson referenced the document as stating that trade negotiations – which are focusing on a 19 percent American duty – could restart once the Thai government renewed its pledge to carrying out the mutual truce agreement. “Trade talks are ongoing and distinct from frontier matters,” stated another government spokesperson. Trump’s Tariff Threat Speaking to the press aboard the presidential plane as he traveled to the Sunshine State on the end of the week, Trump implied that he had used the “threat of tariffs” in discussions 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 The President witnessed the finalization of a peace deal, held in Malaysia this last autumn, and has touted it as one of multiple agreements around the world he claims should win him the prestigious peace award. The most severe clashes in a decade between military forces of both nations broke out 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 conflicts regarding maps from the colonial period drawn up by the French. Ancient temples along the frontier are claimed by both sides. Reuters provided input for this coverage.