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Washington has exerted influence on the Thai administration to recommit to a ceasefire agreement with the Cambodian side, stating that trade negotiations could be halted as efforts are made to prevent a Donald Trump-brokered ceasefire arrangement from falling apart.

Rising Border Hostilities

Earlier this week, Thailand announced it was putting on hold the truce agreement, alleging Cambodian forces of laying fresh landmines along the mutual frontier, among them an incident that reportedly injured a Thai military personnel on duty, who lost a foot in the blast.

Following this, one person has been killed and several others wounded by gunfire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, sparking fears of a fresh wave of retaliatory clashes.

US Trade Pressure

On Saturday, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson told journalists that a letter from the Office of the US Trade Representative declaring the pause in trade negotiations was obtained on the previous evening.

He quoted the letter as saying that trade negotiations – which are focusing on a US tariff of 19% – could resume once the Thai government renewed its pledge to carrying out the mutual truce agreement.

“Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” stated a different official representative.

President’s Economic Warning

Addressing reporters on Air Force One as he traveled to the Sunshine State on Friday, Trump suggested that he had employed tariff warnings 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,” adding, “they’re doing great. I think they’re gonna be fine.”

Ceasefire Agreement Background

The President witnessed the finalization of a peace deal, conducted in Malaysian territory this last autumn, and has touted it as one of several deals around the world he says should win him the prestigious peace award.

The worst fighting in a ten years between military forces of both nations broke out in July, with gunfire, artillery and airstrikes leaving dozens of people killed and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.

Longstanding Border Dispute

Thailand and Cambodia have a longstanding border dispute 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.