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The United States has applied pressure on Thailand to reaffirm its dedication to a truce deal with Cambodia, stating that trade negotiations could be suspended as efforts are made to prevent a Trump-mediated peace agreement from collapsing.

Rising Border Hostilities

Earlier this week, Thailand declared it was putting on hold the ceasefire deal, alleging Cambodian forces of planting new explosives along the mutual frontier, including one that reportedly wounded a Thai soldier on duty, who suffered a foot amputation in the blast.

Since then, one person has been killed and several others wounded by exchanges of fire along the border between the two nations, raising concerns of a fresh wave of retaliatory clashes.

American Economic Leverage

Over the weekend, a representative from Thailand's foreign office 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 document as stating that discussions on trade – which are addressing a 19 percent American duty – could resume once Thailand 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

Addressing reporters aboard the presidential plane as he traveled to the Sunshine State on the end of the week, Trump implied that he had employed tariff warnings 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,” continuing, “they are performing well. I believe they will be okay.”

Truce Deal Origins

The President witnessed the finalization of a ceasefire agreement, held in Malaysia this October, and has promoted it as one of several deals around the globe he claims should earn him the prestigious peace award.

The worst fighting in a decade between Thai and Cambodian troops erupted in July, with exchanges of fire, shelling and aerial attacks causing numerous fatalities and 300,000 displaced.

Historic Frontier Conflict

The two neighboring countries have a longstanding border dispute that dates back to disagreements over 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.