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The United States has applied pressure on the Thai administration to reaffirm its dedication to a truce deal with the Cambodian side, indicating that trade negotiations could be paused as efforts are made to prevent a Donald Trump-brokered peace agreement from collapsing.

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, including one that reportedly injured a Thai military personnel on patrol, who suffered a foot amputation in the explosion.

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 tit-for-tat fighting.

American Economic Leverage

On Saturday, a representative from Thailand's foreign office told journalists that a letter from the Office of the US Trade Representative announcing the pause in trade negotiations was received on Friday night.

He quoted the letter as stating that trade negotiations – which are focusing on a US tariff of 19% – could restart 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 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 suggested that he had used the “threat of tariffs” in discussions with the south-east Asian leaders.

He stated, “Today, I prevented a conflict using tariffs, the menace of duties,” continuing, “they’re doing great. I think they’re gonna be fine.”

Ceasefire Agreement Background

Trump oversaw the signing of a peace deal, held in Malaysia this last autumn, and has promoted it as one of multiple agreements around the globe he says should win him the Nobel Peace prize.

The most severe clashes in a ten years between military forces of both nations broke out in mid-summer, with exchanges of fire, shelling and aerial attacks causing numerous fatalities and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.

Historic Frontier Conflict

Thailand and Cambodia have a historic territorial disagreement that originates from conflicts regarding colonial-era maps created by French cartographers. Historic shrines along the border are disputed by each nation.

International news agency contributed to this report.