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The United States has applied pressure on the Thai administration to recommit to a ceasefire agreement with the Cambodian side, indicating that trade negotiations could be paused as efforts are made to stop a Trump-mediated peace agreement from collapsing.

Rising Border Hostilities

Earlier this week, Thai officials declared it was suspending the ceasefire deal, alleging Cambodia of laying fresh landmines along the shared border, including one that reportedly injured a Thai military personnel on patrol, who suffered a foot amputation in the blast.

Following this, one person has been killed and several others wounded by exchanges of fire along the border between the two nations, sparking fears of a fresh wave of tit-for-tat fighting.

American Economic Leverage

On Saturday, 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 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 another government spokesperson.

President’s Economic Warning

Addressing reporters aboard the presidential plane as he traveled to the Sunshine State on the end of the week, the US leader implied 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,” continuing, “they are performing well. I believe they will be okay.”

Ceasefire Agreement Background

The President witnessed the finalization of a ceasefire agreement, conducted in Malaysian territory this last autumn, and has promoted it as one of multiple agreements around the globe he says should win him the prestigious peace award.

The most severe clashes in a ten years between military forces of both nations erupted in mid-summer, with gunfire, artillery and airstrikes leaving dozens of people killed 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. Historic shrines along the frontier are claimed by both sides.

International news agency provided input for this coverage.