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Washington has exerted influence on Thailand to recommit to a truce deal with the Cambodian side, indicating that trade talks could be halted as efforts are made to stop a Donald Trump-brokered ceasefire arrangement from collapsing.

Border Tensions Escalate

Earlier this week, Thailand declared it was suspending the truce agreement, accusing Cambodian forces of laying fresh landmines along the mutual frontier, including one that reportedly injured a Thai soldier on patrol, who lost a foot in the explosion.

Since then, one person has been killed and multiple individuals injured by exchanges of fire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, raising concerns of a new round of retaliatory clashes.

American Economic Leverage

On Saturday, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson told journalists that a official communication from the Office of the US Trade Representative declaring the pause in trade negotiations was obtained on Friday night.

He quoted the letter as saying that trade negotiations – which are focusing on a 19 percent American duty – could resume once the Thai government reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the joint ceasefire declaration.

“Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” stated another government spokesperson.

President’s Economic Warning

Speaking to the press on Air Force One as he flew to Florida on the end of the week, Trump suggested that he had employed tariff warnings in discussions 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,” adding, “they are performing well. I believe they will be okay.”

Truce Deal Origins

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 world he says should earn him the Nobel Peace prize.

The worst fighting in a decade between military forces of both nations erupted in July, with gunfire, artillery and airstrikes causing numerous fatalities and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.

Historic Frontier Conflict

Thailand and Cambodia have a historic territorial disagreement that originates from disagreements over maps from the colonial period drawn up by the French. Historic shrines along the border are disputed by each nation.

Reuters contributed to this report.