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Washington has exerted influence on the Thai administration to reaffirm its dedication to a ceasefire agreement with Cambodia, indicating that trade talks could be paused as efforts are made to prevent a Donald Trump-brokered peace agreement from falling apart.

Border Tensions Escalate

In recent days, Thailand declared it was suspending the truce agreement, accusing Cambodian forces of planting new explosives along the shared border, among them an incident that reportedly injured a Thai soldier on patrol, who suffered a foot amputation in the explosion.

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

US Trade Pressure

On Saturday, a Thai foreign ministry spokesperson informed reporters that a letter from the Office of the US Trade Representative announcing the pause in trade negotiations was received on the previous evening.

The spokesperson referenced the document as stating that trade negotiations – which are addressing a 19 percent American duty – could restart once the Thai government reaffirmed its commitment to carrying out the mutual truce agreement.

“Trade talks are ongoing and distinct from frontier matters,” said another government spokesperson.

President’s Economic Warning

Speaking to the press aboard the presidential plane as he flew to Florida on the end of the week, the US leader suggested that he had employed tariff warnings in discussions with the ASEAN nation heads.

The US president said, “Today, I prevented a conflict using tariffs, the menace of duties,” continuing, “they are performing well. I believe they will be okay.”

Truce Deal Origins

Trump oversaw the signing of a ceasefire agreement, conducted in Malaysian territory this October, and has touted it as one of several deals 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 July, with gunfire, artillery and airstrikes leaving dozens of people killed and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.

Longstanding Border Dispute

The two neighboring countries have a longstanding border dispute that dates back to disagreements over colonial-era maps created by French cartographers. Historic shrines along the border are disputed by each nation.

Reuters contributed to this report.