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Washington has exerted influence on Thailand to reaffirm its dedication to a truce deal with the Cambodian side, stating that trade negotiations could be suspended as attempts are made to prevent a Donald Trump-brokered peace agreement from falling apart.

Rising Border Hostilities

Earlier this week, Thailand declared it was suspending the truce agreement, alleging Cambodian forces of planting new explosives along the mutual frontier, among them an incident that allegedly wounded a Thai soldier on duty, who suffered a foot amputation in the blast.

Since then, a fatality occurred and multiple individuals injured by gunfire along the Thai-Cambodia frontier, 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 official communication from the U.S. trade office declaring the suspension of trade deal talks was received on the previous evening.

He quoted the document as saying that trade negotiations – which are focusing on a 19 percent American duty – could restart once the Thai government renewed its pledge to implementing the mutual truce agreement.

“Tariff negotiations will continue and remain separate from border issues,” said a different official representative.

Trump’s Tariff Threat

Speaking to the press on Air Force One as he flew to Florida on the end of the week, the US leader suggested that he had used the “threat of tariffs” in discussions with the south-east Asian leaders.

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 multiple agreements around the globe 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 exchanges of fire, shelling and aerial attacks causing numerous fatalities and hundreds of thousands forced to flee.

Longstanding Border Dispute

Thailand and Cambodia have a historic territorial disagreement that dates back to disagreements over colonial-era maps created by French cartographers. Ancient temples along the frontier are claimed by both sides.

Reuters contributed to this report.