<figure id="attachment_3119916" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3119916" style="width: 1000px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-3119916 size-full" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1834fe43-13145991.jpg" alt="Thailand closes land crossings with Cambodia" width="1000" height="667" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3119916" class="wp-caption-text">Fighting between Thailand and Cambodia erupted in July, marking one of the most intense and deadly clashes in decades of disagreement over their border. (EPA Images pic)</figcaption></figure>
BANGKOK: Thailand said tariff talks with the US will move forward on a separate track from its commitments to President Donald Trump related to its border dispute with Cambodia.
Bangkok announced the position after Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul spoke with Trump Friday night.
Washington had earlier moved to halt trade negotiations pending Thai compliance with the peace declaration with Cambodia, signed last month.
“The tariff negotiations will move forward and remain separate from border issues,” Thai government spokesman Siripong Angkasakulkiat said in a statement yesterday.
He added that Trump told the Thai premier the US “does not wish to interfere in the Thailand–Cambodia issue” under existing bilateral mechanisms.
Fighting between Thailand and Cambodia erupted in July, one of the most intense and deadly clashes during the decades of disagreements about their border.
Trump’s threat to punish both countries with tariffs unless they stopped fighting abruptly halted the conflict, but both sides continue to accuse the other of hostiles.
Trump has made clear he’s seeking a Nobel Peace Prize, and has prioritised ending conflicts worldwide &#8211; with varying degrees of success and credit.
The US leader has claimed he used tariff threats to end fighting between India and Pakistan earlier this year.
Anutin has sought to avoid giving any ground on the border issue given deep public sensitivities over the conflict.
He faces elections as soon as March next year, and his predecessor, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, was ousted from office because of her mishandling of the issue.
A recent shooting along the border that left one Cambodian dead and a land mine blast that injured multiple Thai soldiers were the latest flare up that threatened the deal.
After the incidents, Anutin had signaled he was focused more on the border than Trump’s trade deal and suspended Thailand’s commitments on the border deal.
Siripong initially said yesterday afternoon that Thailand was informed on Friday night by the US deputy trade representative that Washington planned to halt trade talks until Bangkok “provides assurances that it will strictly comply” with the joint declaration signed Oct 26 in Kuala Lumpur last month.
He shortly clarified in a separate statement that the leaders’ call resulted in a change of stance on halting talks.
“Just today I stopped a war by the use of tariffs,” Trump said aboard Air Force One when asked about the issue.
“They’re doing great. They were not doing great and then &#8211; you know they had a conflict- I spoke to the prime ministers of both countries and they’re doing great. I think they’re gonna be fine,” he said.
Thai commerce minister Suphajee Suthumpun said the country is ready to move forward with preparations to ensure talks with the US are completed within the existing timeframe.
&#8220;The government prioritises national sovereignty and security, even as it recognises the strategic importance of Thai-US negotiations,&#8221; she said in a statement late yesterday.
Anutin &#8211; currently on an official visit to China — said in a Facebook post yesterday that Trump would consider further cutting tariffs on Thai products if the nation removes mines along its border with Cambodia to deescalate the military flare-up.
“If you do the demining works quickly, I’ll consider chopping” the tariff rate, according to details of the late-night call shared by Anutin in his post. The current US tariff on Thai goods is 19%.
Anutin also said in his post that Thailand won’t proceed with its commitments under the agreement until Cambodia acknowledges it violated the terms, issues an apology to the Thai public, and guarantees that
Thai forces can safely and freely remove the mines that injured Thai soldiers.

MatchPoint Times

Thailand says US trade talks separated from Cambodia border deal

Washington had earlier moved to halt trade negotiations pending Thai compliance with the peace declaration with Cambodia, signed last month.

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