Trump to call Thailand, Cambodia leaders and ‘stop war’ along border

President Donald Trump said he plans to reach out to the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia after border clashes flared up again, one of eight conflicts the US leader says he has ended with tariff threats and his administration’s “peace through strength” policy.

Fighting between the Southeast Asian neighbours erupted over the weekend along their 800km frontier, with both sides exchanging artillery fire and Thailand using F-16 fighter jets after accusing Cambodia of firing rockets into civilian areas.

“Tomorrow I’ll have to make a phone call” to both countries, Trump said at an event on Tuesday evening in Pennsylvania.

“Who else could say, ‘I’m going to make a phone call and stop a war of two very powerful countries,’” he said. “We’re making peace through strength.”

Trump threatened the two nations with trade restrictions to stop fighting in July – which left dozens dead – and in October oversaw the signing of the so-called Kuala Lumpur Accords that sketched out a path to peace, as well as trade deals with both countries.

  

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