Anutin vows no more peace talks with Cambodia, unafraid of US tariff threat

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has declared that Thailand will no longer return to the negotiating table with Cambodia and said his government is unafraid of possible retaliatory tariff measures from the United States.

Cambodia ‘blew its chance for peace’

Speaking on Wednesday at the opening ceremony for the 68th class of the National Defence College, Anutin said Cambodia had squandered its chance to rebuild peace with Thailand by failing to comply with the joint declaration signed by the two countries’ prime ministers last month and by continuing to plant landmines along the border.

He said Thailand had fully prepared its armed forces to defend the nation against Cambodian aggression.

Anutin added that Cambodia’s disregard for the peace accord, which was signed in Malaysia on October 26, made it difficult for Defence Minister Gen Nattapon Nakpanich, Gen Ukrit Boontanon, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, and Gen Pana Klaewplodthuk, Army Commander-in-Chief, to resume talks with their Cambodian counterparts.

“Cambodia’s repeated violations of the peace accord leave me no choice but to ‘do it my way’,” Anutin said, referring to his stance on handling the border situation.

Landmine blast triggers suspension of peace accord

His speech came two days after four Thai soldiers were injured when one of them stepped on a landmine while patrolling Thai territory in Si Sa Ket’s Kanthalak district on Monday morning. The Thailand Mine Action Centre said evidence from the scene indicated the mine had been newly planted after the peace accord was signed.

The incident angered Anutin and senior military leaders, prompting them to suspend implementation of the joint peace declaration.
Anutin said the blast led the National Security Council (NSC) to convene an urgent meeting on Tuesday, which concluded that Cambodia had failed to honour the peace agreement.

“Since the one who signed the accord with us didn’t implement it, I have to sing My Way,” Anutin said. “Phi Lek [Nattapon], Phi Yoi [Ukrit], and Phi Pu [Pana] will find it hard to go back to the table. It can’t go on like this. You [Cambodia] have not fulfilled the four main conditions, while we have done every one of them because we want peace to return. Since you didn’t do it, you’ve lost your chance.”

Thailand prioritises sovereignty over US pressure

Anutin also said his government would put national interests and public safety above trade concerns, even if the United States were to raise punitive tariffs on Thai goods.

“I no longer care about trade and tariff negotiations,” he said. “If we can’t sell our goods to one country, we’ll turn to others. The private sector must cooperate. How can we rest our future on just one country?

“It’s fine if they use tax measures to pressure us — other countries face the same. If US tariffs on our goods rise to 100%, the ones to suffer will be their own buyers. We must support local industries and raise our competitiveness to survive.”

NDC Class 68: future leaders in defence and governance

The 68th class of the National Defence College comprises 299 students, including Pol Maj Yutthana Praedam, Director-General of the Department of Special Investigation; Pol Lt Gen Trairong Phiewphan, Commissioner of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau; and Anusorn Iam-sa-ard, a Pheu Thai Party-list MP. Anutin himself is an alumnus of Class 61.

Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Anutin confirmed that the four conditions in the peace accord no longer applied.

“Thailand will now follow only one condition — ‘do it my way’,” he said when asked whether he would inform Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim that the joint declaration had been annulled.

Anwar and US President Donald Trump witnessed the signing of the accord in Malaysia on October 26.

Anutin added that the Foreign Ministry was in the process of formally notifying the US president that the declaration was void.

He also revealed that the government had established an operational plan to safeguard national security but said details could not be disclosed.

“Everything is in the plan, but I can’t elaborate,” he said. Asked again whether the armed forces were fully prepared, Anutin simply nodded: “Of course.”