First came a push from the Malaysian premier, then China reached out, but it was only after U.S. President Donald Trump called Thailand's leader last week that Bangkok agreed to talks with Cambodia to end an escalating military conflict.

The US set a 19% levy on imports from Thailand and Cambodia, lower than the 36% they originally faced, after President Donald Trump threatened to block trade deals with them unless they ended a deadly border clash.

Thailand and Cambodia on Friday welcomed a 19 percent trade tariff announced by US President Donald Trump, avoiding a threatened levy of 36 percent days after he intervened to help broker a ceasefire in their deadly border conflict.