The reescalation of conflict was sparked on May 28, when a Cambodian soldier was killed in an early morning clash between both nations’ troops, in an area called the Emerald Triangle—the shared border between Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos. The area remains disputed as both Thailand and Cambodia lay claims to parts of the region.

Tensions between the Southeast Asian countries have soared since an armed confrontation in a border area left one Cambodian soldier dead.