Overview

• A Cambodian soldier died and others were wounded during a ten-minute exchange of fire on May 28 near Preah Vihear province and Thailand’s Ubon Ratchathani province.
• Thailand’s army asserts Cambodian forces crossed into the contested zone and opened fire first, a claim rejected by Cambodia’s military which says Thai troops attacked a long-standing trench.
• Both sides have stood down their soldiers and initiated diplomatic discussions following the skirmish.
• Military chiefs from Thailand and Cambodia are set to meet on May 29 to negotiate a de-escalation and prevent further violence.
• The incident underscores a decades-old border dispute rooted in colonial-era boundaries that previously led to deadly clashes over the Preah Vihear temple in 2011.