Overview

• The army chiefs of Thailand and Cambodia met on Thursday and agreed to a mutual withdrawal of troops from the contested Preah Vihear–Ubon Ratchathani border area.
• A ten-minute exchange on May 28 left one Cambodian soldier dead and others injured while no Thai casualties were reported.
• Each government accused the other of firing first, with Cambodia alleging a surprise attack on its trench post and Thailand describing the clash as a misunderstanding.
• Both prime ministers appealed for restraint, with Hun Manet urging calm and Paetongtarn Shinawatra pledging continued dialogue to maintain stability.
• The militarised frontier has roots in French colonial demarcation, with previous deadly skirmishes in 2008 and 2011 and a 2013 ICJ ruling affirming Cambodia’s sovereignty over the area.