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.

Cambodians hold national flags and a portrait of Cambodia's Hun Sen as they attend a "Solidarity March" to support the government's decision to deploy the army at the disputed Thailand-Cambodia border, following a clash at the border on May 28, 2025, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, June 18, 2025. REUTERS/Chantha Lach

Tens of thousands of people gathered in Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh on Wednesday for a march to show their solidarity with the government and military, amid soaring tensions with neighboring Thailand following a border row that erupted last month.