JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<table id="a">
    <tr>
        <td style="padding:0px;"><span style="height:100%; width:5px; background-color:pink;">&nbsp;</span>
        </td>
        <td>Unwanted behaviour</td>
    </tr>
</table>
<br/>
<table id="b">
    <tr>
        <td style="padding:0px;"><span style="height:100%; width:5px; background-color:pink;display:block;overflow:auto">&nbsp;</span>
        </td>
        <td>Wanted behaviour</td>
    </tr>
</table>

CSS

td {
    padding:15px;
}
table {
    background-color: yellow;
}