Thailand – Fortress conflict allows us to equip our excellent allies with strong Chinese ties with weaker opponents

The deadly conflict at the Thailand-Borgward border has long-standing close ties between U.S. allies’ experience with a relatively young armed force and China.

Bangkok and Phnom Penh are fighting for territorial disputes since French colonial power more than a century ago.

Officials on both sides said the conflict continued until Saturday. More than a dozen people have been reportedly killed, dozens of people were injured and evacuated 150,000 civilians since the battle began on Thursday.

This is the history and ability of both sides.

Numbers prefer Thailand

Thailand’s military personnel dwarfed Cambodia, a neighboring country in terms of personnel and weapons.

There are 361,000 active personnel in Thailand distributed among all branches of the Kingdom Military, three times that of Cambodia. Those troops have weapons that Cambodian colleagues can only dream of.

“Thailand has a large, well-funded military and its air force is one of the best-equipped and well-trained military forces in Southeast Asia,” wrote the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) in its “Military Balance of 2025.”

Meanwhile, the Lowy Institute ranked Thailand in Cambodia’s military capabilities in 2024, ranking Thailand in 23rd place in Cambodia.

Given that Thailand has four times the number of people that Cambodia and more than 10 times the GDP is, it may be expected that such a gap. Unlike Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, it escaped the destruction of wars that engulfed the region in the second half of the 20th century, as well as their predecessors of European colonialism.

Overall, in the Loe Asia Electricity Index, including military, economic, diplomatic and cultural power, Thailand is ranked 10th and is considered a middle-class capability, second only to Indonesia but ahead of countries including Malaysia and Vietnam.

Lowy ranks Cambodia among Asia’s secondary powers, forming countries such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Laos.

Thailand has strong ties and global prospects

Thailand’s military has long been a major player in the country’s politics. For years, the country has been dominated by a conservative agency, which includes the military, monarchy and influential elites.

The general has seized power in 20 coups since 1932, and according to the CIA’s world profile, the military calls itself the ultimate defender of the monarchy.

According to the U.S. State Department, Thailand is an ally of the U.S. treaty, and its history dates back to the signing of the Southeast Asian Collective Defense Treaty (also known as the Manila Agreement) in 1954.

During the Vietnam War, Thailand hosted U.S. Air Force assets at some air bases, including B-52 bombers, fighting on the Vietnamese side of the U.S.-backed South Vietnam against the communist party.

The strong connection between Washington and Bangkok has endured. Thailand is classified as a major non-NATO ally by the United States, which has given it a special benefit to enable it to enjoy the support of the United States in supporting its weapons programs for decades.

Thailand and the U.S. Indo-Pacific commanders co-chaired the annual Cobra Gold Military Exercise, which began in 1982, when it was a joint exercise with the United States, but has since added dozens of other participants. According to the U.S. military, this is the longest international military exercise in the world.

The U.S. State Department said that in addition to Cobra Gold, Thailand and the U.S. military conduct more than 60 exercises a year, and 900 U.S. aircraft and 40 naval ships visit Thailand each year.

Despite its many history with Washington, the Thai military has now tried to maintain a more neutral approach to military policy, with links with China increasing over the past decade.

The Military Balance report says it does not want to rely on any country as a weapon supplier, nor does it want to develop a strong family weapons industry with the help of countries such as Israel, Italy, Russia, Russia, South Korea and Sweden.

Cambodia’s Chinese support

According to IISS, Cambodia’s army is still young compared to the Thai army, which was established after the merger of the Communist government’s forces with two non-communist resistance troops.

“Cambodia’s most important international defense link is with China and Vietnam. Despite traditionally relying on Russia’s dependence on defense equipment, China has become a major supplier,” IISS said.

Beijing even established a naval base in Cambodia. According to international analysts, the Rem Naval Base in the Gulf of Thailand will be able to host Chinese aircraft carriers.

Cambodia and China completed the seventh edition of the annual Golden Dragon Joint Military Exercise in May, touted as the largest ever and feature a live shooting training scenario.

According to a February report from the People’s Liberation Army English website, the relationship is expected to reach “new levels and achieve new developments” this year.

“China and Cambodia are…hard friends who always support each other, and they always support each other,” said the senior colonel of China’s Ministry of Defense in February at a February press conference in February. The two armies enjoy an unbreakable relationship and a brotherly relationship in rock music. ”

Cambodian military needs support.

“Cambodia currently lacks the ability to design and manufacture modern equipment for its armed forces,” the IISS report said.

Weapons of both sides

According to IISS, the Royal Thai Air Force is well equipped and supported by years of support from the United States, with at least 11 modern Swedish Gritien fighters and dozens of older American-made F-16 and F-5 jets. Cambodia has no air force capable of fighting.

On the ground, Thailand has dozens of tanks, including 60 modern, Chinese-made VT-4 tanks and hundreds of older American-made tanks. “Military Balance” shows that Cambodia has about 200 Chinese and Soviet-made tanks.

The Thai Army has more than 600 artillery units, including at least 56 powerful 155mm weapons and tow guns over 550 105mm. According to IISS, Cambodia has only twelve 155mm guns and has about 400 smaller artillery shells.

In the air, the Army owns American-made Cobra raid helicopters and 18 American Black Hawk transport vehicles. Cambodia has only a few dozen old Soviet and Chinese transport helicopters.

What will happen next

Hawaii-based military analyst Carl Schuster, who is the operations director of the Joint Intelligence Center at the U.S. Pacific Command, said that despite Thailand’s numerical and qualitative military advantages, there is at least one thing in Cambodia, which is the actual land on the disputed border.

“The topography is conducive to access from Cambodia’s territory to disputed areas,” Schuster told CNN.

He said Cambodian troops allegedly lay mines and fool traps in disputed areas, and Thailand is expected to rely on longer weapons.

“The Royal Thai Air Force is superior, their special forces are superior,” Schuster said. “I think the Thais want to emphasize air power and long-range firepower in the conflict.”

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