The Thai-Cambodian border conflict between Bangkok and Phnom Penh has escalated into a deadly conflict, with over a dozen people killed, dozens wounded, and over 150,000 civilians evacuated since the start of the conflict. Thailand’s military is significantly larger than that of neighboring Cambodia, with 361,000 active-duty personnel spread across all branches of the kingdom’s military. The country has a large, well-funded military and an air force that is one of the best equipped and trained in Southeast Asia.
Thailand is ranked 10th in the Military Balance 2025, considered a middle power, just behind Indonesia but ahead of countries including Malaysia and Vietnam. It has strong US ties and a global outlook, having been a major player in the kingdom’s politics since 1932. Thailand is also a United States treaty ally, having hosted US Air Force assets at some air bases during the Vietnam War.
Despite its history with Washington, the Thai military has a more neutral approach to military policy, increasing ties with China in the past decade. It has developed a strong domestic weapons industry with the help of countries such as Israel, Italy, Russia, South Korea, and Sweden. Cambodia’s military is young in comparison to Thailand’s, established in 1993 after forces of the communist government were merged with two non-communist resistance armies.
The Royal Thai Air Force, bolstered by years of US support, is well-equipped with at least 11 modern Swedish Gripen fighter jets and dozens of older, US-made F-16 and F-5 jets. On the ground, Thailand has dozens of battle tanks, including 60 modern, Chinese-made VT-4 tanks, and hundreds of older, US-made tanks. In the air, the army has US-made Cobra attack helicopters and 18 US Black Hawk transports.
