CNN
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The fatal conflict at the Thai-Cambodia border welcomes a longtime US alliance with decades of experience against relatively young troops with close ties with China.
Bangkok and Phnom Penh have been fighting territory since colonial power France painted the border between them more than a century ago.
Since the battle began on Thursday, more than a dozen people have been killed and more than 100,000 civilians have been reportedly displaced.
Here we look at the history and capabilities of both sides.
I prefer Thailand for numbers
Thai troops are dwarfed by nearby Cambodian troops, both staff and weapons.
A total of 361,000 active employees in Thailand are spread across all branches of the Royal Army. It’s three times more than Cambodia. And those troops have as many free weapons as their Cambodian counterparts can dream of.
“Thailand has a large, well-funded military, whose air force is one of the most equipped and trained in Southeast Asia,” the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) writes that in “Military Balance 2025” he watches the world’s military.
Meanwhile, the 2024 ranking of military capabilities of 27 regional countries by the Lowe Institute placed Thailand on the 14th on the 23rd in Cambodia.
The gap in Thailand is probably expected. Considering that Thailand has four times the number of people in Cambodia, and GDP is more than 10 times larger. Unlike Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, they escaped the devastation of wars that involved the region in the second half of the 20th century, and the European colonialism that preceded it.
Overall, it weighs on the Asian power index, with low factors including military, economic, diplomatic and cultural power, with Thailand ranked 10th, being considered the mid-force just behind Indonesia, ahead of countries including Indonesia and Vietnam.
Roy ranks Cambodia as a minor Asian force grouped with countries such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Laos.
Thailand has strong US ties and global outlook
Thai military has long been a major player in kingdom politics. The country has been ruled for many years by conservative establishments that include military, monarchy and influential elites.
According to the CIA World Fact Book, the general has taken power in 20 coups since 1932, often overthrowing the Democratic government, depicting the military as the ultimate defender of the monarchy.
Thailand is an ally of the US treaty that dates back to the signing of the Southeast Asian Collective Defense Treaty, also known as the Manila Agreement in 1954, according to the US State Department.
During the Vietnam War, Thailand hosted US Air Force assets at several air bases, including B-52 bombers, with tens of thousands of Thai forces fighting the Communists on the side of US-backed South Vietnam.
Strong relationships between Washington and Bangkok endure. Thailand is classified by the US as a major non-nat ally, giving it the special advantage that it has allowed it to enjoy access to decades of US support for its weapons program.
Thailand and the US Indo-Pacific Command co-hosts the annual Cobra Gold Military Exercise, which began as a joint training with the US in 1982 but has since added dozens of participants. According to the US military, it is the world’s longest-running international military movement.
In addition to Cobra Gold, Thailand and the US military hold more than 60 movements together, with over 900 US aircraft and 40 naval vessels visiting Thailand each year, the US Department of State says.
Despite all its history with Washington, the Thai military has recently been trying to maintain a more neutral approach to military policy, increasing ties with China over the past decade.
“With the help of countries such as Israel, Italy, Russia, South Korea and Sweden, I don’t want to rely on any country as a military supplier,” and also developed a “powerful domestic arms industry.”
According to IISS, the Cambodian army is younger than Thailand, which was founded in 1993 after the troops of the communist government merged with two non-communist resistance forces.
“Cambodia’s most important international defence links are with China and Vietnam. Despite its traditional reliance on defense devices for its reliance on Russia, China has emerged as a major supplier,” says IISS.
Beijing developed a naval base in Cambodia. According to international analysts, naval bases in the Gulf of Thailand can host Chinese aircraft airlines.
Cambodia and China completed the seventh edition of their annual Golden Dragon Joint Military Exercises in May.
The relationship is expected to “achiev in new levels and achieve new developments” this year, according to a February report on the People’s Liberation Army’s English website.
“China and Cambodia are iron-covered friends who are always supporting each other. The two troops enjoy unbreakable relationships and solid brotherly love,” said Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesman for China’s Ministry of Defense, at a press conference in February about the possible rifts in relations.
Cambodian military needs support.
“Cambodia currently lacks the capacity to design and manufacture modern equipment for the military,” the IISS report states.
The Royal Thai Air Force, backed by years of US support, is equipped with at least 11 modern Swedish Gripen fighter jets and decades of US-made F-16 and F-5 jets, according to IISS. Cambodia has no air force to talk about.
On the ground, Thailand has 60 modern Chinese-made VT-4 tanks and dozens of combat tanks, including hundreds of old US-made tanks. Cambodia has around 200 old Chinese and Soviet tanks, with “military balance” showing.
The Thai Army has over 600 pieces of artillery, including at least 56 powerful 155mm weapons and more than 550 towing guns over 105mm. According to IISS figures, Cambodia only has around 400 155mm guns.
In the air, the Army has a US Cobra attack helicopter and 18 US Blackhawk transports. Cambodia has only dozens of old Soviet and Chinese transport helicopters.
Hawaii-based military analyst Karl Schuster said he is the former head of the Joint Information Center at the US Pacific Command, but Thailand has a numerical and qualitative military advantage, while Cambodia has at least one.
“Topography prefers access from Cambodia’s territory to conflict areas,” Schuster told CNN.
And he said Thailand is expected to rely on long-range weapons as Cambodian troops are said to be laying landmines and booby traps in conflict areas.
“The Royal Thai Air Force is excellent, their special forces are excellent,” Schuster said. “I think Thais prefer to emphasize the air force and long-range firepower in conflict.”
