Thailand’s military dwarfs that of neighboring Cambodia, both in personnel and weaponry.
Thailand’s 361,000 active-duty personnel spread across all branches of its military is three times Cambodia’s manpower.
And Thailand is far ahead of Cambodia when it comes to weaponry.
“Thailand has a large, well-funded military and its air force is one of the best equipped and trained in Southeast Asia,” the International Institute for Strategic Studies wrote in its “Military Balance 2025” report on the world’s armed forces.
The US classes Thailand as a major non-NATO ally, the IISS notes. That has enabled it to enjoy decades of US support for its weapons programs, although it has also boosted ties with China in recent years and has developed a strong domestic weapons industry with the help of countries such as Israel, Italy, Russia, South Korea and Sweden, the report said.
The air force’s equipment includes at least 11 modern Swedish Gripen fighter jets and dozens of older US-made F-16 and F-5 jets, according to the IISS. Cambodia has no combat-capable air force.
On the ground, Thailand has dozens of battle tanks, including 60 modern, Chinese-made VT-4 tanks, and hundreds of older, US-made tanks. Cambodia has around 200 old Chinese- and Soviet-made tanks, the “Military Balance” shows.
The Thai army boasts more than 600 artillery pieces, including at least 56 powerful 155mm weapons and more than 550 105mm towed guns. Cambodia has only a dozen 155mm guns with around 400 smaller towed artillery pieces, according to IISS figures.
In the air, the Thai army has US-made Cobra attack helicopters and 18 US Black Hawk transports. Cambodia has only a few dozen older Soviet and Chinese transport helicopters.
Thailand’s armed forces are also regular participants in international military exercises, most prominently the annual Cobra Gold exercises, which Bangkok co-hosts with the US Indo-Pacific Command. Cobra Gold began in 1982 as joint drills with the US, but has added dozens of other participants since then. It’s the longest-running international military exercise in the world, according to the US military.
