The Southeast Asian countries of Cambodia and Thailand have once again entered into conflict. Thailand has accused Cambodia of stockpiling weapons and laying landmines, leading to an airstrike against them.
Comparison of Thailand and Cambodia's military: Violence once again in Thailand and Cambodia
has erupted. After the peace agreement made by American President Donald Trump, peace was established between the two countries, but the hostility did not extinguish. Once again fueling the same fire, Thailand launched an airstrike on Cambodian military bases on Monday morning. In fact, this dispute started after the peace agreement, when some time ago a Thai soldier was injured in a landmine. Thailand alleges that Cambodia has planted new landmines and is continuously gathering weapons at the border. However, Cambodia has completely denied these allegations.
It is noteworthy that both countries are embroiled in a dispute over two ancient Shiva temples. These temples are within Cambodia's borders, but both countries claim sovereignty over the surrounding land. This has heated the issue. When considering the countries involved in the war, people are most curious about their military. After all, whose army is more powerful and whose air force is stronger, let's find out who wins between Thailand and Cambodia.
Budget and Army
According to Reuters, Cambodia's defense budget in 2024 was estimated to be approximately $1.3 billion. Cambodia has an estimated 12.4 million active service personnel. The Cambodian army was formed in 1993 from the former communist army and two rebel groups. Additionally, they have approximately 200 military tanks and 480 artillery guns. Meanwhile, Thailand is under American influence. Cambodia has a significant military budget of $5.7 billion. Thailand, known as a non-NATO ally of the United States, has 360,000 active service personnel. They have 400 tanks, more than 1,200 armored vehicles, and approximately 2,600 artillery weapons. Moreover, their army also has a separate air transport branch.
The Thai Air Force is also powerful
The Cambodian Air Force has 1,500 military personnel. They have a small air fleet of 10 transport planes and 10 transport helicopters. They do not have any fighter jets but have 16 other helicopters, including 6 Soviet-era Mi-17s and 10 Chinese Z-9s. On the other hand, Thailand's Air Force is considered the strongest in Southeast Asia. They have approximately 46,000 personnel and 112 fighter jets, including 28 F-16s, 11 Swedish Gripen jets, and dozens of helicopters.
According to reports, the Thai navy has approximately 2,800 personnel, including 1,500 naval infantry. They also have 13 patrol and coastal ships and one landing craft. On the other hand, the Thai navy has a strong weapons system. They have 70,000 personnel, including naval aviation, marine corps, coastal defense, and compulsory military. They also have an aircraft carrier, seven frigates, and 68 patrol and coastal warships. The navy also has its own air branch, equipped with numerous aircraft and helicopters.