Tensions rose sharply along the border between Thailand and Cambodia, leading to one of the worst fights since the peace deal. Thailand attacked the disputed line from the air on Sunday. In early November, land mines hurt Thai troops, which made the ceasefire harder to keep. Then Thailand said it would no longer enforce the deal going forward.
It’s funny how they keep blaming each other even though they should be working together to get rid of the bombs.
The fighting on Monday was the worst since the five-day war in July. It happened after US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim worked out a truce. After that, Trump went to Kuala Lumpur in October to witness the signing of an expanded truce deal between Thailand and Cambodia.
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How Do the Armies of Thailand and Cambodia Compare?
Strength -Cambodia had 124,300 soldiers who were actively serving. In 1993, the country’s old Communist military and two other rebel groups came together to form the armed forces. At the same time, Thailand has more than 360,000 active military troops. The US considers Thailand to be a major non-NATO partner. There are about 115,000 conscripts in the Thai army, which has a total of 245,000 soldiers, 400 battle tanks, over 1,200 armoured personnel carriers, and about 2,600 artillery pieces.
Costs -In 2024, Cambodia spent $1.3 billion on defence. With a 2024 security budget of $5.73 billion, the Thai military has a lot of money.
Thailand vs. Cambodia: Which Country’s Navy and Air Force Are Stronger?
1,500 people work in Cambodia’s air force, which has a small fleet of 10 transport planes and 10 transport helicopters. The people who work for Thailand’s air force are the best-trained and best-prepared in Southeast Asia. The Thai air force has 46,000 personnel and 112 planes capable of performing their duties, including 28 F-16s, 11 Gripen fighter jets, and many more helicopters.
The Cambodian air force, on the other hand, does not have any attack jets. It does, however, have 16 multirole helicopters, six of which are Soviet-era Mi-17s and ten of which are Chinese Z-9s.
Thailand is stronger than Cambodia militarily
The Cambodian navy has about 2,800 personnel, including 1,500 naval troops. It also has 13 patrol and coastal battle ships and one landing boat that can go on land or sea. Thailand’s navy is much larger, with almost 70,000 personnel serving in naval aviation, troops, shoreline defence, and as soldiers.
The Cambodian army has the most men, with about 75,000, plus more than 200 battle tanks and about 480 pieces of weapons.
