Military conflict has erupted along the Thailand-Cambodia border, with both sides accusing each other of firing the first shot. A comparison of their military capabilities reveals a significant disparity between the two countries. According to the 2025 military strength ranking by the U.S.-based military power rating agency, Global Firepower, Thailand surpasses Cambodia in land, sea, and air power. Cambodia does not even possess a single fighter jet.
According to various international media reports, among the 145 countries assessed by Global Firepower, Thailand ranks 25th, while Cambodia is far behind at 95th place.
First, there is a huge gap in military manpower. Statistics show that Thailand has about 360,000 active-duty personnel and 200,000 reservists. Cambodia, on the other hand, has only 220,000 active-duty personnel and no reservists.
When it comes to air force equipment, the disparity is even greater. Cambodia possesses only 25 military aircraft, of which 21 are helicopters and 4 are transport planes, but not a single fighter jet.
Thailand, meanwhile, has a total of 493 military aircraft, including 72 fighter jets such as the F-16 and JAS39 Gripen—both advanced fighters. Thus, in the fight for air superiority, Thailand clearly has the upper hand.
The gap is even wider in terms of naval strength. Thailand's navy boasts a diversified range of assets, including an aircraft carrier, frigates, cruisers, minesweepers, and other vessels, with its fleet power ranking 7th in the world. By contrast, Cambodia has only 20 patrol vessels, putting it at a complete disadvantage in both quantity and quality.
On land, however, Cambodia’s army equipment is able to compete with Thailand’s. Cambodia has 644 tanks, 3,627 armored vehicles, 30 self-propelled artillery pieces, 430 towed artillery, and 463 rocket launchers. Thailand, for its part, has 635 tanks, 16,935 armored vehicles, 50 self-propelled artillery, 589 towed artillery pieces, and 26 rocket launchers.
Cambodia has a slight advantage over Thailand in the number of tanks and rocket launchers—its only bright spot in this overall comparison of military strength.