Thailand vs Cambodia: Thailand will crush Cambodia! A treasure trove of weapons has been stored

Thailand vs Cambodia: Situations of war have once again arisen between Thailand and Cambodia. On Thursday, the border dispute escalated when Cambodia attacked Thai military bases near an ancient Shiva temple located near the border. In response, Thailand attacked Cambodia with 6 US-made F-16 fighter planes.

This conflict is not new—between 2008 and 2011, there has been a bloody conflict between the two countries on this issue. In international politics, Thailand is close to the US and Cambodia has the support of China. But this time China seems cautious and is appealing for reconciliation.

Thailand has a tremendous edge in weapons

If we talk about military power, Thailand is far ahead of Cambodia. Thailand has 72 fighter planes, including the state-of-the-art F-16. On the other hand, Cambodia does not have a single fighter plane. Thailand (258) is also far ahead of Cambodia (21) in the number of helicopters. Thailand has 16,935 units of armored vehicles while Cambodia has only 3,627.

Thailand also has an upper hand in artillery and automatic weapons. Thailand has 589 towed artillery and 50 automatic cannons, while Cambodia has 430 and 30 respectively. Thailand also has Israeli rocket launchers and powerful drones.

Thailand is also strong in military and economic situation

Thailand is also ahead in terms of population and soldiers. According to Global Fire Power, Thailand has 3.6 lakh active soldiers while Cambodia has only 2.2 lakh. Thailand also has 2 lakh additional reserve soldiers.

Talking about defense budget, Thailand's annual defense budget is $ 5 billion, while Cambodia's is only $ 840 million. Thailand is also clearly ahead in economic strength and purchasing power.

Root of the dispute: An ancient Shiva temple

The root of this conflict is a 9th century Shiva temple, which was built by the Khmer emperor Suryavarman. This temple is located on the Thailand-Cambodia border. In 2008, Cambodia included it in the UNESCO World Heritage, which infuriated Thailand. Thailand claims that this temple falls within its border and Cambodia wants to grab it illegally.

Way forward

So far 42 people have lost their lives in this dispute. China has appealed to both the countries for reconciliation, while America is openly in support of Thailand. If the situation does not improve, then this conflict can take the form of a major regional crisis. In such a situation, diplomacy is the only way to stop this conflict.