Thailand/cambodia

[sibeymai]

Thais have regularly had the sh1t beaten out of them by their neighbours throughout history. Why should now be any different ?

Edited November 10, 2009 by sibeymai

[cognos]

I agree with both replies, but in military terms who is superior?

Are you naive by choice? Cambodia has no money mate. Anyways the US, oops I mean Thai military is much superior.

but Cambodians would fight to the death, and there would be guerilla warfare ad nauseum, and cambodia has folks like COMRADE DUCH

[whistleblower]

Looks like its swinging Cambodias way!!

[h90]

Nobody wins in war,no matter what they told you in school.Been there done that!

Some people in business clothes and handmade shoes win. Weapon dealer and similar

[h90]

Perhaps a reminder of real politik in SE Asia is needed here? China would not approve of a war, even though it would make a profit on selling arms. Vietnam would not allow Thailand to get too far with Cambodia. The more appropriate question to ask is how patient would China and Vietnam be? In SE Asia, war creates refugees. Thailand does not have the ability to care for the hundreds of thousands of thai citizens that would flee the zone of conflict. The Cambodians can take hardship as they've lived with it for a few generations now. As soon as a few wayward ordinance hit some Thai villages, the Thai population, which hasn't seen the hardship of war would rise up and blame the perceived elites that brought the scourge of war upon it.

It's easy to talk of heroic battles and the glories of war from the comfort of a Bangkok villa. Doing it from a burnt out soggy place with dismembered civilians lying about as flies feast upon entrails is something quite different.

I think China, Vietnam and Myanmar won't like it. Who want to make China angry?

[whistleblower]

your forgetting these people dont care who they upset as long as they get what they want. Consequences come later. We've already seen ASEAN is a lame duck anyway.

[purplehaze]

Cambodia has no air force.

About 25 aircraft in total, less than 10 fighters, and those fighters are planes that are exposed in historical museums in Europe: i.e. Mig 21 for example.

Thailand has over 100 fighters, mainly F-16 and F-5.

Cambodia's tanks look no better, they use T-54 and Chinese T-59 - these too are mainly known from war museums, and are outnumbered 1 to 10 by Thailand's much more modern machinery.

Taking a wild guess, I would say Thailand is stronger by a factor of 100.

But as many said before, such a war won't happen. For what ??

And there is just no realistic scenario that could lead to war: Cambodia is in no position to attack, so the attack should come from Thailand ?? For what ??

A war is something totally different from some practice shooting on some former Khmer Rouge soldiers in the Preah Vihar region...

The North Vietnam and the Viet Cong didn't exactly have the Americans and South Vietnam quaking in their boots with their bombing campaign, and the fearsome thai soldiers that legged it from Dien Bien Phu from their French allies before a shot was fired by the Viet Mihn.

Cambodia 2-1 odds on favourite

[marty147]

"Cambodia has no air force.

Thailand has over 100 fighters, mainly F-16 and F-5.

Cambodia's tanks look no better, they use T-54 and Chinese T-59 - these too are mainly known from war museums, and are outnumbered 1 to 10 by Thailand's much more modern machinery.

Taking a wild guess, I would say Thailand is stronger by a factor of 100."

More advanced military technology and a larger, better-trained fighting force does not guarantee a swift vicory. Maybe that's what the US failed to appreciate went it went into Somalia with its Apache helicopters against a few 'grunts' with rifles.

Not pretty and the US finally withdrew - demoralised and without any claim to 'victory'....

[hanno]

Not sure. When I see grunts here in Cambodia they are either sitting around smoking or are on detail to provide security to any self-proclaimed VIP. As for the generals: when they are not parading their SUV's, they are spending lots of money (Defense spending is set to increase 24% next year) in some beer hall.

Thus, there would be no war and the question of who would win is moot.

[caf]

If it came to a war - and it won't - Thailand would crush Cambodia. It'd be no contest. More manpower and more machinery are just the start...

Not a valid question. No war. America would say "no"

[caf]

The us has supplied nothing but training to thailand for many years so dont think they will be pulling out any smart weapons soon. Most of thailands and cambodias equipment is vietnam era swag. I have thought about this myself and think it would be nothing but a war of attrition thru the use of small arms and light artillery. No air power, armor or heavy weapons involved, so it will just come down to trading real estate and who is the most determined and willing to sacrifice their soldiers to hold it. But I do think the khmers will be willing to sacrifice more in the end.

According to Us statistics, apart from the coup period, they gave and are giving monetary support to the military.