https://www.scmp.com/rss/521810/feed The latest news and top stories on Thai army. A prominent Bangkok based governmental body, the Royal Thai Army is the land warfare service branch of the Royal Thai Armed Forces. Its primary mission involves defending the Thai monarchy, maintaining national security and public order, and protecting sovereignty. Headquartered on Ratchadamnoen Avenue, Bangkok, the army’s main activities include ground warfare, disaster relief, humanitarian aid, community development and international peacekeeping... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Liu Zhen,Seong Hyeon Choi Liu Zhen,Seong Hyeon Choi Thailand, a US treaty ally, has been adding to its arsenal of Chinese-made weapons with deals for ships, tanks and other high-value hardware. Analysts put the trend down to pragmatic considerations. The Royal Thai Army has finalised a deal to buy an additional batch of Chinese-made VN-1 armoured vehicles for 1 billion baht (US$32 million). This is expected to add around 20 new units to its existing fleet of more than 100 VN-1s, according to local media reports. The contract was signed on January... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341089/why-thailand-us-treaty-ally-stocking-chinese-weapons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341089/why-thailand-us-treaty-ally-stocking-chinese-weapons?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 10:00:16 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Thailand’s army said on Tuesday its Cambodian counterpart claimed fresh cross-border fire was an accident, after Bangkok accused Cambodian forces of violating a 10-day-old truce with a strike that wounded a soldier. The decades-old dispute between the Southeast Asian neighbours erupted into military clashes several times last year, with fighting in December killing dozens of people and displacing around 1 million on both sides. The two countries agreed a truce on December 27, ending three weeks... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3338871/thailand-says-cambodia-violated-border-ceasefire-after-strike-wounds-soldier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3338871/thailand-says-cambodia-violated-border-ceasefire-after-strike-wounds-soldier?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 06:08:25 +0000 Andrew Whitelaw Andrew Whitelaw ONE Championship Thailand president Jitinat “Plai” Asdamongkol has said the promotion’s renewed partnership with Lumpinee Stadium was a major signal of intent, with Thailand set to remain the company’s global engine room as it targeted further domestic and international growth. Speaking after the Royal Thai Army confirmed a two-year extension with ONE, Plai said the collaboration had already reshaped the landscape of Muay Thai. “Lumpinee and the Royal Thai Army invited ONE Championship about... https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/muay-thai/article/3334899/one-championship-thailand-chief-outlines-bold-expansion-plans-after-lumpinee-renewal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/martial-arts/muay-thai/article/3334899/one-championship-thailand-chief-outlines-bold-expansion-plans-after-lumpinee-renewal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Dec 2025 08:21:57 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A Chinese man allegedly attempting to cross illegally into Thailand from Cambodia was injured on Saturday when he stepped on a landmine, the Thai army announced, reiterating its charges that Cambodian forces have been planting the anti-personnel weapons in territory claimed by both countries. Army Spokesperson Major General Winthai Suvaree was quoted as saying that the area where the incident took place, claimed by Thailand to be part of its eastern province of Sa Kaeo, “is contaminated with... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3334630/chinese-man-wounded-landmine-explosion-cambodia-thailand-border?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3334630/chinese-man-wounded-landmine-explosion-cambodia-thailand-border?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Nov 2025 13:00:43 +0000 Aidan Jones,Ushar Daniele Aidan Jones,Ushar Daniele Thailand’s navy will deploy an aircraft carrier to the flood-stricken south, as public outcry mounts over the government’s response to a crisis that has hit about 2 million people and left an entire southern city under water. Heavy late monsoon rains, compounded by the La Nina climate pattern, have battered Southeast Asia for weeks, with scores killed in floods and landslides in central Vietnam and Thailand, and floods now striking south into Malaysia. Five days of continuous rains have pounded... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3334123/thailand-scrambles-aid-residents-floodwaters-rise-stranded-desert-island?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3334123/thailand-scrambles-aid-residents-floodwaters-rise-stranded-desert-island?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 11:20:30 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China’s small arms – less conspicuous than its cutting-edge fighter jets but just as significant – are undergoing a major transformation. The QBZ-191 assault rifle, designed to eventually replace the People’s Liberation Army’s long-serving QBZ-95 family, reflects China’s commitment to boosting combat effectiveness to meet the demands of future conflicts. Designated among the Type 20 rifle family, the firearm made its public debut during the 2019 National Day parade in Beijing. The full family –... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3328706/qbz-191-assault-rifle-gives-chinese-small-arms-tactical-and-export-edge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3328706/qbz-191-assault-rifle-gives-chinese-small-arms-tactical-and-export-edge?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Oct 2025 06:00:11 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Thailand has imposed a nationwide ban on drone flights for at least two weeks over fears that neighbouring Cambodia could use them to monitor troop movements or military facilities, warning tourists of fines of more than US$1,200 and even jail time if they flout the rule. The order, issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand, comes as tensions remain high despite a ceasefire agreement reached last Monday that ended several days of fighting along a contested stretch of the Thai-Cambodian... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3320660/thailand-bans-drones-over-cambodia-tensions-tourists-warned-jail-and-fines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3320660/thailand-bans-drones-over-cambodia-tensions-tourists-warned-jail-and-fines?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Aug 2025 06:40:47 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Thailand launched air strikes on Cambodia on Thursday as a simmering border dispute erupted into open conflict, with soldiers on both sides exchanging fire and Cambodian troops unleashing rockets that killed at least 12 Thais, most of them civilians. Both countries traded blame for the clashes, which began at the flashpoint Ta Moan Thom temple in a disputed zone near Thailand’s eastern frontier with Cambodia. With their long shared border closed, the fighting escalated through Thursday... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319369/thailand-cambodia-trade-blame-clashes-erupt-border-area?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319369/thailand-cambodia-trade-blame-clashes-erupt-border-area?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 04:11:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse More than 500 civilians and soldiers fled conflict in Myanmar and crossed into Thailand on Saturday after an assault by ethnic fighters on a military base, the Thai army said. Myanmar has been mired in civil conflict since a military coup in 2021, with the junta battling a coalition of ethnic armed groups and pro-democracy resistance forces. Saturday’s attack by the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) targeted a military base in Kayin state at around 3pm local time, Thailand’s military said in... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3317994/thailand-sees-border-influx-hundreds-myanmar-troops-civilians-flee-army-base-assault?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3317994/thailand-sees-border-influx-hundreds-myanmar-troops-civilians-flee-army-base-assault?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Jul 2025 12:13:55 +0000