Cambodia & Thailand: Israel, Bangkok’s Secret Ally — How Tel Aviv Is Redesigning Thai Armament

While the border crisis drags on, Thailand is relying on an unexpected outsider: Israel. With advanced drones, high-tech howitzers, and anti-drone defenses, Tel Aviv is becoming a driving force in Thailand’s military modernization, creating a strategic partnership that challenges the influence of major defense powers.

Bangkok Diversifies, Tel Aviv Innovates

Inside the Thai Ministry of Defense, discussions are no longer limited to Washington or Beijing. Since 2020, Bangkok has pursued a bold strategy of extreme diversification of arms suppliers to build greater autonomy.

Beyond just U.S. Black Hawk helicopters, Swedish Gripen fighters, and French Caesar artillery, France and Thailand maintain a defense partnership involving a broad acquisition program valued at about 200 billion baht (roughly $5.5 billion) over twenty years to modernize Thailand’s military with new armored vehicles, drones, and Caesar cannons.

Among suppliers, one name keeps coming up: Israel.

“It’s the partner that changes everything,” says a high-ranking officer speaking anonymously.

Israel’s Best Technologies at the Heart of Thai Strategy

Israel’s Elbit Systems now dominates Thailand’s aerial surveillance landscape. Hermes 900 drones patrol the Gulf of Thailand, while Hermes 450, Orbiter, and Dominator drones monitor land borders. An initial contract from 2022 was urgently expanded: these drones deliver real-time intelligence crucial for anticipating suspicious movements along contested borders.

Since 2018, six ATMOS 2000 self-propelled howitzers — manufactured locally with Israeli technology — have come off assembly lines. This collaboration not only enhances capability but also creates jobs and builds logistical independence for Thailand.

“No more waiting for cargo from Tel Aviv,” says a Bangkok defense industry figure.

In December 2025, Bangkok signed an eye-catching $108 million deal for a Barak MX battery — an air defense system capable of intercepting drones and medium-range missiles, deployed at a critical moment as border incursions intensify.

Israeli firms IWI and EMTAN are also equipping Thai infantry with assault rifles and pistols manufactured under license, along with urban combat training led by Israeli expert instructors.

The Israel-Thailand-USA Axis: A Strategic Triangle

This is more than a business relationship. The partnership creates a triangular defense axis with the United States. Joint exercises and intelligence sharing bolster Thailand’s credibility in the Indo-Pacific. For Israel, Thailand offers a gateway into the ASEAN region.

“Tel Aviv sells security; Bangkok buys the future,” sums up a Singaporean analyst.

As a result, bilateral trade between Israel and Thailand climbed 25 % in 2025.

Cambodia–China: The Other Side of Regional Dynamics

About 500 km away, Phnom Penh is rolling out the red carpet for Beijing. Over ten years, China is providing $240 million in support for armored vehicles, helicopters, and “5G” missiles. The advantage for Cambodia is favorable financing and rapid deliveries, but the downside is deepening dependency.

Even though a U.S. arms embargo was lifted in November 2025, Cambodia’s heavy reliance on China remains. In contrast, Thailand’s embrace of Israel plus the United States offers what many see as a model of strategic balance — though it may irk Beijing and Washington and potentially encourage Bangkok’s regional ambitions.

Thailand: A New Regional Power

By betting on Israel, Thailand isn’t simply modernizing its army — it’s reinventing its diplomacy. Less dependent and more agile, Bangkok now seeks to set the terms of engagement amid persistent border tensions.

With Tel Aviv at its side, Thailand projects an image of a technologically advanced, sovereign Southeast Asia — a path that could inspire Hanoi or Jakarta, but also raise geopolitical eyebrows and fuel regional friction.

Bangkok, with Tel Aviv in its wake, is charting a version of Southeast Asia that is well-armed, influential, and technologically driven — not necessarily good news for everyone.