Military history of Thailand

The military history of Thailand encompasses over 1300 years of armed struggle. The Tai peoples migrated from South China and fought to settle in Southeast Asia during the 8th-10th centuries. They established city-states such as Suphannabhum in 913. Siamese served as mercenaries in the army of the Khmer King Suryavarman II in the 12th century. They lead wars of independence from the Khmer Empire and subsequently founded the kingdoms of Sukhothai (1238) and Ayutthaya (1351). Siamese conquest of Khmer territory and climate change caused the Fall of Angkor. The Siamese kingdoms had centuries of wars against the regional rival Burma until 1855. The 19th till mid-20th century had a tense standoff between the Rattanakosin Kingdom and the colonial empires of Britain and France with occasional conflicts.

Thailand's military history is dominated by its centrality in Mainland Southeast Asia, the significance of its far flung and often hostile terrain, and the changing nature of military technology. This had a decisive impact on the evolution of Thailand as a modern nation state. Thailand was involved in both world wars on different sides: a member of the Allies of World War I, but joined the Axis powers under pressure by Japan in World War II. Afterward, Thailand's military partnership with the United States culminated in a crucial role in the Cold War in Asia and as an ally in the war on terror. The Thai military's involvement in domestic politics brought frequent international attention.

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