Thailand has intensified its military operations against Cambodia using M48 Patton battle tanks, a model developed in the 1950s.
About one hundred units of the modernized M48A5PI version, acquired from the United States in the late 1970s, are in service with the Royal Thai Army. This version features improvements such as a 105 mm gun, advanced fire control system, and reinforced armor, which made the tank stand out for over two decades before being replaced by more modern models.
Recently, local residents recorded images of the tanks moving along jungle roads and firing armor-piercing ammunition at Cambodian positions, mainly in mountainous regions.
On the other side, the Cambodian army uses Soviet-made T-55 tanks to confront Thai forces. This escalation marks a more intense phase of the conflict between the two neighboring countries.
Although the M48 Patton is not the oldest tank in use by the Thai Army, which until recently also operated the M41A3 Walker Bulldog received in the 1960s, it remains active in current operations. The last unit to use the M41A3 was the 4th Cavalry Battalion of the 1st Royal Guard Brigade, reinforcing Thailand’s history of using classic armored vehicles in its conflicts.
Source: Militarnyi | Photo: X @ArmoredWar | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team
Thailand’s deploying M48 tanks in response to Cambodia’s T-55As. Drones are apparently not a thing in this war #ArmoredWarfare pic.twitter.com/uXtQDrAAg2
— Armored Warfare (@ArmoredWar) July 27, 2025
Video tank M48 Angkatan Darat Kerajaan Thailand dan penembakan amunisi APFSDS dalam bentrokan perbatasan dengan Kamboja. pic.twitter.com/LPJAKaBCBN
— Eddie Fisher (@EddieFisher_id) July 26, 2025
