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During the renewed border hostilities between Thailand and Cambodia in December 2025, a number of reliability concerns emerged regarding Chinese-manufactured military hardware in active use on the battlefield.

The most definitively documented incident involved a Royal Thai Army VT-4 main battle tank, manufactured by China’s NORINCO. On 12–13 December 2025, the tank’s 125 mm main gun barrel suffered a catastrophic rupture during sustained firing against Cambodian positions, injuring at least three crew members and rendering the vehicle inoperable. The explosion also damaged associated fire-control electronics and laser warning systems. The Royal Thai Army subsequently initiated a technical investigation into barrel metallurgy, thermal stress, and potential manufacturing or maintenance deficiencies.

 

In response to this and other operational issues, the Thai Army launched a comprehensive review of VT-4 fleet reliability, following reports from frontline units of repeated engine and powerpack malfunctions under high-tempo operations in hot, humid conditions — problems that constrained mobility and tactical flexibility during the border clashes. Senior officers involved in the review described patterns of mechanical failure beyond isolated equipment damage.

 

These developments have intensified scrutiny within Thai defence circles and regional analysis communities regarding the combat durability and sustainment of Chinese-exported armoured systems in prolonged engagements — particularly in environments that demand high reliability and rapid operational turnaround. Independent analysts point out that such high-profile failures can affect confidence in Chinese platforms relative to more established Western and Russian designs. 

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