BANGKOK – Thailand’s air force will monitor and analyse developments surrounding a Chinese airbase in Laos, including its potential economic, political and military uses, the air force chief said on Monday.

Air Chief Marshal Seksan Khantha, commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Air Force, cited the airbase in Ban Keun, Laos, as an example of major powers expanding their influence in neighbouring countries.

Speaking at the presentation of his policy priorities for 2027-2028 at Navaminda Kasatriyadhiraj Royal Air Force Academy on 12 October, Seksan said Thailand needed to observe developments and analyse the intentions behind such projects.

“We will observe developments from the outside and analyse the various signals,” he said, adding that facilities developed with the involvement of major powers could serve economic, political and military purposes.

The airbase officially opened on 29 September alongside the China-Laos Friendship Aviation Academy. China’s Ministry of National Defence said the China-Laos Joint Support and Training Centre would be jointly operated and maintained by the two countries to help train Lao air force pilots. Beijing said the facility was not directed against any third party.

The development has drawn attention from security analysts, who have raised questions about the facility’s potential role in expanding China’s military presence in Southeast Asia. China and Laos have publicly described it as a joint training and support facility.

The site also has a history linked to earlier regional conflicts. The area was reportedly used by the United States during its operations in Laos and neighbouring Vietnam and Cambodia in the 1960s and 1970s.

Seksan said the issue was not limited to Laos but reflected broader changes in regional geopolitics over the past five to 10 years, as major powers sought to protect their interests and expand their influence.

He said Thailand needed to coordinate with the government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant agencies to manage relations with major powers, adding that the country could not isolate itself from its neighbours.

Seksan described Laos as a friendly and peace-loving neighbour that also needed to develop its economy. However, he said economic, military and political influence could expand together, making it important for Thailand to monitor developments and assess the intentions of the countries involved.

He added that Thailand’s foreign and military relations should be guided by national interests and mutual benefits, while avoiding dependence on any single power.

“In seeking intelligence cooperation, we must be allies without being dominated, competitors without becoming adversaries, and friends who show sincerity,” he said.

Seksan said Thailand sometimes had to make compromises or negotiate exchanges to secure benefits for the country, but military diplomacy must remain aligned with the government’s foreign policy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.