Thailand and China's air forces will conduct their first ever joint exercise this month, the latest example of blossoming military ties between Beijing and the kingdom's junta.

Thai air force officials said the 11-day live exercise will involve fighter jets from both nations and will kick off next Monday.

"It is the first drill with China, part of our cooperation among allies," Air Vice Marshall Pongsak Semachai told AFP.

"The drill will focus on strategic training," he added.

Five Swedish-made Thai Gripen fighters will take part in the exercise alongside six Chinese fighter jets, Pongsak said.

China's state-run Xinhua news agency said the joint training would take place at Thailand's Korat air force base, 300 kilometres (nearly 200 miles) northeast of Bangkok.

The exercise was aimed at "improving mutual learning and understanding between the two countries' aviation force troops, deepening pragmatic cooperation and enhance trust and friendship", the agency said, citing People's Liberation Army Air Force spokesperson Shen Jinke.

Throughout much of the Cold War Thailand was one of the United States' strongest bulwarks against communism.

But the latest coup, one of more than a dozen successful power grabs by the military since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932, has soured relations with Washington.

In contrast, Beijing has been quick to embrace Bangkok's new military rulers, with a flurry of high-level meetings since the May 2014 coup.

Washington has repeatedly called for a swift return to democracy and criticised the coup.

But it is also wary about pushing away a regional ally -- particularly towards China's sphere.

While the US suspended some military aid in the aftermath of the military takeover, it went ahead with "Cobra Gold" earlier this year, one of the largest military exercises involving several countries from the region that takes place every year in Thailand.

Analysts say Prayut and his allies in both the cabinet and military are generally much more open to warmer military ties with Beijing than previous generations of Thai generals.

Thailand's military embrace of China is also in contrast to many other Southeast Asian nations rattled by Beijing's island-building in the disputed South China Sea. Thailand makes no claims to the area.