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|
Background: |
A unified Thai kingdom was
established in the mid-14th century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is
the only Southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a
European power. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional
monarchy. In alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US
ally following the conflict. Thailand is currently facing separatist
violence in its southern ethnic Malay-Muslim provinces. |
|
Location: |
Southeastern Asia, bordering
the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma |
|
Geographic coordinates: |
15 00 N, 100 00 E |
|
Map references: |
Southeast Asia |
|
Area: |
total: 514,000 sq km
land: 511,770 sq km
water: 2,230 sq km |
|
Area - comparative: |
slightly more than twice the
size of Wyoming |
|
Land boundaries: |
total: 4,863 km
border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754
km, Malaysia 506 km |
|
Coastline: |
3,219 km |
|
Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf:
200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
|
Climate: |
tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy
southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon
(November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid |
|
Terrain: |
central plain; Khorat Plateau
in the east; mountains elsewhere |
|
Elevation extremes: |
lowest point: Gulf of
Thailand 0 m
highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m |
|
Natural resources: |
tin, rubber, natural gas,
tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable
land |
|
Land use: |
arable land: 27.54%
permanent crops: 6.93%
other: 65.53% (2005) |
|
Irrigated land: |
49,860 sq km (2003) |
|
Total renewable water resources: |
409.9 cu km (1999) |
|
Freshwater withdrawal
(domestic/industrial/agricultural): |
Total: 82.75 cu km/yr
(2%/2%/95%)
Per capita: 1,288 cu m/yr (2000) |
|
Natural hazards: |
land subsidence in Bangkok area
resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts |
|
Environment - current issues: |
air pollution from vehicle
emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation;
soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting |
|
Environment - international agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity,
Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer
Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
|
Geography - note: |
controls only land route from
Asia to Malaysia and Singapore |
|
Population: |
65,068,149
note:
estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of
excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy,
higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth
rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than
would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) |
|
Age structure: |
0-14 years: 21.6% (male
7,195,750/female 6,870,858)
15-64 years: 70.1% (male
22,547,238/female 23,092,881)
65 years and over: 8.2% (male
2,437,640/female 2,923,782) (2007 est.) |
|
Median age: |
total: 32.4 years
male: 31.6 years
female: 33.2 years (2007 est.)
|
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Population growth rate: |
0.663% (2007 est.) |
|
Birth rate: |
13.73 births/1,000 population
(2007 est.) |
|
Death rate: |
7.1 deaths/1,000 population
(2007 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2007 est.) |
|
Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.05
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.047 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.976 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.834 male(s)/female
total population: 0.979 male(s)/female
(2007 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate: |
total: 18.85
deaths/1,000 live births
male: 20.13 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
|
Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 72.55
years
male: 70.24 years
female: 74.98 years (2007
est.) |
|
Total fertility rate: |
1.64 children born/woman (2007
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
1.5% (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
570,000 (2003 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
58,000 (2003 est.) |
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Major infectious diseases: |
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Japanese
encephalitis, and plague are high risks in some locations
animal
contact disease: rabies
water contact disease:
leptospirosis
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has
been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it
poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US
citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) |
|
Nationality: |
noun: Thai (singular and
plural)
adjective: Thai |
|
Ethnic groups: |
Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other
11% |
|
Religions: |
Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%,
Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census) |
|
Languages: |
Thai, English (secondary
language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write
total population: 92.6%
male: 94.9%
female: 90.5% (2000 census)
|
|
Country name: |
conventional long form:
Kingdom of Thailand
conventional short form: Thailand
local long form: Ratcha Anachak Thai
local short
form: Prathet Thai
former: Siam |
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Government type: |
constitutional monarchy |
|
Capital: |
name: Bangkok
geographic coordinates: 13 45 N, 100 31 E
time
difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard
Time) |
|
Administrative divisions: |
76 provinces (changwat,
singular and plural); Amnat Charoen, Ang Thong, Buriram, Chachoengsao,
Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri,
Chumphon, Kalasin, Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung
Thep Mahanakhon (Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son,
Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom,
Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan, Narathiwat,
Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Pattani, Phangnga,
Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra
Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket, Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan,
Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan,
Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket,
Songkhla, Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat,
Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon
|
|
Independence: |
1238 (traditional founding
date; never colonized) |
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National holiday: |
Birthday of King PHUMIPHON
(BHUMIBOL), 5 December (1927) |
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Constitution: |
constitution signed by King
PHUMIPHON (BHUMIBOL) on 24 August 2007 |
|
Legal system: |
based on civil law system, with
influences of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
|
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal and
compulsory |
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Executive branch: |
chief of state: King
PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (BHUMIBOL Adulyadej) (since 9 June 1946)
head
of government: Prime Minister SAMAK Sundavavej (since 29 January
2008); Deputy Prime Minister MINGKWAN Saengsuwan (MINGKWAN Sangsuwan)
(since 7 February 2008); Deputy Prime Minister SAHAS Banditkun (SAHAS
Banditkul) (since 7 February 2008); Deputy Prime Minister SANAN
Kachornprasat (ANA Kachornparsart) (since 7 February 2008); Deputy Prime
Minister SOMCHAI Wongsawat (since 7 February 2008); Deputy Prime Minister
SURAPONG Suebwonglee (since 7 February 2008); Deputy Prime Minister SUWIT
Khunkitti (since 7 February 2008)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
note: there is also a Privy Council
elections: none;
monarch is hereditary; according to 2007 constitution, prime minister is
designated from among members of House of Representatives; following
national elections for House of Representatives, leader of party that
could organize a majority coalition usually was appointed prime minister
by king; prime minister is limited to two 4-year terms |
|
Legislative branch: |
bicameral National Assembly or
Rathasapha consisted of the Senate or Wuthisapha (150 seats; 76 members
elected by popular vote representing 76 provinces, 74 appointed by judges
and independent government bodies; all serve six-year terms) and the House
of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (480 seats; 400 members
elected from 157 multi-seat constituencies and 80 elected on proportional
party-list basis of 10 per eight zones or groupings of provinces; all
serve four-year terms); after coup in September 2006, coup leaders
appointed an interim National Assembly with 250 members to act as Senate
and House of Representatives
elections: Senate - last held on
19 April 2006 (next to be held on 6 March 2008); House of Representatives
- last election held on 23 December 2007 (next to be held in December
2011)
election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - PPP 233, DP 164, TNP 34, Motherland 24, Middle Way
11, Unity 9, Royalist People's 5 |
|
Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court or Sandika
(judges appointed by the monarch) |
|
Political parties and leaders: |
Democrat Party or DP
(Prachathipat Party) [ABHISIT Wetchachiwa] (ABHISIT Vejjajiva); Matchima
Thippatai (Middle Way Party) [PRACHAI Leophairatana]; Motherland Party
(Peua Pandin Party) [SUWIT Khunkitti]; People Power Party (Palang
Prachachon Party) or PPP [SAMAK Sunthorawet] (SAMAK Sundaravej); Royalist
People's Party (Pracharaj) [SANOH Thienthong]; Ruam Jai Thai Party (Thai
Unity Party) [CHETTA Thanacharo]; Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai
Party) [BARNHARN SILPA-ARCHA] |
|
Political pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
|
International organization participation: |
ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN,
BIMSTEC, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory),
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer),
OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador KRIT Kanchanakunchon (KRIT Garnjana-Goonchorn)
chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC
20007
telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600
FAX: [1] (202)
944-3611
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
|
|
Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Eric G. JOHN
embassy: 120-122 Wireless Road, Bangkok
10330
mailing address: APO AP 96546
telephone: [66]
(2) 205-4000
FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131
consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai |
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Flag description: |
five horizontal bands of red
(top), white, blue (double width), white, and red |
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Economy - overview: |
With a well-developed
infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy, and pro-investment policies,
Thailand appears to have fully recovered from the 1997-98 Asian Financial
Crisis. The country was one of East Asia's best performers from 2002-04.
Boosted by increased consumption and strong export growth, the Thai
economy grew 6.9% in 2003 and 6.1% in 2004 despite a sluggish global
economy. Bangkok has pursued preferential trade agreements with a variety
of partners in an effort to boost exports and to maintain high growth. In
late December 2004, a major tsunami took 8,500 lives in Thailand and
caused massive destruction of property in the southern provinces of Krabi,
Phangnga, and Phuket. In 2006, investment stagnated as investors, spooked
by the THAKSIN administration's political problems, stayed on the
sidelines. The military coup in September brought in a new economic team
led by the former central bank governor. In December, the Thai Board of
Investment reported the value of investment applications from January to
November had declined by 27% year-on-year. On the positive side, exports
have performed at record levels, rising nearly 17% in 2006 and 12% in
2007. Export-oriented manufacturing - in particular automobile production
- and farm output are driving these gains. |
|
GDP (purchasing power parity): |
$519.9 billion (2007 est.)
|
|
GDP (official exchange rate): |
$211.1 billion (2007 est.)
|
|
GDP - real growth rate: |
4.3% (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - per capita (PPP): |
$8,000 (2007 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 10.8%
industry: 45.3%
services: 43.8% (2007 est.) |
|
Labor force: |
37.12 million (2007 est.)
|
|
Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 49%
industry: 14%
services: 37% (2000 est.) |
|
Unemployment rate: |
1.7% (2007 est.) |
|
Population below poverty line: |
10% (2004 est.) |
|
Household income or consumption by percentage
share: |
lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 33.4% (2002) |
|
Distribution of family income - Gini index: |
42 (2002) |
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
2% (2007 est.) |
|
Investment (gross fixed): |
27.4% of GDP (2007 est.) |
|
Budget: |
revenues: $43.61 billion
expenditures: $48.18 billion (2007 est.) |
|
Public debt: |
37.6% of GDP (2007 est.) |
|
Agriculture - products: |
rice, cassava (tapioca),
rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans |
|
Industries: |
tourism, textiles and garments,
agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing
such as jewelry and electric appliances, computers and parts, integrated
circuits, furniture, plastics, automobiles and automotive parts; world's
second-largest tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer |
|
Industrial production growth rate: |
4.6% (2007 est.) |
|
Electricity - production: |
124.6 billion kWh (2005) |
|
Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 91.3%
hydro: 6.4%
nuclear: 0%
other: 2.4%
(2001) |
|
Electricity - consumption: |
117.7 billion kWh (2005) |
|
Electricity - exports: |
642 million kWh (2005) |
|
Electricity - imports: |
4.419 billion kWh (2005) |
|
Oil - production: |
310,900 bbl/day (2005 est.)
|
|
Oil - consumption: |
929,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)
|
|
Oil - exports: |
225,700 bbl/day (2004) |
|
Oil - imports: |
893,400 bbl/day (2004) |
|
Oil - proved reserves: |
291 million bbl (1 January 2006
est.) |
|
Natural gas - production: |
22.73 billion cu m (2005 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - consumption: |
31.23 billion cu m (2005 est.)
|
|
Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2005 est.) |
|
Natural gas - imports: |
8.497 billion cu m (2005)
|
|
Natural gas - proved reserves: |
400.7 billion cu m (1 January
2006 est.) |
|
Current account balance: |
$8.619 billion (2007 est.)
|
|
Exports: |
$143.1 billion f.o.b. (2007
est.) |
|
Exports - commodities: |
textiles and footwear, fishery
products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical
appliances |
|
Exports - partners: |
US 15%, Japan 12.7%, China 9%,
Singapore 6.4%, Hong Kong 5.5%, Malaysia 5.1% (2006) |
|
Imports: |
$121.9 billion f.o.b. (2007
est.) |
|
Imports - commodities: |
capital goods, intermediate
goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels |
|
Imports - partners: |
Japan 20.1%, China 10.6%, US
6.7%, Malaysia 6.6%, UAE 5.6%, Singapore 4.5% (2006) |
|
Economic aid - recipient: |
$171.1 million (2005) |
|
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: |
$75 billion (31 December 2007
est.) |
|
Debt - external: |
$58.6 billion (30 June 2007)
|
|
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: |
$69.06 billion (2006 est.)
|
|
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: |
$5.605 billion (2006 est.)
|
|
Market value of publicly traded shares: |
$139.6 billion (2006) |
|
Currency (code): |
baht (THB) |
|
Currency code: |
THB |
|
Exchange rates: |
baht per US dollar - 34.499
(2007), 37.882 (2006), 40.22 (2005), 40.222 (2004), 41.485 (2003) |
|
Fiscal year: |
1 October - 30 September
|
|
Telephones - main lines in use: |
7.073 million (2006) |
|
Telephones - mobile cellular: |
40.816 million (2006) |
|
Telephone system: |
general assessment: high
quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok
domestic: fixed line system provided by both a government owned
and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and outpacing
fixed lines
international: country code - 66; connected to
major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia,
Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1
Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) |
|
Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6
(1999) |
|
Radios: |
13.96 million (1997) |
|
Television broadcast stations: |
111 (2006) |
|
Televisions: |
15.19 million (1997) |
|
Internet country code: |
.th |
|
Internet hosts: |
973,941 (2007) |
|
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
15 (2000) |
|
Internet users: |
8.466 million (2006)
|
|
Airports: |
106 (2007) |
|
Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 65
over
3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
1,524 to 2,437
m: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 6 (2007)
|
|
Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 41
1,524
to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 28
(2007) |
|
Heliports: |
3 (2007) |
|
Pipelines: |
gas 4,381 km; refined products
320 km (2007) |
|
Railways: |
total: 4,071 km
narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2006) |
|
Roadways: |
total: 57,403 km
paved: 56,542 km
unpaved: 861 km (2000) |
|
Waterways: |
4,000 km
note: 3,701
km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2005) |
|
Merchant marine: |
total: 405 ships (1000
GRT or over) 2,640,857 GRT/4,043,938 DWT
by type: bulk carrier
53, cargo 140, chemical tanker 16, container 21, liquefied gas 30,
passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 101, refrigerated cargo 32,
specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 1
foreign-owned: 15
(China 1, Japan 4, Malaysia 3, Russia 1, Singapore 2, Taiwan 1, UK 3)
registered in other countries: 34 (Bahamas 1, Indonesia 1,
Mongolia 1, Panama 10, Singapore 20, Tuvalu 1) (2007) |
|
Ports and terminals: |
Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Prachuap
Port, Si Racha |
|
Military branches: |
Royal Thai Army (RTA), Royal
Thai Navy (RTN, includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force
(Knogtap Agard Thai, RTAF) (2006) |
|
Military service age and obligation: |
21 years of age for compulsory
military service; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; males
are registered at 18 years of age; 2-year conscript service obligation
(2006) |
|
Manpower available for military service: |
males age 21-49:
14,903,855
females age 21-49: 15,265,854 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 21-49:
10,396,032
females age 21-49: 11,487,690 (2005 est.) |
|
Manpower reaching military service age annually: |
males age 18-49: 526,276
females age 21-49: 514,396 (2005 est.) |
|
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.8% (2005 est.)
|
|
Disputes - international: |
separatist violence in
Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompt border closures
and controls with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Southeast Asian
states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu;
talks continue on completion of demarcation with Laos but disputes remain
over several islands in the Mekong River; despite continuing border
committee talks, Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic rebels,
refugees, and illegal cross-border activities, and as of 2006, over
116,000 Karen, Hmong, and other refugees and asylum seekers from Burma;
Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of historic boundary with missing
boundary markers; Cambodia claims Thai encroachments into Cambodian
territory and obstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to
Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; Thailand is studying the feasibility of
jointly constructing the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween river near the border
with Burma; in 2004, international environmentalist pressure prompted
China to halt construction of 13 dams on the Salween River that flows
through China, Burma, and Thailand |
|
Refugees and internally displaced persons: |
refugees (country of
origin): 116,499 (Burma) (2006) |
|
Illicit drugs: |
a minor producer of opium,
heroin, and marijuana; transit point for illicit heroin en route to the
international drug market from Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have
reduced the area of cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to
neighboring countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by
eradication efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in
methamphetamine production for regional consumption; major consumer of
methamphetamine since the 1990s despite a series of government crackdowns
|
This page was last updated on 12 February, 2008
|
