Thailand brief Introduction

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.

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma

15 00 N, 100 00 E

Southeast Asia

total 514,000 sq km
land 511,770 sq km
water 2,230 sq km

total 4,863 km
border countries Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km

3,219 km

territorial sea 12 nm
exclusive economic zone 200 nm
continental shelf 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

tropical ; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September) ; dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March) ; southern isthmus always hot and humid

central plain ; Khorat Plateau in the east ; mountains elsewhere

lowest point Gulf of Thailand 0 m
highest point Doi Inthanon 2,576 m

tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

arable land 27.54%
permanent crops 6.93%
other 65.53% (2005)

49,860 sq km (2003)

409.9 cu km (1999)

total 82.75 cu km/yr (2%/2%/95%)
per capita 1,288 cu m/yr (2000)

land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table ; droughts

air pollution from vehicle emissions ; water pollution from organic and factory wastes ; deforestation ; soil erosion ; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting

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

controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

People  Thailand

65,493,296
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, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2008 est.)

0-14 years 21.2% (male 7,104,776/female 6,781,453)
15-64 years 70.3% (male 22,763,274/female 23,304,793)
65 years and over 8.5% (male 2,516,721/female 3,022,281) (2008 est.)

total 32.8 years
male 32 years
female 33.7 years (2008 est.)

0.64% (2008 est.)

13.57 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

7.17 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

NA (2008 est.)

at birth 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over 0.83 male(s)/female
total population 0.96 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

total 18.23 deaths/1,000 live births
male 19.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female 16.89 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

total population 72.83 years
male 70.51 years
female 75.27 years (2008 est.)

1.64 children born/woman (2008 est.)

1.5% (2003 est.)

570,000 (2003 est.)

58,000 (2003 est.)

degree of risk high
food or waterborne diseases bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
vectorborne diseases dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria
animal contact disease rabies
water contact disease leptospirosis
note highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country ; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)

noun Thai (singular and plural)
adjective Thai

Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%

Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census)

Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects

definition age 15 and over can read and write
total population 92.6%
male 94.9%
female 90.5% (2000 census)

total 14 years
male 13 years
female 14 years (2006)

4.2% (2005)

Government  Thailand

conventional long form Kingdom of Thailand
conventional short form Thailand
local long form Ratcha Anachak Thai
local short form Prathet Thai
former Siam

constitutional monarchy

name Bangkok
geographic coordinates 13 45 N, 100 31 E
time difference UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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

1238 (traditional founding date ; never colonized)

Birthday of King PHUMIPHON (BHUMIBOL), 5 December (1927)

constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON (BHUMIBOL) on 24 August 2007

based on civil law system, with influences of common law ; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

18 years of age ; universal and compulsory

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 KOWIT Wattana (since 5 August 2008) ; Deputy Prime Minister MAN Pattanothai (MAN Patanotai) (since 5 August 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)
cabinet Council of Ministers
note there is also a Privy Council
elections 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

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 />.th

973,941 (2007)

8.466 million (2006)

Transportation  Thailand

106 (2007)

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)

total 41
1,524 to 2,437 m 1
914 to 1,523 m 12
under 914 m 28 (2007)

3 (2007)

gas 4,381 km ; refined products 320 km (2007)

total 4,071 km
narrow gauge 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2006)

total 62,401 km
paved 62,176 km
unpaved 225 km (2006)

4,000 km
note 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2005)

total 402 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,589,752 GRT/3,930,683 DWT
by type bulk carrier 53, cargo 136, chemical tanker 15, container 22, liquefied gas 30, passenger/cargo 9, petroleum tanker 102, refrigerated cargo 32, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 1
foreign-owned 14 (China 1, Japan 3, Malaysia 3, Singapore 1, Taiwan 1, UK 5)
registered in other countries 38 (Bahamas 5, Mongolia 1, Panama 9, Singapore 22, Tuvalu 1) (2008)

Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Prachuap Port, Si Racha

Military  Thailand

Royal Thai Army (RTA), Royal Thai Navy (RTN, includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force (Knogtap Agard Thai, RTAF) (2008)

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)

males age 16-49 17,553,410
females age 16-49 17,751,268 (2008 est.)

males age 16-49 12,968,674
females age 16-49 14,058,779 (2008 est.)

males age 16-49 531,315
females age 16-49 511,288 (2008 est.)

1.8% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues  Thailand

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 (country of origin) 132,241 (Burma) (2007)

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