| Background: |
A unified Thai
kingdom was established in the mid-14th century; it was
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. |
| 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 |
| Maritime
claims: |
continental
shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| 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:
34%
permanent crops: 6%
permanent pastures: 2%
forests and woodland: 26%
other: 32% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
44,000 sq km
(1993 est.) |
| 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:
Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine
Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea |
| Geography
- note: |
controls only
land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore |
| Population: |
61,797,751
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 2001
est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
23.43% (male 7,380,273; female 7,099,506)
15-64 years: 69.95% (male 21,304,051; female
21,921,383)
65 years and over: 6.62% (male 1,796,325;
female 2,296,213) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
0.91% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
16.63
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
7.54 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
0 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
30.49
deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 68.86 years
male: 65.64 years
female: 72.24 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
1.87 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
2.15% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
755,000 (1999
est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- deaths: |
66,000 (1999
est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Thai (singular and plural)
adjective: Thai |
| Ethnic
groups: |
Thai 75%, Chinese
14%, other 11% |
| Religions: |
Buddhism 95%,
Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism 0.1%, other 0.6%
(1991) |
| Languages: |
Thai, English
(secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional
dialects |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.8%
male: 96%
female: 91.6% (1995 est.) |
| Country
name: |
conventional
long form: Kingdom of Thailand
conventional short form: Thailand
former: Siam |
| Government
type: |
constitutional
monarchy |
| 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) |
| National
holiday: |
Birthday of King
PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927) |
| Constitution: |
new constitution
signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997 |
| Legal
system: |
based on civil
law system, with influences of common law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal and compulsory |
| Executive
branch: |
chief of
state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June
1946)
head of government: Prime Minister THAKSIN
Chinnawat (since NA January 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
note: there is also a Privy Council
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary;
prime minister designated from among the members of the
House of Representatives; following a national election for
the House of Representatives, the leader of the party that
can organize a majority coalition usually becomes prime
minister |
| Legislative
branch: |
bicameral
National Assembly or Rathasapha consists of the Senate or
Wuthisapha (200 seats; members elected by popular vote to
serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives or
Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (500 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate - last held 4 March, 29
April, 4 June, 9 July, and 22 July 2000 (next to be held NA
March 2004); House of Representatives - last held 6 January
2001 (next to be held NA January 2005)
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 - TRT 248, DP
128, TNP 41, NAP 36, NDP 29, other 18 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court or
Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch) |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Democratic Party
or DP (Prachathipat Party) [CHUAN Likphai]; Liberal
Democratic Party or LDP (Seri Tham) [PHINIT Charusombat];
Mass Party or MP [CHALERM Yoobamrung, SOPHON Petchsavang];
National Development Party or NDP (Chat Phattana) [KORN
Dabbaransi]; New Aspiration Party or NAP (Khwamwang Mai)
[Gen. CHAWALIT Yongchaiyut]; Phalang Dharma Party or PDP (Phalang
Tham) [CHAIWAT Sinsuwong]; Social Action Party or SAP (Kitsangkhom
Party) [leader vacant]; Solidarity Party or SP (Ekkaphap
Party) [CHAIYOT Sasomsap]; Thai Citizen's Party or TCP (Prachakon
Thai) [SAMAK Sunthonwet]; Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat
Thai Party) [BANHAN Sinlapa-acha]; Thai Rak Thai Party or
TRT [THAKSIN Chinnawat] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
NA |
| International
organization participation: |
APEC, ARF, AsDB,
ASEAN, BIS, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS
(observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNTAET,
UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador TEJ Bunnag
chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600
FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and
New York |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Richard E. HECKLINGER
embassy: 120/22 Wireless Road, Bangkok
mailing address: APO AP 96546
telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000
FAX: [66] (2) 254-1171
consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai |
| Flag
description: |
five horizontal
bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and
red |
| Economy
- overview: |
After enjoying
the world's highest growth rate from 1985 to 1995 -
averaging almost 9% annually - increased speculative
pressure on Thailand's currency in 1997 led to a crisis that
uncovered financial sector weaknesses and forced the
government to float the baht. Long pegged at 25 to the
dollar, the baht reached its lowest point of 56 to the
dollar in January 1998 and the economy contracted by 10.2%
that same year. Thailand entered a recovery stage in 1999,
expanding 4.2% and grew about the same amount in 2000,
largely due to strong exports - which increased about 20% in
2000. An ailing financial sector and the slow pace of
corporate debt restructuring, combined with a softening of
global demand, is likely to slow growth in 2001. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $413 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
4.2% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $6,700 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
13%
industry: 40%
services: 47% (1999) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
12.5% (1998 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
2.5%
highest 10%: 37.1% (1992) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
2.1% (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
32.6 million
(1997 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 54%,
industry 15%, services 31% (1996 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
3.7% (2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$19 billion
expenditures: $21 billion, including capital
expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
| Industries: |
tourism; textiles
and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco,
cement, light manufacturing, such as jewelry; electric
appliances and components, computers and parts, integrated
circuits, furniture, plastics; world's second-largest
tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
3% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
89.431 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
91.17%
hydro: 3.81%
nuclear: 0%
other: 5.02% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
83.991 billion
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
200 million kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
1.02 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
rice, cassava
(tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans |
| Exports: |
$68.2 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
computers and
parts, textiles, integrated circuits, rice |
| Exports
- partners: |
US 22%, Japan
14%, Singapore 9%, Hong Kong 5%, Netherlands 4%, Malaysia
4%, UK 4% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$61.8 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
capital goods,
intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels |
| Imports
- partners: |
Japan 26%, US
14%, Singapore 6%, China 5%, Malaysia 5%, Taiwan 5% (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$90 billion (2000
est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$131.5 million
(1998 est.) |
| Exchange
rates: |
baht per US
dollar - 43.078 (January 2001), 40.112 (2000), 37.814
(1999), 41.359 (1998), 31.364 (1997), 25.343 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 October - 30
September |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
5.4 million
(1998) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
2.3 million
(1998) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: service to general public adequate,
but investment in technological upgrades reduced by
recession; bulk of service to government activities provided
by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network
domestic: microwave radio relay and
multichannel cable; domestic satellite system being
developed
international: satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 204, FM 334,
shortwave 6 (1999) |
| Radios: |
13.96 million
(1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
5 (all in
Bangkok; plus 131 repeaters) (1997) |
| Televisions: |
15.19 million
(1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.th |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
15 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
1 million (2000) |
| Railways: |
total:
3,940 km
narrow gauge: 3,940 km 1.000-m gauge (99 km
double track) |
| Highways: |
total:
64,600 km
paved: 62,985 km
unpaved: 1,615 km (1996) |
| Waterways: |
4,000 km
note: 3,701 km are navigable throughout the
year by boats with drafts up to 0.9 meters; numerous minor
waterways serve shallow-draft native craft |
| Pipelines: |
petroleum
products 67 km; natural gas 350 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Bangkok, Laem
Chabang, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip, Si Racha, Songkhla |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
294 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,845,972 GRT/2,923,914
DWT
ships by type: bulk 36, cargo 133, chemical
tanker 3, combination bulk 1, container 14, liquefied gas
20, multi-functional large-load carrier 3, passenger 1,
petroleum tanker 61, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off
2, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 5 (2000 est.) |
| Airports: |
110 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
59
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 4 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
51
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 34 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Royal Thai Army,
Royal Thai Navy (includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal
Thai Air Force, Paramilitary Forces |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
18 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 17,717,268 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 10,646,818 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
567,659 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$1.775 billion
(FY00) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
1.4% (FY00) |
| Disputes
- international: |
parts of the
border with Laos are indefinite; parts of border with
Cambodia are indefinite; sporadic border hostilities with
Burma over border alignment and ethnic Shan rebels operating
in cross-border region |
| Illicit
drugs: |
a minor producer
of opium, heroin, and marijuana; illicit transit point for
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 amphetamine production for regional
consumption; increasing indigenous abuse of methamphetamine |
|
