Thailand

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.

• 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

arable land:

34%

permanent crops:

6%

permanent pastures:

2%

forests and woodland:

26%

other:

32% (1993 est.)

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

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

0-14 years:

24% (male 7,386,231; female 7,107,010)

15-64 years:

70% (male 21,102,363; female 21,714,411)

65 years and over:

6% (male 1,726,043; female 2,194,816) (2000 est.)

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:

0.79 male(s)/female

total population:

0.97 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

noun:

Thai (singular and plural)

adjective:

Thai

conventional long form:

Kingdom of Thailand

conventional short form:

Thailand

chief of state:

King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)

head of government:

Prime Minister CHUAN Likphai (since 15 November 1997)

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

chief of mission:

Ambassador NIT Phibunsongkhram (due to leave March 2000)

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

chief of mission:

Ambassador Richard HECKLINGER

embassy:

120 Wireless Road, Bangkok

mailing address:

APO AP 96546

telephone:

[66] (2) 205-4000

FAX:

[66] (2) 254-2990

consulate(s) general:

Chiang Mai

lowest 10%:

2.5%

highest 10%:

37.1% (1992)

• 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

• 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)

total:

3,940 km

narrow gauge:

3,940 km 1.000-m gauge (99 km double track)

total:

64,600 km

paved:

62,985 km

unpaved:

1,615 km (1996 est.)

• 3,999 km principal waterways;
• 3,701 km with navigable depths of 0.9 m or more throughout the year;
• numerous minor waterways navigable by shallow-draft native craft

total:

299 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,834,809 GRT/2,949,558 DWT

ships by type:

bulk 39, cargo 135, chemical tanker 3, combination bulk 1, container 13, liquified gas 19, multi-functional large load carrier 3, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 63, refrigerated cargo 13, roll-on/roll-off 2, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 5 (1999 est.)

• parts of the border with Laos are indefinite;
• maritime boundary with Vietnam resolved, August 1997;
• parts of border with Cambodia are indefinite;
• maritime boundary with Cambodia not clearly defined;
• sporadic conflict with Burma over alignment of border

• a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana;
• major 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 methamphetamines and heroin [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]