Thailand

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 armed violence in its three Muslim-majority southernmost provinces.

• 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

• 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

0-14 years:

24.1% (male 7,985,724; female 7,631,337)

15-64 years:

68.7% (male 21,998,552; female 22,538,765)

65 years and over:

7.3% (male 2,167,421; female 2,543,724) (2004 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:

0.85 male(s)/female

total population:

0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

noun:

Thai (singular and plural)

adjective:

Thai

conventional long form:

Kingdom of Thailand

conventional short form:

Thailand

former:

Siam

chief of state:

King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)

head of government:

Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat (since 9 February 2001) and Deputy Prime Ministers CHATURON Chaisaeng, Gen. CHAWALIT Yongchaiyut (Ret.), PURACHAI Piamsombun, VISHANU Krua-ngam (since 8 November 2003); LIPTAPANLOP Suwat (since 1 July 2004); SOMSAK Thepsuthin, PHINIT Charusombat (since 6 October 2004)

cabinet:

Council of Ministers

note: there is also a Privy Council

elections:

• none;
• the monarch is hereditary;
• prime minister is designated from among the members of the House of Representatives;
• following national elections for the House of Representatives, the leader of the party that can organize a majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the king

• Democrat Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [BANYAT Bantadtan];
• People's Party or PP (Mahachon Party) [ANEK Laothamatas];
• Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BARNHARN SILPA-ARCHA];
• Thai Rak Thai Party or TRT [THAKSIN Chinnawat]

chief of mission:

KASIT Piromya

chancery:

1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20007-3681

telephone:

[1] (202) 944-3600

FAX:

[1] (202) 944-3611

consulate(s) general:

Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCE

embassy:

120/22 Wireless Road, Bangkok

mailing address:

APO AP 96546

telephone:

[66] (2) 205-4000

FAX:

[66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131

consulate(s) general:

Chiang Mai

lowest 10%:

2.8%

highest 10%:

32.4% (1998)

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:

country code - 66; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

total:

4,071 km

narrow gauge:

4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2003)

total:

64,600 km

paved:

62,985 km

unpaved:

1,615 km (1999 est.)

• 21 years of age for compulsory military service;
• males are registered at 18 years of age;
• conscript service obligation - 2 years;
• 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004)

• a 1 kilometer segment at the mouth of the Golok River remains in dispute with Malaysia;
• demarcation with Laos complete except for certain Mekong River islets and complaints of Thai squatters;
• despite continuing border committee talks, significant differences remain with Burma over boundary alignment and the handling of ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities;
• Cambodia accuses Thailand of moving boundary markers and obstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962;
• 2003 anti-Thai riots in Phnom Penh resulted in the destruction of the Thai Embassy and damage to 17 Thai-owned businesses and disputes over payments of full compensation persist;
• groups in Burma and Thailand express concern over China's construction of 13 hydroelectric dams on the Salween River in Yunnan Province

• 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