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

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:

0.84 male(s)/female

total population:

0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

noun:

Thai (singular and plural)

adjective:

Thai

conventional long form:

Kingdom of Thailand

conventional short form:

Thailand

local long form:

Ratcha Anachak Thai

local short form:

Prathet Thai

former:

Siam

name:

Bangkok

geographic coordinates:

13 45 N, 100 31 E

time difference:

UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

• constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997;
• abrogated on 19 September 2006 after coup;
• interim constitution promulgated on 1 October 2006;
• junta has promised new constitution by October 2007

chief of state:

King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)

head of government:

• Interim Prime Minister SURAYUT Chulanon (since 1 October 2006);
• Interim Deputy Prime Ministers KHOSIT Panpiamrat (since 9 October 2006);
• PRIDIYATHON Thewakun (since 9 October 2006)

note: Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat was overthrown on 19 September 2006 in a coup led by General SONTHI Boonyaratglin

cabinet:

Council of Ministers

note: there is also a Privy Council

elections:

• none;
• monarch is hereditary;
• according to 1997 constitution, prime minister was 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

• bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consisted of the Senate or Wuthisapha (200 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms);
• after coup in September 2006, junta appointed an interim National Assembly with 250 members to act as Senate and House of Representatives;
• body has no vote on government matters

elections:

• Senate - last held 19 April 2006;
• House of Representatives - last held 6 February 2005;
• junta scheduled next general election by October 2007

election results:

• Senate - percent of vote by party - NA;
• seats by party - NA;
• House of Representatives - (2005 election) percent of vote by party - NA;
• seats by party - TRT 376, DP 97, TNP 25, PP 2

• Democrat Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [ABHISIT Wetchachiwa];
• 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 [CHATURON Chaisang]

chief of mission:

Ambassador Virasakdi FUTRAKUL

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, New York

chief of mission:

Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCE

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

agriculture:

49%

industry:

14%

services:

37% (2000 est.)

lowest 10%:

2.8%

highest 10%:

32.4% (1998)

• 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

general assessment:

high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok; WTO requirement for privatization of telecom sector is planned to be complete by 2006

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;
• satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean);
• landing country for APCN submarine cable

total:

4,071 km

narrow gauge:

4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2005)

total:

57,403 km

paved:

56,542 km

unpaved:

861 km (2000)

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

males age 21-49:

14,903,855

females age 21-49:

15,265,854 (2005 est.)

males age 21-49:

10,396,032

females age 21-49:

11,487,690 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49:

526,276

females age 21-49:

514,396 (2005 est.)

• 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 Thailand but disputes remain over several areas along Mekong River and 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 and Thailand dispute sections of 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;
• ethnic Karens from Burma flee into Thailand - to escape fighting between Karen rebels and Burmese troops - resulting in Thailand sheltering about 120,000 Burmese refugees in 2005;
• Karens also protest Thai support for a Burmese hydroelectric dam construction on the Salween River near the border;
• environmentalists in Burma and Thailand remain concerned about China's construction of hydroelectric dams upstream on the Nujiang/Salween River in Yunnan Province

refugees (country of origin):

120,814 (Burma)

IDPs:

6,000 (26 December 2004 tsunami) (2005)

• 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 methamphetamine production for regional consumption;
• major consumer of methamphetamine since the 1990s