Thailand

§1. Thailand Introduction

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.

§2. Thailand Geography

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 kmē
  land: 511,770 kmē
  water: 2,230 kmē

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

Coastline:
  3,219 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 kmē (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

§3. Thailand People

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.)

§4. Thailand Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand
  conventional short form: Thailand
  former: Siam

Government type:
  constitutional monarchy

Capital:
  Bangkok

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

§5. Thailand Economy

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.)

Currency:
  baht (THB)

Currency code:
  THB

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

§6. Thailand Communications

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)

§7. Thailand Transportation

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.)

Heliports:
  2 (2000 est.)

§8. Thailand Military

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)

§9. Thailand Transnational Issues

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
