Country's Backgrounds and Profiles... |
|
|
||||
|
||||
Mystery Shoppers Needed Now... Get paid to shop and eat for free!
Find out how to join our hugely popular UK Mystery Shopping Club (now almost 14 years old!). Please click here now. Choose a page below...
|
The Transatlantic Education Mega-Site...We invite you to add ed-u.com to your list of favorites/bookmarks. Internet Explorer users please click here, and others, right click here -> ed-u.com. Also, you can learn how to make any ed-u.com page your start page by clicking here.
US Shopping Guides, travel resources, accommodations, airlines, cruise lines, rentals, reviews, education, churches...
Click for your free quote wherever you are in the World.
You've taken the time to learn French, German, Italian or Spanish! You've spent money on various self study tape courses! You've attended a language course abroad! Why risk loosing the language by not keeping it up to date? Why not join the thousands of intermediate and advanced language students on six continents who use Champs-Elysées, Schau ins Land, Puerta Sol, and Acquerello italiano to stay in touch with the languages and cultures they love.
Thailand
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:
Area - comparative: slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming Land boundaries:
Coastline: 3,219 km Maritime claims:
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:
Natural resources: tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land Land use:
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:
Geography - note: controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore
Population:
61,230,874
Age structure:
Population growth rate: 0.93% (2000 est.) Birth rate: 16.86 births/1,000 population (2000 est.) Death rate: 7.53 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) Sex ratio:
Infant mortality rate: 31.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) Life expectancy at birth:
Total fertility rate: 1.88 children born/woman (2000 est.) Nationality:
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:
Country name:
Data code: TH 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 His Majesty the King, 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:
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consists of the Senate or Wuthisapha (a 253-member appointed body which will be phased into a 200-member elected body starting in March 2000; members serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (currently has 392 members, but will become a 500-member body after the next election; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (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) [KON Thappharangsi]; 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) [SUWIT Khunkitti]; 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] International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US:
Diplomatic representation from the US:
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 nearly 10% that same year. Thailand entered a recovery stage in 1999; preliminary estimates are that the economy expanded by about 4% - most forecasters expect similar growth in 2000. Beginning in 1999 the baht stabilized and inflation and interest rates began coming down. The CHUAN government has cooperated closely with the IMF and adhered to its mandated recovery program, including passage of new bankruptcy and foreclosure laws. The regional recovery boosted exports, while fiscal stimulus buoyed domestic demand. While slow progress has been made in recapitalizing the financial sector, tough measures - such as implementing a privatization plan and forcing the private sector to restructure - remain undone. GDP: purchasing power parity - $388.7 billion (1999 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 4% (1999 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,400 (1999 est.) GDP - composition by sector:
Population below poverty line: 12.5% (1998 est.) Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.4% (1999 est.) Labor force: 32.6 million (1997 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 54%, industry 15%, services 31% (1996 est.) Unemployment rate: 4.5% (1998 est.) Budget:
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: 12.6% (1999 est.) Electricity - production: 85 billion kWh (1999) Electricity - production by source:
Electricity - consumption: 80.293 billion kWh (1999) Electricity - exports: 138 million kWh (1998) Electricity - imports: 700 million kWh (1998) Agriculture - products: rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans Exports: $58.5 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.) Exports - commodities: computers and parts, textiles, rice Exports - partners: US 22.3%, Japan 13.7%, Singapore 8.6%, Hong Kong 5.1%, Netherlands 4.0%, UK 3.9%, Malaysia 3.3%, China 3.2%, Taiwan 3.2%, Germany 2.9% (1998) Imports: $45 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.) Imports - commodities: capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels Imports - partners: Japan 23.6%, US 14.0%, Singapore 5.5%, Malaysia 5.1%, Taiwan 5.2%, Germany 4.2%, China 4.2%, South Korea 3.5%, Oman 2.6%, Indonesia 2.1% (1998) Debt - external: $80 billion (1999 est.) Economic aid - recipient: $1.732 billion (1995) Currency: 1 baht (B) = 100 satang Exchange rates: baht (B) per US$1 - 37.349 (January 2000), 37.844 (1999), 41.359 (1998), 31.364 (1997), 25.343 (1996), 24.915 (1995) Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September
Telephones - main lines in use: 5.4 million (1998) Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.3 million (1998) Telephone system:
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
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 Service Providers (ISPs): 13 (1999)
Railways:
Highways:
Waterways: 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 Pipelines: petroleum products 67 km; natural gas 350 km Ports and harbors: Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip, Si Racha, Songkhla Merchant marine:
Airports: 106 (1999 est.) Airports - with paved runways:
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Heliports: 3 (1999 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:
Military manpower - fit for military service:
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $2.075 billion (FY97/98) Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.3% (FY97/98)
Disputes - international: 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 Illicit drugs: 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 Please click here for a guide to the country profiles Click here for all other countries
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
