Search in titles only Search in Kingdom of Thailand only
CLUB INTERNATIONAL - Things from Around the World
Facts and News from/about Kingdom of Thailand
FACTS: Kingdom of Thailand.
Background: A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century; it was known as Siam until 1939. Thailand is the only south east 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
Area - comparative:
Spain 504.880 sq.km
France 543.965 sq.km
Total: 4.863 km
Border countries:
Burma 1.800 km,
Cambodia 803 km
Laos 1.754 km
Malaysia 506 km
Continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
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
Central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; Mountains elsewhere
Lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
Highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m
Tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite and arable land.
Permanent pastures: 2%
Irrigated land: 44,000 sq km (1993 est.)
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
Geography - note:
Controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore
Population:	61,230,874
Note: Estimates for this country's 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 *** than would otherwise be expected (July 2000 est.)
Age structure: (2000 est.)
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)
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.)
*** ratio: (2000 est.)
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female
Infant mortality rate: 31.48 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 71.97 years
Total fertility rate: 1.88 children born/woman
Noun: Thai (singular and plural)
Adjective: Thai
Ethnic groups: Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%
Buddhism 95%
Muslim 3.8%
Christianity 0.5%
Hinduism 0.1%
Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects
Male: 96%
Female: 91.6%
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand
Conventional short form: Thailand
Data code: TH
Government type: Constitutional monarchy
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)
Birthday of His Majesty the King, 5 December (1927)
New constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997
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 9th of June 1946).
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 (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
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.
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.)
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:
Hydro:	8.56%
Nuclear: 0%
Other: 0% (1998)
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)
Service to general public adequate, but investment in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk of service to government activities provided by multi channel cable and microwave radio relay network
Domestic: microwave radio relay and multi channel cable; domestic satellite system being developed
International: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
Narrow gauge: 3,940 km 1.000-m gauge (99 km double track)
Paved: 62,985 km
Unpaved: 1,615 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 3,999 km principal waterways;
3,701 km with navigable depths of 0.9 m or more through out 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
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.)
Airports: 106 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
under 914 m: 4 (1999 est.)
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.
CV Commodore / CV Official Photographer
It's good to see something else from Thailand newspapers in addition to what has been posted in other threads. So interesting for me to read about the Royal Family and to see the extent of these celebrations following my recent visit.
May 22nd, 2011, 19:50
Re: Facts: Kingdom of Thailand
Things Thai:
Thai number plates:
Thai ID numbers:
May 23rd, 2011, 00:05
Two things given a Thai make-over:
In my next life, I shall most definitely return as a tall, dark and ripped Muay Thai boxer.... an expert in martial arts and with a physique and health that nobody could ever fight:
On a much more sad note, HRH Princess Bejraratana dies at the age of 85:
Bless her. What good she did in the world!
Thank you so much for posting this. I would not have otherwise been aware of the passing of Her Royal Highness.
I had known something of her life however, thanks to my guide when I visited Thailand. Perhaps he was just a little disappointed that the seaside town where I one lived was not Brighton! I was struck that it was the late 50's when she returned to Thailand, imagining what that would have been like, and was touched by the extent and devotion of her good work and patronage subsequently. My guide also mentioned her love of music, and also gift for numbers, days and dates of birth and the calendar. I thought a lot about her father King Rama VI having died the day after her birth.
I have started reading up on her life story through a Thai book this past days, and yes, I must admit, she did a lot for her country, despite living abroad for so long.
In the Bangkok Post today, it was said that the Royal family now has performed the bathing rites as is usual to Royal funerals and in accordance with Buddhist beliefs.
August 23rd, 2011, 14:09
In Thailand, you can see people placing their head into the mouth of a crocodile (for money and entertainment):
http://www.dagbladet.no/2011/08/22/t...erie/17740456/