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Thailand Statistics |
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| Geography |
People |
Government |
Economy |
| Communications |
Transportation |
Military |
Transnational Issus |
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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 sq km
land: 511,770 sq km
water: 2,230 sq km
>>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
>>Land use:
arable land: 34%
permanent crops: 6%
permanent pastures: 2%
forests and woodland: 26%
other: 32% (1993 est.)
>>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:
party to: Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
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
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People |
>>Population:
60,609,046 (July 1999
est.)
>>Age structure:
0-14 years: 24% (male 7,364,411;
female 7,095,428)
15-64 years: 70% (male 20,878,602;
female 21,493,735)
65 years and over: 6% (male
1,664,113; female 2,112,757) (1999 est.)
>>Population growth rate:
0.93% (1999 est.)
>>Birth rate:
16.46 births/1,000
population (1999 est.)
>>Death rate:
7.16 deaths/1,000
population (1999 est.)
>>Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000
population (1999 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: 0.79 male(s)/female
total population: 0.97 male(s)/female
(1999 est.)
>>Infant mortality rate:
29.54 deaths/1,000 live births
(1999 est.)
>>Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 69.21 years
male: 65.58 years
female: 73.01 years (1999 est.)
>>Total fertility rate:
1.82 children
born/woman (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.)
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Government |
>>Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of
Thailand
conventional short form: Thailand
>>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:
chief of state: King PHUMIPHON
Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)
head of government: Prime Minister CHUAN Lekphai (since 15 November 1997)
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 (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 391 members, but will become a 500-member body after the next election; members elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives—last held 17 November 1996 (next scheduled to be held by 17 November 2000, but may
be held earlier)
election results: House of Representatives—percent of vote by party—NA; seats by party—NAP 125, DP 123, NDP 52, TNP
39, SAP 20, TCP 18, SP 8, LDP 4, MP 2
>>Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Sandika),
judges appointed by the monarch
>>Political parties and leaders:
Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat
Thai Party) [BANHAN Sinlapa-acha]; Democratic Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [CHUAN Likphai]; New Aspiration Party
or NAP (Khwamwang Mai) [Gen. CHAWALIT Yongchaiyut]; National Development Party or NDP (Chat Phattana) [KON
Thappharangsi]; Phalang Dharma Party or PDP (Phalang Tham) [CHAIWAT Sinsuwong]; Social Action Party or SAP (Kitsangkhom
Party) [BUNPHAN Khaewatthana]; Thai Citizen's Party or TCP (Prachakon Thai) [SAMAK Sunthonwet]; Liberal Democratic
Party or LDP (Seri Tham) [PHINIT Charusombat]; Solidarity Party or SP (Ekkaphap Party) [CHAIYOT Sasomsap]; Thai Love
Thai Party or TRTP (Thai Rak Thai Party) [THAKSIN Chinnawat]; Mass Party or MP [CHALERM Yoobamrung, SOPHON Petchsavang]
>>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, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WToO, WTrO
>>Flag description:
five horizontal bands
of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red
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Economy |
>>Economy—overview:
After months of speculative
pressure on the Thai Baht, the government decided to float the currency in July 1997, the symbolic beginning of the
country's current economic crisis. The crisis—which began in the country's financial sector—has spread throughout the
economy. After years of rapid economic growth averaging 9% earlier this decade, the Thai economy contracted 0.4% in
1997 and shrunk another 8.5% in 1998. In the years before the crisis, Thailand ran persistent current account
deficits. With the depreciation of the Thai Baht and the collapse of domestic demand, however, imports have fallen off
sharply—by more than 33%—and Thailand posted a trade surplus of approximately $12 billion in 1998. Foreign investment
for new projects, the long-time catalyst of Thailand's economic growth, has also slowed. The CHUAN government has
closely adhered to the economic recovery program prescribed by the IMF. The cooperation afforded Thailand stability in
the value of its currency in the second half of 1998 and helped replenish foreign reserves. Tough measures—including
passage of adequate bankruptcy and foreclosure legislation as well as privatization of state-owned companies and
recapitalization of the financial sector—remain undone. Bangkok is also trying to establish a social safety net for
those displaced by the current economic crisis and is working to increase the quality of Thailand's labor force.
>>GDP:
purchasing power parity—$369
billion (1998 est.)
GDP—real growth rate: -8.5% (1998
est.)
GDP—per capita: purchasing power
parity—$6,100 (1998 est.)
GDP—composition by sector:
agriculture: 12%
industry: 39%
services: 49% (1997 est.)
>>Population below poverty line:
13.1% (1992 est.)
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Communications |
>>Telephones:
1,553,200 (1994 est.)
>>Telephone system:
service to general public
adequate, but investments 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 200 (in
government-controlled network), FM 100 (in government-controlled network), shortwave
>>Radios:
10.75 million (1992
est.)
>>Television broadcast stations:
5 (all in Bangkok; in
addition, there are 131 repeaters) (1997)
>>Televisions:
3.3 million (1993 est.)
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Transportation |
>>Railways:
total: 4,623 km
narrow gauge: 4,623 km 1.000-m
gauge (99 km double track)
>>Highways:
total: 64,600 km
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 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:
total: 293 ships (1,000 GRT or
over) totaling 1,848,626 GRT/2,989,382 DWT
ships by type: bulk 41, cargo 135,
chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 1, container 13, liquefied gas tanker 17, multifunction large-load carrier 3, oil
tanker 61, passenger 1, refrigerated cargo 11, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 2
(1998 est.)
>>Airports:
107 (1998 est.)
>>Airports—with paved runways:
total: 56
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 4 (1998 est.)
>>Airports—with unpaved runways:
total: 51
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 35 (1998 est.)
>>Heliports:
3 (1998 est.)
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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:
17,486,014 (1999 est.)
>>Military manpower—fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 10,536,417
(1999 est.)
>>Military manpower—reaching military age annually:
males: 585,562 (1999 est.)
>>Military expenditures—dollar figure:
$1.95 billion (FY97/98)
>>Military expenditures—percent of GDP:
2.5% (FY97/98)
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Transnational Issues |
>>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
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