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Thailand
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Official Name: Kingdom of Thailand
National Anthem: 
Capital: Bangkok, population 700.000
Area: 513,115 Sq Km (198,115 Sq Mi)
Estimated 2005 Population:65,444,371
Location: 15° 00′ N 100° 00′ E
Time Zone
UTC+7
In Summer DST UTC+7
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Thailand is located in the center of mainland South East Asia. It is bound by the Andaman Sea to the west, Myanmar to the west and northwest, Laos to the east and northeast, Cambodia to the east as well as Malaysia and the Gulf of Thailand to the south. Major Cities (pop. est.); Bangkok 5,620,600, Nonthaburi 264,200, Nakhon Ratchasima 202,500, Chiang Mai 161,500 (1991).
Land Use; forested 26%, pastures 2%, agricultural-cultivated 41%, other 31% (1993).
The country is divided into five topographical regions
1) The southeast coast which has a lush and fertile plain.
2) The northeastern Khorat Plateau region which accounts for around 33% of the land area and is ringed by the Phanom Dongrak Mountain Range and Phetchabun Mountains.
3) A central lowland which is dominated by the Chao Phraya River and includes the central valley that comprises 22% of the land area.
4) The northern and western mountain regions which are a series of parallel mountain ranges separated by steep and narrow valleys.
5) The southern peninsula region which is divided by a series of north to south ridges which form a narrow swampy indented western coastal plain and a broad smooth eastern coastal plain.
Thailand Geography MORE
Phuket
Phuket is the biggest island in Thailand, located in the Andaman Sea, southern part of Thailand. The island is mostly mountainous with a mountain range in the west of the island from the north to the south. The mountains of Phuket form the southern end of a mountain chain, which ranges for 440 km from the Kra Isthmus. The highest elevation of the whole Phuket chain is the Khao Phra Mi with an elevation of 1138 m, however the highest elevation on the island itself is Mai Tha Sip Song (Twelve Canes), at 529 m above sea level.
70% of the island is covered by forest. The western coast has several sandy beaches, while on the east coast are more muddy beaches. Nearly the southernmost point is Laem Promthep (Brahma's Cape), which is a popular sunset viewpoint.
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Looking north from Kata View Point over Kata Noi Beach, Kata Beach and Karon Beach. |
In the mountainous north of the island is the Khao Phra Thaeo Wildlife Sanctuary, protecting more than 20 km² of rainforest. The three highest peaks of this reserve are the Khao Prathiu (384 m), Khao Bang Pae (388 m) and Khao Phara (422 m). The Sirinat National Park on the northwestern coast was established in 1981 and protects an area of 90 km² (68 km² marine area), including the Nai Yang beach where sea turtles lay their eggs.
One of the most popular tourist areas on Phuket is Patong Beach on the central western coast, perhaps due to the easy access to its wide and long beach. Most of Phuket's nightlife and its cheap shopping is located in Patong, and the area has become increasingly developed. Patong means "the forest fulled of Banana leaves" in Thai.
Other popular beaches are located south of Patong. In an counter-clockwise direction these include Karon Beach, Kata Beach, Kata Noi Beach, and around the southern tip of the island, Nai Harn Beach and Bang Tao Beach. These areas are generally much less developed than Patong, and sought out by individuals, families and other groups with a preference for more relaxed and less crowded environs than Patong. |
Karon Beach, December 2004. |
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Thailand has a tropical climate dominated by the monsoons. The climate is characterized in general by four seasons.
- A dry season from January to February.
- A hot season from March to May.
- A wet season from June to October
- A cool season from November to December
90% of rainfall occurs in the wet season. Average annual precipitation varies from 1,020 mm (40 inches) to 2,030 mm (80 inches) depending on the region. Average temperature ranges in Bangkok are from 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) in December to 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) in April.
Thailand Weather Now
Over 79% of the population are Thai of mostly Siamese and Laotian descent with the largest ethnic minority the Chinese who account for 14% of the population. Other ethnic minorities include Malay and Cambodians or Khmer.
Density; 111 persons per sq km (288 persons per sq mi) (1991). Urban-Rural; 18.7% urban, 81.3% rural (1990). Sex Distribution; 49.6% male, 50.4% female (1990). Life Expectancy at Birth; 66.0 years male, 71.0 years female (1993). Age Breakdown; 44% under 20, 34% 20 to 39, 16% 40 to 59, 4% 60 to 69, 2% 70 and over (1990). Birth Rate; 20.0 per 1,000 (1993). Death Rate; 6.0 per 1,000 (1993). Increase Rate; 14.0 per 1,000 (1993). Infant Mortality Rate; 25.0 per 1,000 live births (1991). MORE
The king has little direct power under the constitution but is the anointed protector of Thai Buddhism and a symbol of national identity and unity. The present monarch enjoys a great deal of popular respect and moral authority, which has on occasion been used to resolve political crises. The head of government is the Prime Minister, who is appointed by the king from among the members of the lower house of parliament, usually the leader of the party that can organise a majority coalition government.
The bicameral Thai parliament is the National Assembly (รัฐสภา, rathasapha) which consists of a House of Representatives (สภาผู้แทนราษฎร, sapha phuthaen ratsadon) of 500 seats and a Senate (วุฒิสภา, wuthisapha) of 200 seats. Members of both houses are elected by popular vote. The House of Representatives is elected by the first-past-the-post system, where only one candidate with a simple majority will be elected in one constituency. The Senate is elected based on the province system, where one province can return more than one Senator depending on its population size. Members of House of Representatives serve four-year terms, while Senators serve six-year terms. The law court system (ศาล, san) has three layers, the highest judicial body being the Supreme Court (ศาลฎีกา, sandika) whose judges are directly appointed by the monarch. Thailand is an active member of the regional Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
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Thailand Provinces
Thailand is divided into 75 provinces (จังหวัด, changwat), which are grouped into 5 groups of provinces by location. There are also 2 special governed districts: the capital Bangkok (Krung Thep Maha Nakhon in Thai) and Pattaya. However Pattaya is still part of Chonburi Province. And some Thai people still count Bangkok as one province, making Thailand a 76-province country. Each province is divided into smaller districts - as of 2000 there are 795 districts (อำเภอ, amphoe), 81 sub-districts (กิ่งอำเภอ, king amphoe) and 50 districts of Bangkok (เขต, khet). However, some parts of the provinces bordering Bangkok are referred to as Greater Bangkok (ปริมณฑล, pari monthon). These Provinces include Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Sakhon. The name of each capital city (เมือง, mueang) is the same as that of the province: for example, the capital of Chiang Mai province ( changwat Chiang Mai) is amphoe Mueang Chiang Mai. |
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The 75 provinces are as follows are broken down into 5 areas:
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Over 94% of the population follow Buddhism in its Theravada or Hinayana form. The remainder are Muslims with a small number of Christians.
Thai Buddhist Marble Temple in Bangkok |
Buddhist Temples in Thailand
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The official language is Thai which has four dialects. English is also widely understood and used for commerce purposes.
Learn To Speak Thai
While it is possible for foreigners to live in Thailand without speaking Thai, it is highly recommended that you obtain a working knowledge of the Thai language. An inability to communicate in Thai will cut you off from the mainstream of society, and dealing with those who don't speak a foreign language will be very difficult. You deny yourself as well the rich cultural experience of fully communicating with those from another culture.
To get you started and introduce you to the language, are some basic phrases and words in Thai. Click to hear the Thai phrase, the words to the right of the icon are how to say it.
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Aged 25 or over and having attained: no formal schooling 20.5%, primary 67.3%, secondary 9.3%, higher 2.9% (1980). Literacy; literate population aged 15 or over 28,451,390 or 88.8% (1985). MORE
Thailand's origin is traditionally tied to the short-lived kingdom of Sukhothai founded in 1238, after which the larger kingdom of Ayutthaya was established in the mid-14th century. Thai culture was greatly influenced by both China and India. Contact with various European powers began in the 16th century but, despite continued pressure, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power, though Western influence, including the threat of force, led to many reforms in the 19th century and major concessions to British mercantile interests, including the loss of the 3 southern provinces, which later became Malaysia's 3 northern states.
The Thais are very proud that they were never colonized by a European power. There are two main reasons for this: it was left as a buffer state between parts of Asia that were colonised by the French and the British and Thailand had a series of very able rulers in the 1800s.
A mostly bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. Known previously as Siam, the country first changed its name to Thailand in 1939, and definitively in 1949 after reverting to the old name post-World War II. During that conflict Thailand was in a loose alliance with Japan; following its conclusion Thailand became an ally of the United States. Thailand then saw a series of military coups d'état, but progressed towards democracy from the 1980s onward.
The official calendar in Thailand is based on the Buddhist Era, which is 543 years ahead of the western calendar. For example, the year AD 2006 is equal to the year 2549 BE.
On 26 December 2004 the southwest coast of Thailand was devastated by a tsunami following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. In places it was as high as 10 meters. It killed more than 5,000 people in Thailand, half of them tourists.
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The official currency is the Baht (THB) divided into 100 Satangs.
After enjoying the world's highest growth rate from 1985 to 1995 - averaging almost 9% annually - increased pressure on Thailand's currency, the baht, in 1997 led to a crisis that uncovered financial sector weaknesses and forced the government to float the currency. Long pegged at 25 to the US dollar, the baht reached its lowest point of 56 to the US dollar in January 1998 and the economy contracted by 10.2% that same year. The collapse prompted a wider Asian financial crisis.
Thailand entered a recovery stage in 1999, expanding 4.2% and grew 4.4% in 2000, largely due to strong exports - which increased about 20% in 2000. Growth was dampened by softening of global economy in 2001, but picked up in the subsequent years due to strong growth in China and the various domestic stimulation programs of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, popularly known as Thaksinomics. Growth in 2003 and 2004 was over 6% annually.
Substantial industries include electric appliances, components, computer parts and automobiles, while tourism contributes about 5% of the Thai economy's GDP.
Thailand Economy MORE
Phuket Economy
Tin mining has been a major source of income for the island since the 16th century. Chinese Businessmen, and Chinese workers were employed in the mines- mostly are Hakka Chinese, and their influence on Phuket culture and cuisine can still be felt today. With falling tin prices, the mining has now all but ceased. Nowadays, Phuket's economy rests on two pillars: rubber tree plantations (making Thailand the biggest producer of rubber in the world) and tourism.
Since the 1980s Phuket has become one of the major tourist attractions of Thailand, and most of the sandy beaches on the western coast of the island have been heavily developed into tourist centers, with Patong, Karon and Kata being the most popular ones. Along with its stunning beach, and picture-perfect landscape, the increase in tourists has been amazing. Since the 2004 Tsunami, all damaged buildings and attractions have been restored.
: Railroads; route length 3,924 km (2,438 mi) (1989), passenger-km 10,934,660,000 (6,794,481,000 passenger-mi) (1989), cargo ton-km 3,064,598,000 (2,098,943,000 short ton-mi) (1989). Roads; length 77,609 km (48,224 mi) (1988). Vehicles; cars 816,693 (1988), trucks and buses 1,851,139 (1988). Merchant Marine; vessels 296 (1990), deadweight tonnage 911,868 (1990). Air Transport; passenger-km 18,876,972,000 (11,729,603,000 passenger-mi) (1989), cargo ton-km 626,497,000 (429,088,000 short ton-mi) (1989). MORE
Daily Newspapers; total of 35 with a total circulation of 4,150,000 (1992). Radio; receivers 10,000,000 (1994). Television; receivers 3,300,000 (1994). Telephones; units 2,184,900 (1993). MORE
256,000 (1994) total active duty personnel with 58.6% army, 24.6% navy and 16.8% air force while military expenditure accounts for 2.9% (1993) of the Gross National Product (GNP). MORE
Link - Provides detailed information and statistics on Geography, People, Government, Economy, Communications, Transportation, Military and Transnational Issues. This is an invaluable resource for anyone looking for specific information or statistics relating to the country.
Link - World Bank Dat Profile provides key statistical information on People, Environment, Economy, Technology Infrastructure, Trade & Finance.
Link - link to a Wikipedia page providing a wealth of information from History and Culture through to Politics and Religion.
Link - link to the latest New Headlines for this country.
Link - link to Human Rights report for this country produces by Amnesty International.
Link - link to US Congress Country Study for this country. Contains comprehensive information on a wide range of topics, particularly good for historical context.
Link - link to GE Source World Guide providing country profile, demographics, economic data, satellite images.
Thaigov.go.th Royal Government of Thailand
Tourism Authority of Thailand Official tourism website
