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NAVIGATION
Kingdom of Thailand
former: Siam
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand
conventional short form: Thailand former: Siam |
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Government type:
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constitutional monarchy |
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Capital:
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Bangkok |
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Administrative divisions:
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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 |
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Independence:
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1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized) |
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National holiday:
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Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927) |
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Constitution:
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new constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997 |
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Legal system:
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based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)
note: there is also a Privy Council head of government: Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat (since 9 February 2001) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gen. (Ret.) CHAWALIT Yongchaiyut, KON Thappharansi, SUWIT Khunkitti, CHATURON Chaisaeng, VISHANU Krua-ngam, and PROMMIN Lertsuridej (since 18 February 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister is designated from among the members of the House of Representatives; following national elections for the House of Representatives, the leader of the party that can organize a majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the king |
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Legislative branch:
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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 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Democratic Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [CHUAN Likphai]; Mass Party or MP [CHALERM Yoobamrung, SOPHON Petchsavang]; National Development Party or NDP (Chat Phattana) [KORN Dabbaransi]; Phalang Dharma Party or PDP (Phalang Tham) [CHAIWAT Sinsuwong]; 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]
note: the Liberal Democratic Party or LDP (Seri Tham) and the New Aspiration Party or NAP (Khwamwang Mai) no longer exist as separate parties; elements of the two parties joined the Thai Rak Thai Party or TRT |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMISET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador SAKTHIP Krairiksh
chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Darryl N. JOHNSON
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 |
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Flag description:
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five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red |
ECONOMY
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Economy - overview:
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Thailand has a free enterprise economy and welcomes foreign investment. Exports feature computers and electrical appliances. 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 then entered a recovery stage, expanding by 4.2% in 1999 and 4.4% in 2000, largely due to strong exports. An ailing financial sector and the slow pace of corporate debt restructuring, combined with a softening of global demand, slowed growth to 1.4% in 2001. Increased consumption and investment spending pushed GDP growth up to 5.2% in 2002 despite a sluggish global economy. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $429 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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5.2% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $6,900 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 11%
industry: 40% services: 49% (2001) |
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Population below poverty line:
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12.5% (1998 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 32.4% (1998) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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41.4 (1998) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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0.6% (2002) |
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Labor force:
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33.4 million (2001 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 54%, industry 15%, services 31% (1996 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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2.9% (2002 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $19 billion
expenditures: $21 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
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Industries:
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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 |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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3% (2000 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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97.6 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 91.3%
hydro: 6.4% other: 2.3% (2001) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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90.91 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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200 million kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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350 million kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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173,800 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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785,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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551.5 million bbl (January 2002 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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368.2 billion cu m (January 2002 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans |
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Exports:
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$67.7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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computers, transistors, seafood, clothing, rice (2000) |
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Exports - partners:
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US 19.6%, Japan 14.5%, Singapore 8.1%, Hong Kong 5.4%, China 5.2%, Malaysia 4.1% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$58.1 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels (2000) |
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Imports - partners:
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Japan 23.0%, US 9.6%, China 7.6%, Malaysia 5.6%, Singapore 4.5%, Taiwan 4.4% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$62.5 billion (2002 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$131.5 million (1998 est.) |
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Currency:
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baht (THB) |
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Currency code:
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THB |
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Exchange rates:
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baht per US dollar - 42.9601 (2002), 44.4319 (2001), 40.1118 (2000), 37.8137 (1999), 41.3594 (1998) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 October - 30 September |