]! ^! A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century. 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. Thailand is currently facing separatist violence in its southern ethnic Malay-Muslim provinces. 
]" ^" Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma ^# 15 00 N, 100 00 E ^$ Southeast Asia ^% `! 514,000 sq km `" 511,770 sq km `# 2,230 sq km ^& slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming ^' `! 4,863 km `Y Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km ^( 3,219 km ^) `$ 12 nm `N 200 nm `O 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation ^* 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 ^, `% Gulf of Thailand 0 m `& Doi Inthanon 2,576 m ^- tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land ^. `' 27.54% `( 6.93% `) 65.53% (2005) ^/ 49,860 sq km (2003) ^0 land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts ^1 air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting _P `P Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands `Q Law of the Sea ^2 controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore 
]# ^3 65,068,149 `* estimates for this country 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 sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2007 est.) ^4 `+ 21.6% (male 7,195,750/female 6,870,858) `, 70.1% (male 22,547,238/female 23,092,881) `- 8.2% (male 2,437,640/female 2,923,782) (2007 est.) ^5 `! 32.4 years `. 31.6 years `/ 33.2 years (2007 est.) ^6 0.663% (2007 est.) ^7 13.73 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) ^8 7.1 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) ^9 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) ^: `0 1.05 male(s)/female `1 1.047 male(s)/female `, 0.976 male(s)/female `- 0.834 male(s)/female `2 0.979 male(s)/female (2007 est.) ^; `! 18.85 deaths/1,000 live births `. 20.13 deaths/1,000 live births `/ 17.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) ^< `2 72.55 years `. 70.24 years `/ 74.98 years (2007 est.) ^= 1.64 children born/woman (2007 est.) ^> 1.5% (2003 est.) ^? 570,000 (2003 est.) ^@ 58,000 (2003 est.) _` `h high `i bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria, Japanese encephalitis, and plague are high risks in some locations `j rabies water contact disease: leptospirosis `* highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified among birds in this country or surrounding region; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2007) ^A `3 Thai (singular and plural) `4 Thai ^B Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11% ^C Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census) ^D Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects ^E `5 age 15 and over can read and write `2 92.6% `. 94.9% `/ 90.5% (2002) 
]$ ^F `6 Kingdom of Thailand `7 Thailand `Z Ratcha Anachak Thai `[ Prathet Thai `\ Siam ^H constitutional monarchy ^I `8 Bangkok `9 13 45 N, 100 31 E `: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) ^J 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 ^K 1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized) ^L Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927) ^M constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997; abrogated on 19 September 2006 after coup; interim constitution promulgated on 1 October 2006; coup leaders have promised new constitution by end of 2007 ^N based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction ^O 18 years of age; universal and compulsory ^P `; King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946) `< Interim Prime Minister SURAYUT Chulanon (since 1 October 2006) `* Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat was overthrown on 19 September 2006 in a coup led by General SONTHI Boonyaratglin `= Council of Ministers `* there is also a Privy Council `> none; monarch is hereditary; according to 1997 constitution, prime minister was designated from among members of House of Representatives; following national elections for House of Representatives, leader of party that could organize a majority coalition usually was appointed prime minister by king ^Q bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consisted of the Senate or Wuthisapha (200 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (500 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms); after coup in September 2006, coup leaders appointed an interim National Assembly with 250 members to act as Senate and House of Representatives `> Senate - last held on 19 April 2006; House of Representatives - last valid election held on 6 February 2005; elections held on 2 April 2006 invalidated by court ruling; coup leaders suggest next general election will be held in December 2007 `? Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; House of Representatives - (2005 election) percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - TRT 376, DP 97, TNP 25, PP 2 ^R Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch) ^S Democrat Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [ABHISIT Wetchachiwa]; People's Party or PP (Mahachon Party) [ANEK Laothamatas]; Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BARNHARN SILPA-ARCHA]; Thai Party (Thai Rak) or TRT [CHATURON Chaisang] ^T NA ^U APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, BIS, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO ^V `R Ambassador VIRASAK Futrakul `S 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20007-3681 `T [1] (202) 944-3600 `U [1] (202) 944-3611 `V Chicago, Los Angeles, New York ^W `R Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCE `_ 120-122 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330 `` APO AP 96546 `T [66] (2) 205-4000 `U [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131 `V Chiang Mai ^X five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red 
]% ^Y With a well-developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy, and pro-investment policies, Thailand appears to have fully recovered from the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis. The country was one of East Asia's best performers from 2002-04. Boosted by increased consumption and strong export growth, the Thai economy grew 6.9% in 2003 and 6.1% in 2004 despite a sluggish global economy. Bangkok has pursued preferential trade agreements with a variety of partners in an effort to boost exports and to maintain high growth. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took 8,500 lives in Thailand and caused massive destruction of property in the southern provinces of Krabi, Phangnga, and Phuket. In 2006, investment stagnated as investors, spooked by the THAKSIN administration's political problems, stayed on the sidelines. The military coup in September brought in a new economic team led by the former central bank governor. In December, the Thai Board of Investment reported the value of investment applications from January to November had declined by 27% year-on-year. On the positive side, exports have performed at record levels, rising nearly 17% in 2006. Export-oriented manufacturing - in particular automobile production - and farm output are driving these gains. ^Z $585.9 billion (2006 est.) ^[ $196.6 billion (2006 est.) ^\ 4.8% (2006 est.) ^] $9,100 (2006 est.) ^^ `@ 10% `A 44.9% `B 45.2% (2006 est.) ^_ 36.41 million (2006 est.) ^` `@ 49% `A 14% `B 37% (2000 est.) ^a 2.1% (2006 est.) _! 10% (2004 est.) _" `C 2.8% `D 32.4% (1998) _d 51.1 (2002) _# 5.1% (2006 est.) _V 28.7% of GDP (2006 est.) _$ `E $40.31 billion `F $40.34 billion; including capital expenditures of $5 billion (2006 est.) _% 43.5% of GDP (2006 est.) _& rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans _' tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry and electric appliances, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics, automobiles and automotive parts; world's second-largest tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer _( 6% (2006 est.) _) 121.7 billion kWh (2004) _* 116.2 billion kWh (2004) _+ 372 million kWh (2004) _, 3.388 billion kWh (2004) _- 230,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) _. 900,000 bbl/day (2004 est.) _/ NA bbl/day _0 NA bbl/day _W 583 million bbl (November 2003) _1 22.36 billion cu m (2004 est.) _2 29.86 billion cu m (2004 est.) _X 0 cu m (2004 est.) _Y 7.5 billion cu m (2004 est.) _Z 377.7 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.) _Q $-899.4 million (2006 est.) _3 $123.5 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) _4 textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances _5 US 15.4%, Japan 13.6%, China 8.3%, Singapore 6.9%, Hong Kong 5.6%, Malaysia 5.2% (2005) _6 $119.3 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.) _7 capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels _8 Japan 22%, China 9.4%, US 7.4%, Malaysia 6.8%, UAE 4.8%, Singapore 4.6% (2005) _[ $59.06 billion (2006 est.) _9 $57.83 billion (30 June 2006 est.) _: $72 million (2002) _; baht (THB) _< baht per US dollar - 37.882 (2006), 40.22 (2005), 40.222 (2004), 41.485 (2003), 42.96 (2002) _= 1 October - 30 September 
]& _> 7.035 million (2005) _? 27.379 million (2005) _@ `G high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok `H fixed line system provided by both a government owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly and outpacing fixed lines `I country code - 66; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean); landing country for APCN submarine cable _A AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999) _B 111 (2006) _C .th _D 938,784 (2006) _E 8.42 million (2005) 
]' _F 108 (2006) _G `! 66 `a 8 `J 11 `b 22 `c 20 `W 5 (2006) _R `! 42 `b 1 `c 15 `W 26 (2006) _] 3 (2006) _^ gas 3,760 km; refined products 379 km (2006) _e `! 4,071 km `n 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) _H `! 57,403 km `K 56,542 km `L 861 km (2000) _b 4,000 km `* 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m (2005) _S `! 400 ships (1000 GRT or over) 2,808,509 GRT/4,317,320 DWT by type: bulk carrier 60, cargo 145, chemical tanker 14, container 21, liquefied gas 29, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 91, refrigerated cargo 32, specialized tanker 1 `X 45 (China 1, Egypt 1, Indonesia 1, Japan 4, Norway 30, Singapore 6, UK 2) `d 34 (Bahamas 1, Mongolia 1, Panama 9, Singapore 22, Tuvalu 1) (2006) _I Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Prachuap Port, Si Racha 
]( _J Royal Thai Army (RTA), Royal Thai Navy (RTN, includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force (Knogtap Agard Thai, RTAF) (2006) _T 21 years of age for compulsory military service; males are registered at 18 years of age; conscript service obligation - 2 years; 18 years of age for voluntary military service (2004) _K males age 21-49: 14,903,855 females age 21-49: 15,265,854 (2005 est.) Manpower fit for military service: males age 21-49: 10,396,032 females age 21-49: 11,487,690 (2005 est.) _L males age 18-49: 526,276 females age 21-49: 514,396 (2005 est.) _U 1.8% (2005 est.) 
]) _N separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities; Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of demarcation with Laos but disputes remain over several islands in the Mekong River; despite continuing border committee talks, Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities, and as of 2006, over 116,000 Karen, Hmong, and other refugees and asylum seekers from Burma; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of historic boundary with missing boundary markers; Cambodia claims Thai encroachments into Cambodian territory and obstructing access to Preah Vihear temple ruins awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween river near the border with Burma; in 2004, international environmentalist pressure prompted China to halt construction of 13 dams on the Salween River that flows through China, Burma, and Thailand _c `o 116,499 (Burma) (2006) _O a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; transit point for illicit 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 methamphetamine production for regional consumption; major consumer of methamphetamine since the 1990s despite a series of government crackdowns 