Thailand

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

13 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999)

Radios

13.96 million (1997)

Telephone system

service to general public adequate, but investment 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)

Telephones - main lines in use

5.4 million (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2.3 million (1998)

Television broadcast stations

5 (all in Bangkok; plus 131 repeaters) (1997)

Televisions

15.19 million (1997)

Agriculture - products

rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans

Budget

revenues: $20 billion expenditures: $23 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 est.)

Currency

1 baht (B) = 100 satang

Debt - external

$80 billion (1999 est.)

Economic aid - recipient

$1.732 billion (1995)

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.

Electricity - consumption

80.293 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports

138 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

700 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

85 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 91.44% hydro: 8.56% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)

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)

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)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP

purchasing power parity - $388.7 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 12% industry: 39% services: 49% (1997 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $6,400 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 37.1% (1992)

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)

Industrial production growth rate

12.6% (1999 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.4% (1999 est.)

Labor force

32.6 million (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 54%, industry 15%, services 31% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line

12.5% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.5% (1998 est.)

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

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

Coastline

3,219 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m

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, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

15 00 N, 100 00 E

Geography - note

controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

Irrigated land

44,000 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 4,863 km border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km

Land use

arable land: 34% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures: 2% forests and woodland: 26% other: 32% (1993 est.)

Location

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards

land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts

Natural resources

tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Terrain

central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere

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

Capital

Bangkok

Constitution

new constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997

Country name

conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand conventional short form: Thailand

Data code

TH

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Richard HECKLINGER embassy: 120 Wireless Road, Bangkok mailing address: APO AP 96546 telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000 FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990 consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador NIT Phibunsongkhram (due to leave March 2000) chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600 FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Executive branch

chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946) head of government: Prime Minister CHUAN Likphai (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

Flag description

five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red

Government type

constitutional monarchy

Independence

1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

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, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNTAET, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (Sandika), judges appointed by the monarch

Legal system

based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

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) 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, PDP 1

National holiday

Birthday of His Majesty the King, 5 December (1927)

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [CHUAN Likphai]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP (Seri Tham) [PHINIT Charusombat]; Mass Party or MP [CHALERM Yoobamrung, SOPHON Petchsavang]; National Development Party or NDP (Chat Phattana) [KON Thappharangsi]; New Aspiration Party or NAP (Khwamwang Mai) [Gen. CHAWALIT Yongchaiyut]; Phalang Dharma Party or PDP (Phalang Tham) [CHAIWAT Sinsuwong]; Social Action Party or SAP (Kitsangkhom Party) [SUWIT Khunkitti]; 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]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Background

A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century; it was 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.

Military branches

Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force, Paramilitary Forces

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$2.075 billion (FY97/98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

1.3% (FY97/98)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 17,621,080 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 10,603,857 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 580,014 (2000 est.)

Age structure

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) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

16.86 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

7.53 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%

Infant mortality rate

31.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 68.55 years male: 65.29 years female: 71.97 years (2000 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.8% male: 96% female: 91.6% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Thai (singular and plural) adjective: Thai

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

61,230,874 note: 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 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

0.93% (2000 est.)

Religions

Buddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism 0.1%, other 0.6% (1991)

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 (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.88 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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 [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Airports

106 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 56 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 4 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 50 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 16 under 914 m: 33 (1999 est.)

Heliports

3 (1999 est.)

Highways

total: 64,600 km paved: 62,985 km unpaved: 1,615 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

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.)

Pipelines

petroleum products 67 km; natural gas 350 km

Ports and harbors

Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip, Si Racha, Songkhla

Railways

total: 3,940 km narrow gauge: 3,940 km 1.000-m gauge (99 km double track)

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