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Thailand is situated in South-East Asia, covering an area of nearly 513,115 square kilometres. It is roughly the size of France. It shares land borders with Myanmar (Burma) in the north and west, the Andaman Sea in the west, Laos in the north and north-east, Cambodia and the Gulf of Thailand in the east, and Malaysia in the south.
The shape of the country is similar to the profile of an elephant with a long trunk stretching down the peninsular. At school, students are taught that their country resembles the shape of an ancient axe with the peninsular being the handle. |
Geography :
Thailand covers a land area of 513,115 square kilometres (198,114 square miles), extends about 1,620 kilometres (1,007 miles) from north to south and 750 kilometres (482 miles) at its widest point from east to west, or approximately the same size as France, with a coastline of approximately 2,700 kilometres (1,143 miles) on the Gulf of Thailand and 865 kilometres (537 miles) along the Indian Ocean.
Lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
Highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m
Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N, 100 00 E
Natural resources: tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite
Climate: The climate is sub-tropical with long hours of sunshine and high humidity. There are three seasons. The hot season lasts from March to June. The rainy season, from July to October. The cool season from November to February. Average low temperature is 20c and high temperature is 37c. The geographic and climatic conditions make the country suitable for the cultivation of a wide range of tropical and semi-tropical agricultural crops.
Land use: arable land: 34%, permanent crops: 6%, permanent pastures: 2%, forests and woodland: 26%, other: 32%.
Irrigated land: 49,860 sq km (2003)
Thailand is divided into four geographical regions : Central Thailand (including Bangkok), Northern Thailand, Northeastern Thailand, and Southern Thailand. The country has also an Eastern Region which is often included into the Central Region.
People :
Population : About 65,905,410 people (2009 est.). Life expectancy at birth : male 70.8 years ; female : 75.5 years ; total population 73.1 years.
Infant mortality rate 17.63 deaths/1,000 live births ; total fertility rate 1.65 children born/woman (higher in provinces, lower in Bangkok, 2009). Birth rate 13.4/1000 population ; death rate 7.17/1000 population. All 2009 estimates. Infant mortality rate as well as birth rate declining steadily. See : Thailand's declining fertility rate.
Ethnic groups : Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%
Religions : Buddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism 0.1%
Languages : Thai (English language and Chinese language newspapers available)
Literacy (age 15 and over who can read and write) : 92.6%
Government :
The conventional long name of the country : Kingdom of Thailand. Short name : Thailand, formerly named Siam.
Thailand has a constitutional monarchy. King Bhumibol Adulyadej is head of state. Bangkok is the capital of Thailand. The country has 76 provinces.
Recent political developments :
General parliamentary elections in Thailand were held on 3 July 2011. The Pheu Thai Party obtained a clear majority of the seats (265). It formed a coalition government with a number of other small parties : Chart Thai Pattana (19), Chart Pattana Puea Pandin (7), Phalang Chon (7), Mahachon Party (1), New Democracy Party (1).
The Democrat Party (which headed the previous government of Abhisit
Vejjajiva) with 159 seats in parliament, is the main opposition party.
Yingluck Shinawatra, a sister of deposed former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, became the first female prime minister of Thailand, on 5 August 2011.
See also :
Recent summary of political developments from 2006-2009 : prime ministers, political unrest.
The National Assembly (legislative branch) consists of the Senate (200 seats) and the House of Representatives (500 seats). Members to both are elected every four years.
Judiciary : Supreme Court or Sandika (judges appointed by H.M. the King)
Economy :
Thailand enjoyed very high growth rates between 1985 and 1995 (9% annually). A severe economic crisis followed in 1997. At the time the baht was allowed to float (before it was pegged to the dollar at about 25 baht for one dollar). After years of languishing at a low exchange rate, through 2007 the Thai Baht has been rising in value (mostly due to US dollar weakness) and the exchange rate now is about 33 baht for one dollar mid 2009. Under the government of Khun Thaksin Shinawatra, the economy recovered with growth rates between 5-7%. Growth rate in 2007 was 4.9% and growth for 2008 was 2.75%. The first 6 months of 2009 GDP was -6.0 % compared to the first 6 months of 2008, mirroring the global economic downturn.
Contribution to GDP (approximate 2008) : Agriculture 11.4 % (although a much larger proportion of the population is working in this sector) ; industry 44.5 %, services 44.1 %.
GDP Thailand 553.4 billion US Dollar (PPP) ; standard GDP 272.1 billion US Dollar.
Labour force by occupation : agriculture 43 %, industry 20 %, services 37 %.
GDP - per capita (purchasing power parity) : US$ 8,500 (much higher in Bangkok, much lower in many rural areas). [estimate 2008]
'Standard GDP' : 127,064 bath per year (est. for 2007).
See Graphs and Analysis of GDP Data for Thailand and its provinces.
Exports during 2009 and 2010 valued 150.7 and 193.5 billion US dollar respectively.
Imports during 2009 and 2010 valued 118 and 161.3 billion US dollar respectively.
Interestingly, newspapers articles often feature business and industry leaders complaining about the ever-strengthening Thai baht (that is, the weakening US dollar), since this would dramatically impair Thai exports. In practice, this has not happened as of 2011, and actually during 2011, the Thai baht has weakened a bit against the US dollar. In October 2011, one US dollar values about 31 Thai baht.
The major bulk in value for exported goods come from the following : machinery, mechanical applicances (15%), electrical apparatus (10.6%), vehicles, parts and accessories (8.5%), electrical appliances (7.7%). Agricultural products (though growing now) only account for 9.2% of total export value, though a large proportion of the population is still working in that sector
Total foreign currency reserves stand at 182 Billion US Dollar in October 2011 (and rising).
The target of the Bank of Thailand's policies, is to keep core inflation between 0.5 and 3.0 %.
Inflation for 2008, 2009 and 2010, measured 5.4%, -0.9 % and 3.3 % respectively (World Bank).
In september 2011, core inflation stood at 2.92 % and headline inflation (including oil and basic food materials) at 4.03%.
Interest rates have been lowered during 2008 and 2009. In 2009 they stood at 1.25 %. In 2010 and 2011, with increasing inflationary pressure, the Bank of Thailand slowly increased rates. In October 2011, the Policy Interest Rate stood at 3.50 % (unchanged from a previous Monetary Policy Committee meeting). The effect of the severe floods in September, October 2011, still needs further accessing.
Important industries : Tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural products, beverages, tobacco, cement, jewelry, electric appliances and components, computer and computer accessories, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics, tin
Communications :
There are many Thai language T.V. stations. English-language programs are also widely available through cable TV (including BBC, CNN, NSBC etc.)
Mobile phone use is widespread, with 56.4 million phones (2008). There are many more mobile phones than fixed line phones.
Internet access is available throughout the country. Cities and towns in Thailand have Internet-Cafes with cheap rate of access (less than 1 dollar per hour usually). Broadband services are also available and are now being heavily promoted, though the country is lagging when compared to most of the rest of Asia.
Sources : National Statistical Office, Bank of Thailand ; NESDB ; World Bank ; CIA World Factbook ; Bangkok Post daily newspaper.
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