Thailand

Thailand

Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is located in Southeast Asia and borders Laos and Cambodia to the east, the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia to the south, and the Andaman Sea and Myanmar to the west. The only country in the Southeast Asia to have never surrendered to the Colonial power, the country is home to several distinct geographic regions.

The constitutional monarchy was inaugurated following a bloodless revolution in 1932 in Thailand. Though an ally of Japan during the World War II, the country joined the side of the US aftermath the war.

Capital: Bangkok
Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma
Climate: tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon, dry, cool northeast monsoon, southern isthmus always hot and humid
Total Area: 514,000 sq km
Total Population: 65,068,149
Population Growth Rate: 0.663%
Sex Ratio: 0.979 male(s)/female
Literacy: 92.6%
Ethnic Groups: Thai, Chinese, others
Irrigated land: 49,860 sq km
Languages: Thai, English, ethnic and regional dialects
Time Zone: UTC+7
Currency: baht
Travel overview
Thailand is a stunning country replete with idyllic, unspoilt beaches, historic temples and unmatched natural beauty. Travelers should take into account the separatist violence in its southern ethnic Malay-Muslim provinces Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Songkhla. The open-air museum of Ancient City is worth a visit. The ancient temples of Ayuthaya are reminiscent of the golden are of architecture and civilization. The other important tourist attractions of Thailand include the Ao Phang-Nga National Marine Park, known for its fishing villages and limestone cliffs. Sirinat National Marine Park is famous for its beaches, wildlife reserve and a coral reef.
For adventure enthusiasts, a tour to the Kao Sam Roi Yot National Park is sine qua non.
Tourism is the mainstay of Thailand’s tourist economy. Many Hollywood films including The Man with the Golden Gun, The Bridge over River Kwai and Alex Garland’s The Beach have been shot in the locales of Thailand.

Neighbouring countries: Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia

Type of govt.: constitutional monarchy

Head of Govt.: Interim Prime Minister SURAYUT Chulanon
Major Political Parties: Democrat Party or DP, People's Party or PP, Thai Nation Party or TNP, Thai Party or TRT

Participation in International Organizations: 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

Major Agricultural Products: rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans

Natural Resources & Minerals: tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land.
Industry & Transport: 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

Airports: 108
Railways: 4,071 km
Roadways:
57,403 km
Waterways: 4,000 km
Major Trade Partners: US, Japan, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, UAE
Exports: $123.5 billion
Imports: $119.3 billion