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National Map
Of |
Thailand |
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National Flag
Of |
Thailand |
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Flag Description:
five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double
width), white, and red
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
Of |
Thailand |
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National Anthem
Of |
Thailand |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Thailand |
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Background:
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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 armed violence in
its three Muslim-majority southernmost provinces. |
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Location:
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Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the
Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma |
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Geographic coordinates:
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15 00 N,
100 00 E |
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Map references:
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Southeast
Asia |
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Area:
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total:
514,000 sq km
land: 511,770 sq km
water: 2,230 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
more than twice the size of Wyoming |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
4,863 km
border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803
km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km |
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Coastline:
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3,219 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation |
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Climate:
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tropical;
rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to
September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to
mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid |
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Terrain:
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central
plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m |
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Natural resources:
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tin,
rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead,
fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 29.36%
permanent crops: 6.46%
other: 64.18% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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47,490 sq
km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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land
subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion
of the water table; droughts |
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Environment - current issues:
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air
pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from
organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion;
wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party
to: 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
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea |
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Geography - note:
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controls
only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore |
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Population:
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65,444,371
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 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 23.9% (male 7,988,529/female 7,633,405)
15-64 years: 68.6% (male 22,195,625/female
22,731,767)
65 years and over: 7.5% (male 2,251,112/female
2,643,933) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
30.88 years
male: 30.11 years
female: 31.66 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.87%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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15.7
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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7.02
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
20.48 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.83 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 71.95 years
male: 69.65 years
female: 74.37 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.88
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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1.5%
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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570,000
(2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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58,000
(2003 est.) |
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Major infectious diseases:
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degree
of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
and hepatitis A
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, malaria,
Japanese encephalitis, and plague are high risks in some
locations
animal contact disease: rabies
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2004) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Thai (singular and plural)
adjective: Thai |
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Ethnic groups:
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Thai 75%,
Chinese 14%, other 11% |
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Religions:
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Buddhist
94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000
census) |
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Languages:
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Thai,
English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and
regional dialects |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.6%
male: 94.9%
female: 90.5% (2002) |
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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)
head of government: Prime Minister THAKSIN
Chinnawat (since 9 February 2001) and Deputy Prime
Ministers CHITCHAI Wannasathi (since 11 March 2005),
PHINIT Charusombat (since 6 October 2004), SOMKHIT
Chatusiphithak (since 11 March 2005), SURAKIAT
Sathianthai (since 11 March 2005); SURIYA
Chungrungruankit (since 3 August 2005), SUWAT
Liptapanlop (since 3 August 2005), WISANU Kruangam
(since 8 November 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
note: there is also a Privy Council
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 six-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 by
March 2006); House of Representatives - last held 6
February 2005 (next to be held in February 2009)
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 376, DP 97, TNP 25, PP 2 |
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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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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 Rak Thai Party or TRT [THAKSIN
Chinnawat] |
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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,
APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OPCW, OSCE
(partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR,
UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: KASIT Piromya
chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401,
Washington, DC 20007-3681
telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600
FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and
New York |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Ralph L. BOYCE
embassy: 120/22 Wireless Road, Bangkok
mailing address: APO AP 96546
telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000
FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131
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 |
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Economy - overview:
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Thailand
has a well developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise
economy, and welcomes foreign investment. Thailand has
fully recovered from the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis
and was one of East Asia's best performers in 2002-04.
Increased consumption and investment spending and strong
export growth pushed GDP growth up to 6.9% in 2003 and
6.1% in 2004 despite a sluggish global economy. The
highly popular government's expansionist policy,
including major support of village economic development,
has raised concerns about fiscal discipline and the
health of financial institutions. Bangkok has pursued
preferential trade agreements with a variety of partners
in an effort to boost exports and maintain high growth,
and in 2004 began negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement
with the US. 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. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$524.8
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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6.1%
(2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $8,100 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 9%
industry: 44.3%
services: 46.7% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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36.43
million (November 2004 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 49%, industry 14%, services 37% (2000 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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1.5%
(November 2004 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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10% (2004
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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51.1
(2002) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.8%
(2004 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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22.5% of
GDP (Jan - Sep 2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $30.86 billion
expenditures: $31.94 billion, including capital
expenditures of $5 billion (2004 est.) |
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Public debt:
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47.6% of
GDP (November 2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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rice,
cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts,
soybeans |
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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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8.5%
(2004 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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118.9
billion kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 91.3%
hydro: 6.4%
nuclear: 0%
other: 2.4% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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106.1
billion kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - exports:
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188
million kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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600
million kWh (2002) |
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Oil - production:
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225,000
bbl/day (2004 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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600
million bbl (1 January 2003) |
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Natural gas - production:
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18.73
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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23.93
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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5.2
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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368.2
billion cu m (1 January 2003) |
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Current account balance:
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$6.736
billion (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$87.91
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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textiles
and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry,
automobiles, computers and electrical appliances |
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Exports - partners:
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US 15.9%,
Japan 13.9%, China 7.3%, Singapore 7.2%, Malaysia 5.4%,
Hong Kong 5.1% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$80.84
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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capital
goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer
goods, fuels |
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Imports - partners:
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Japan
23.6%, China 8.6%, US 7.6%, Malaysia 5.8%, Singapore
4.4%, Taiwan 4.1% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$48.3
billion (2004) |
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Debt - external:
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$50.59
billion (2004 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$72
million (2002) |
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Currency (code):
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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 - 40.222 (2004), 41.485 (2003), 42.96 (2002),
44.432 (2001), 40.112 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 October
- 30 September |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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6,617,400
(2003) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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26.5
million (2005) |
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Telephone system:
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general assessment: high quality system, especially
in urban areas like Bangkok; WTO requirement for
privatization of telecom sector is planned to be
complete by 2006
domestic: fixed line system provided by both a
government owned and commercial provider; wireless
service expanding rapidly and outpacing fixed lines
international: country code - 66; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific
Ocean); landing country for APCN submarine cable |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 204,
FM 334, shortwave 6 (1999) |
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Radios:
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13.96
million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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5 (all in
Bangkok; plus 131 repeaters) (1997) |
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Televisions:
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15.19
million (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.th |
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Internet hosts:
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103,700
(2003) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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15 (2000)
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Internet users:
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6,971,500
(2003) |
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Railways:
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total:
4,071 km
narrow gauge: 4,071 km 1.000-m gauge (2004) |
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Highways:
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total:
57,403 km
paved: 56,542 km
unpaved: 861 km (2000 est.) |
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Waterways:
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4,000 km
note: 3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up
to 0.9 m (2003) |
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Pipelines:
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gas 3,112
km; refined products 265 km (2004) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Bangkok,
Laem Chabang, Prachuap Port, Si Racha |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
386 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,038,597 GRT/3,104,712
DWT
by type: bulk carrier 57, cargo 142, chemical
tanker 12, combination ore/oil 1, container 21,
liquefied gas 25, passenger 3, passenger/cargo 4,
petroleum tanker 89, refrigerated cargo 30, roll on/roll
off 1, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 55 (Indonesia 1, Japan 3, Norway
45, Singapore 6)
registered in other countries: 35 (2005) |
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Airports:
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109 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
65
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 19
under 914 m: 6 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
44
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 28 (2004 est.) |
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Heliports:
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3 (2004
est.) |
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Military branches:
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Royal
Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (includes Royal Thai Marine
Corps), Royal Thai Air Force |
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Military service age and obligation:
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21 years
of age for compulsory military service; males are
registered at 18 years of age; conscript service
obliation - 2 years; 18 years of age for voluntary
military service (2004) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 21-49: 14.984 million (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 21-49: 10,342,337 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males:
530,493 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$1.775
billion (FY00) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1.8%
(2003) |
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Disputes - international:
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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; Laos and Thailand pledge to
complete demarcation of their boundary in 2005; despite
continuing border committee talks, significant
differences remain with Burma over boundary alignment
and the handling of ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal
cross-border activities; Cambodia and Thailand dispute
sections of 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;
ethnic Karens from Burma flee into Thailand to escape
fighting between Karen rebels and Burmese troops
resulting in Thailand sheltering about 118,000 Burmese
refugees in 2004; Karens also protest Thai support for a
Burmese hydroelectric dam construction on the Salween
River near the border; environmentalists in Burma and
Thailand remain concerned about China's construction of
hydroelectric dams upstream on the Nujiang/Salween River
in Yunnan Province |
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Refugees and internally displaced persons:
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refugees (country of origin): 118,407 (Burma) (2004)
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Illicit drugs:
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a minor
producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana; 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 methamphetamine |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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