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 treaty ally following the conflict. A military coup in September 2006 ousted then Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat. The interim government held elections in December 2007 that saw the former pro-THAKSIN People's Power Party (PPP) emerge at the head of a coalition government. The anti-THAKSIN People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) in May 2008 began street demonstrations against the new government, eventually occupying the prime minister's office in August and Bangkok's two international airports in November. The PAD ended their protests in early December 2008 following a court ruling that dissolved the ruling PPP and two other coalition parties for election violations. The Democrat Party then formed a new coalition government and ABHISIT Wetchachiwa became prime minister. In October 2008 THAKSIN went into voluntary exile to avoid imprisonment for a corruption conviction, and has since agitated his followers from abroad. THAKSIN supporters re-organized into the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) and rioted in April 2009, shutting down an ASEAN meeting in Phuket, and in early 2010 protested a court verdict confiscating most of THAKSIN's wealth. Since January 2004, thousands have been killed as separatists in Thailand's southern ethnic Malay-Muslim provinces increased the violence associated with their cause.

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

slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming

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

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

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

air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting

controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore

13.38 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

7.12 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

1.65 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%

Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census)

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

constitutional monarchy

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

1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

Birthday of King PHUMIPHON (BHUMIBOL), 5 December (1927)

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

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consisted of the Senate or Wuthisapha (150 seats; 76 members elected by popular vote representing 76 provinces, 74 appointed by judges and independent government bodies; members serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (480 seats; 400 members elected from 157 multi-seat constituencies and 80 elected on proportional party-list basis of 10 per eight zones or groupings of provinces; members serve four-year terms)

Constitutional Court, Supreme Court of Justice, and Supreme Administrative Court; all judges are appointed by the king; the king's appointments to the Constitutional Courtare made upon the advice of the Senate; the nine Constitutional Court judges are drawn from the Supreme Court of Justice and Supreme Administrative Court as well as from among substantive experts in law and social sciences outside the judiciary

Chat Thai Phattana Party or CP (Thai Nation Development Party) [CHUMPON Silpa-archa]; Democrat Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [ABHISIT Wetchachiwa, also spelled ABHISIT Vejjajiva]; Motherland Party (Phuea Phaendin Party) [CHANCHAI Chairungrueng]; Phuea Thai Party (For Thais Party) or PTP; Phumchai (Bhumjai) Thai Party or PCT (Thai Pride) [CHAWARAT Chanvirakun]; Royalist People's Party (Pracharaj) [SANOH Thienthong]; Ruam Jai Thai Party (Thai Unity Party) [WANNARAT Channukun]

People's Alliance for Democracy or PAD; United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship or UDD

ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, BIS, CICA, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red; the red color symbolizes the nation and the blood of life; white represents religion and the purity of Buddhism; blue stands for the monarchy

With a well-developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy, generally pro-investment policies, and strong export industries, Thailand enjoyed solid growth from 2000 to 2008 - averaging more than 4% per year - as it recovered from the Asian financial crisis of 1997-98. Thai exports - mostly machinery and electronic components, agricultural commodities, and jewelry - continue to drive the economy, accounting for more than half of GDP. The global financial crisis of 2008-09 severely cut Thailand's exports, with most sectors experiencing double-digit drops. In 2009, the economy contracted 2.8%. The Thai government is focusing on financing domestic infrastructure projects and stimulus programs to revive the economy, as external trade is still recovering and persistent internal political tension and investment disputes threaten to damage the investment climate.

$540.1 billion (2009 est.)

$552.3 billion (2008 est.)

$538.8 billion (2007 est.)

$263.9 billion (2009 est.)

38.43 million (2009 est.)

24.4% of GDP (2009 est.)

45.9% of GDP (2009 est.)

38% of GDP (2008 est.)

1.75% (31 December 2009)

3.25% (31 December 2008)

6.05% (31 December 2009)

7.04% (31 December 2008)

$35.35 billion (31 December 2009)

$28.76 billion (31 December 2008)

$283.6 billion (31 December 2009)

$237.5 billion (31 December 2008)

$301 billion (31 December 2009)

$274.1 billion (31 December 2008)

$142.2 billion (31 December 2009)

$102.6 billion (31 December 2008)

$196 billion (31 December 2007)

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

148.2 billion kWh (2008 est.)

134.4 billion kWh (2008 est.)

846 million kWh (2009 est.)

2.313 billion kWh (2009 est.)

340,900 bbl/day (2009 est.)

923,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

269,100 bbl/day (2009 est.)

1.695 million bbl/day (2009 est.)

441 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

28.76 billion cu m (2008 est.)

37.31 billion cu m (2008 est.)

8.55 billion cu m (2008 est.)

317.1 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

$18.01 billion (2009 est.)

-$113 million (2008 est.)

$154.2 billion (2009 est.)

$175.3 billion (2008 est.)

textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances

US 10.94%, China 10.58%, Japan 10.32%, Hong Kong 6.22%, Australia 5.62%, Malaysia 5.03%, Singapore 4.97% (2009)

$119 billion (2009 est.)

$157.3 billion (2008 est.)

capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels

Japan 18.7%, China 12.73%, Malaysia 6.41%, US 6.31%, UAE 4.98%, Singapore 4.27%, South Korea 4.05% (2009)

$138.4 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$111 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$66.3 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$65.09 billion (31 December 2008)

$93.84 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$88.52 billion (31 December 2008)

$10.52 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$7.013 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

baht per US dollar - 34.318 (2009), 33.37 (2008), 34.52 (2007), 37.882 (2006), 40.22 (2005)

7.024 million (2008)

6 terrestrial TV stations in Bangkok broadcast nationally via relay stations - 2 of the networks are owned by the military, the other 4 are government-owned or controlled, leased to private enterprise, and are all required to broadcast government-produced news programs twice a day; multi-channel satellite and cable TV subscription services are available; radio frequencies have been allotted for more than 500 government and commercial radio stations; many small community radio stations operate with low-power transmitters (2008)

1.231 million (2009)

gas 1,348 km; refined products 323 km (2009)

Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Prachuap Port, Si Racha

Royal Thai Army (Kongthap Bok Thai, RTA), Royal Thai Navy (Kongthap Ruea Thai, RTN, includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force (Kongthap Agard Thai, RTAF) (2010)

21 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; males are registered at 18 years of age; 2-year conscript service obligation (2009)

1.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

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

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