THAILANDMore about Thailand Information about travelling to ThailandThailand is located in Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma |
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Facts about Thailand
General info about Thailand
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. A military coup in September 2006 ousted then Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat. The military government held elections in December 2007 that saw the 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 March 2008 began street demonstrations against the new government, eventually occupying the prime minister's office. Clashes in October 2008 between PAD protesters blocking parliament and police resulted in the death of at least two people. The PAD occupied Bangkok's international airports and only ended their protests in early December 2008 following a court ruling that dissolved the ruling PPP and three other coalition parties. The Democrat Party then formed a new coalition government with the support of some of THAKSIN's former political allies. Thousands of people have been killed since separatists in Thailand's southern ethnic Malay-Muslim provinces increased the violence associated with their cause.
Disease threats degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea and hepatitis A
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Languages spoken Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects What about drugs? 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 Ethnic division Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11% HIV/AIDS prevalence rate 1.5% (2003 est.) 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 Resources tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land Economy With a well-developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy, and generally pro-investment policies, Thailand was one of East Asia's best performers from 2002-04, averaging more than 6% annual real GDP growth. However, overall economic growth has fallen sharply - averaging 4.8% from 2005 to 2007 - as persistent political crisis stalled infrastructure mega-projects, eroded investor and consumer confidence, and damaged the country's international image. Exports were the key economic driver as foreign investment and consumer demand stalled. Export growth from January 2005 to May 2008 averaged 20% annually. Business uncertainty escalated, however, following the September 2006 coup when the military-installed government imposed capital controls and considered far-reaching changes to foreign investment rules and other business legislation. Although controversial capital controls have since been lifted and business rules largely remain unchanged, investor sentiment has not recovered. Moreover, the 2008 global financial crisis further darkened Thailand's economic horizon. Continued political uncertainty will hamper resumption of infrastructure mega-projects. Environment air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting Cities in Thailandamnat charoen ang thong ao luk ayutthaya bamnet narong ban bung ban chang ban dung ban mo ban phaeo ban phai ban pong ban tak bang ban bang bo bang khla bang krathum bang kruai bang lamung bang len bang mun nak bang pakong bang phae bang racham bang rakam bang sai bang saphan bang yai bangkok betong bo phloi bo rai bua yai chachoengsao chai badan chai nat chaiya chaiyaphum chaiyo chanthaburi chiang kham chiang khong chiang klang chiang mai chiang rai chok chai chom bung chon buri chon daen chum phae chumphon damnoen saduak dan khun thot den chai det udom dok kham tai don sak hat yai hua hin huai mek huai thalaeng huai yot kabin buri kaeng khlo kaeng khoi kalasin kamalasai kamphaeng phet kanchanaburi kantang kaset sombun kathu khanu woralaksaburi khao wong khao yoi khiri mat khlong luang khlung khon buri khon kaen klaeng ko samui kosum phisai krabi kranuan krathum baen kuchinarai kui buri kumphawapi laem sing lam luk ka lampang lamphun lang suan lat yao loei lom sak long lop buri mae chan mae hong son mae ramat mae sai mae sot mae tha maha sarakham mukdahan na klang na wa nakhon luang nakhon nayok nakhon pathom nakhon phanom nakhon ratchasima nakhon sawan nakhon si thammarat nakhon thai nam phong nam yun nan nang rong narathiwat non sang non sung non thai nong bua nong chik nong han nong khae nong khai nong ki nong kung si nong phai nonthaburi pa daet pa sang pak chong pak kret pak phanang pak thong chai pathum thani pattani pattaya phak hai phan thong phanat nikhom phangnga phanom sarakham phanom thuan phatthalung phayakkhaphum phisai phayao phayuha khiri phetchabun phetchaburi phibun mangsahan phichit phimai phitsanulok pho chai pho thong phon phon charoen phon thong photharam phra phutthabat phra pradaeng phrae phrai bung phu khieo phuket phun phin plaeng yao pong prachin buri prachuap khiri khan pran buri rangae ranong ranot ratchaburi rayong roi et ron phibun rong kwang sa kaeo sadao sai buri sakhon nakhon sam chuk sam phran samut prakan samut sakhon samut songkhram sansai sattahip satuk satun sawang daen din sawankhalok seka selaphum si bun ruang si racha si sa ket si satchanalai sing buri soeng sang song phi nong songkhla sukhothai sung noen sungai kolok sungai padi suphan buri surat thani surin suwannaphum tak tak bai taphan hin tha bo tha chang tha mai tha maka tha muang tha rua tha yang thanyaburi thap khlo thap than that phanom thoen thung song trang trat ubon ratchathani udon thani uthai thani uttaradit wang noi wang saphung wapi pathum warin chamrap wiang sa wichian buri wiset chai chan yala yang talat yaring yasothon |
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