Thailand

THAILAND

Information about travelling to Thailand

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

Facts about Thailand
Population65,493,296 note: es
CapitalBangkok
Time zoneUTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Location Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma

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 vec
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 Thailand

amnat 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    

National airlines
Bangkok Airwaysairline website
Thai Airairline website


Airports in Thailand
Suvarnabhumi InternationalBKK
Metropolitan AreaBKK
Chiang RaiCEI
Chumphon AirportCJM
InternationalCNX
Don MuangDMK
Hat YaiHDY
Mae Hong SonHGN
Hua Hin AirportHHQ
InternationalHKT
KrabiKBV
Khon KaenKKC
Lop BuriKKM
Nakhon PhanomKOP
LoeiLOE
LampangLPT
Mae SotMAQ
Nakhon RatchasimaNAK
NarathiwatNAW
NanNNT
Nakhon Si ThammaratNST
PattaniPAN
PhitsanulokPHS
PhetchabunPHY
Phanom SarakhamPMM
PhraePRH
PattayaPYX
Roi Et AirportROI
SongkhlaSGZ
Sakon NakhonSNO
SukhothaiTHS
TakTKT
TrangTST
Muang UbonUBP
RanongUNN
Surat ThaniURT
Udon ThaniUTH
UttaraditUTR


Beer in Thailand (0.33l)
Ban Phe~ 0.5 EUR
BANGKOK~ 1.2 EUR
Bangkok~ 1.2 EUR
Bangkok~ 1.2 EUR
Bankok~ 1.5 EUR
Chiang Mai~ 1.2 EUR
Hua Hin~ 1.1 EUR
Korat~ 1.3 EUR
Nong Khai~ 0.4 EUR
Pattaya~ 1.4 EUR
Pattaya~ 1.4 EUR
Phuket~ 1 EUR
Phuket~ 1 EUR
Sriracha~ 1 EUR

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