Government
>>Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand
conventional short form: Thailand
>>Data code:
TH
>>Government type:
constitutional monarchy
>>Capital:
Bangkok
>>Administrative divisions:
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
>>Independence:
1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)
>>National holiday:
Birthday of His Majesty the King, 5 December (1927)
>>Constitution:
new constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997
>>Legal system:
based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
>>Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
>>Executive branch:
chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)
head of government: Prime Minister CHUAN Lekphai (since 15 November 1997)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
note: there is also a Privy Council
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister designated from among the members of the House of Representatives; following a national election for the House of Representatives, the leader of the party that can organize a majority coalition usually becomes prime minister
>>Legislative branch:
bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consists of the Senate or Wuthisapha (a 253-member appointed body which will be phased into a 200-member elected body starting in March 2000; members serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (currently has 391 members, but will become a 500-member body after the next election; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives�last held 17 November 1996 (next scheduled to be held by 17 November 2000, but may be held earlier)
election results: House of Representatives�percent of vote by party�NA; seats by party�NAP 125, DP 123, NDP 52, TNP 39, SAP 20, TCP 18, SP 8, LDP 4, MP 2
>>Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (Sandika), judges appointed by the monarch
>>Political parties and leaders:
Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BANHAN Sinlapa-acha]; Democratic Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [CHUAN Likphai]; New Aspiration Party or NAP (Khwamwang Mai) [Gen. CHAWALIT Yongchaiyut]; National Development Party or NDP (Chat Phattana) [KON Thappharangsi]; Phalang Dharma Party or PDP (Phalang Tham) [CHAIWAT Sinsuwong]; Social Action Party or SAP (Kitsangkhom Party) [BUNPHAN Khaewatthana]; Thai Citizen's Party or TCP (Prachakon Thai) [SAMAK Sunthonwet]; Liberal Democratic Party or LDP (Seri Tham) [PHINIT Charusombat]; Solidarity Party or SP (Ekkaphap Party) [CHAIYOT Sasomsap]; Thai Love Thai Party or TRTP (Thai Rak Thai Party) [THAKSIN Chinnawat]; Mass Party or MP [CHALERM Yoobamrung, SOPHON Petchsavang]
>>International organization participation:
APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
>>Flag description:
five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red
Economy
>>Economy�overview:
After months of speculative pressure on the Thai Baht, the government decided to float the currency in July 1997, the symbolic beginning of the country's current economic crisis. The crisis�which began in the country's financial sector�has spread throughout the economy. After years of rapid economic growth averaging 9% earlier this decade, the Thai economy contracted 0.4% in 1997 and shrunk another 8.5% in 1998. In the years before the crisis, Thailand ran persistent current account deficits. With the depreciation of the Thai Baht and the collapse of domestic demand, however, imports have fallen off sharply�by more than 33%�and Thailand posted a trade surplus of approximately $12 billion in 1998. Foreign investment for new projects, the long-time catalyst of Thailand's economic growth, has also slowed. The CHUAN government has closely adhered to the economic recovery program prescribed by the IMF. The cooperation afforded Thailand stability in the value of its currency in the second half of 1998 and helped replenish foreign reserves. Tough measures�including passage of adequate bankruptcy and foreclosure legislation as well as privatization of state-owned companies and recapitalization of the financial sector�remain undone. Bangkok is also trying to establish a social safety net for those displaced by the current economic crisis and is working to increase the quality of Thailand's labor force.
>>GDP:
purchasing power parity�$369 billion (1998 est.)
GDP�real growth rate: -8.5% (1998 est.)
GDP�per capita: purchasing power parity�$6,100 (1998 est.)
GDP�composition by sector:
agriculture: 12%
industry: 39%
services: 49% (1997 est.)
>>Population below poverty line:
13.1% (1992 est.)
Communications
>>Telephones:
1,553,200 (1994 est.)
>>Telephone system:
service to general public adequate, but investments in technological upgrades reduced by recession; bulk of service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and microwave radio relay network
domestic: microwave radio relay and multichannel cable; domestic satellite system being developed
international: satellite earth stations�2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
>>Radio broadcast stations:
AM 200 (in government-controlled network), FM 100 (in government-controlled network), shortwave
>>Radios:
10.75 million (1992 est.)
>>Television broadcast stations:
5 (all in Bangkok; in addition, there are 131 repeaters) (1997)
>>Televisions:
3.3 million (1993 est.)
Transportation
>>Railways:
total: 4,623 km
narrow gauge: 4,623 km 1.000-m gauge (99 km double track)
>>Highways:
total: 64,600 km
paved: 62,985 km
unpaved: 1,615 km (1996 est.)
>>Waterways:
3,999 km principal waterways; 3,701 km with navigable depths of 0.9 m or more throughout the year; numerous minor waterways navigable by shallow-draft native craft
>>Pipelines:
petroleum products 67 km; natural gas 350 km
>>Ports and harbors:
Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip, Si Racha, Songkhla
>>Merchant marine:
total: 293 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,848,626 GRT/2,989,382 DWT
ships by type: bulk 41, cargo 135, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 1, container 13, liquefied gas tanker 17, multifunction large-load carrier 3, oil tanker 61, passenger 1, refrigerated cargo 11, roll-on/roll-off cargo 2, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 2 (1998 est.)
>>Airports:
107 (1998 est.)
>>Airports�with paved runways:
total: 56
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 4 (1998 est.)
>>Airports�with unpaved runways:
total: 51
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 35 (1998 est.)
>>Heliports:
3 (1998 est.)
