Thailand - TH - THA - THA - East and Southeast Asia
Thailand Images
The ornate pavilion known as Aisawan Thiphya-Art floats in the middle of a pond at Bang Pa-In Palace. Today a bronze statue of King Chulalongkorn occupies the pavilion.
View of the Bangkok skyline from the Chao Phraya River.
Fishing boats on the Chao Phraya River with the skyline of Bangkok in the background.
Bhumibol Bridge over the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok.
Detail of one of the support arches of the Bhumibol Bridge over the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok.
Sleek and colorful boats along a Bangkok canal.
A Bangkok ferry.
The Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in Bangkok is the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand.
A Yaksha demon guards the Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in Bangkok.
Statuary at the Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in Bangkok.
A golden Asura Paksi (half bird, half demon) at Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in Bangkok.
A mythological giant supports a golden chedi at the Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in Bangkok.
Buddhist offerings at Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) in Bangkok.
View of the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
View within the Grand Palace in Bangkok showing the golden Phra Siratana Chedi. A chedi, or stupa, is a mound-like reliquary containing Buddhist relics. The chedi is on the grounds of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
The Grand Palace is a complex of buildings in central Bangkok on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. Construction of the Grand Palace began in 1782 and it served as the official residence of the king and the royal family until 1925. It is still used for official events. Several royal offices are housed on the palace grounds. This view shows Phra Mondop, the royal library.
Phra Mondop (library) at the Royal Palace.
Prasat Phra Debidorn on the left and Phra Mondop (library) on the right at the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
Head of a mythological giant at one of the exits at the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
The Grand Palace is a complex of buildings in central Bangkok on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. Construction of the Grand Palace began in 1782 and it served as the official residence of the king and the royal family until 1925. It is still used for official events. Several royal offices are housed on the palace grounds. Shown in this view is the amazingly detailed floral roof of Chakri Maha Prasat Hall.
A roof detail from the Royal Palace in Bangkok.
Decorated building in the Grand Palace Complex in Bangkok.
At the Grand Palace in Bangkok; the Palace complex features brightly colored buildings, golden spires, and glittering mosaics. This close-up highlights the widespread and effective use of mirrored tiles in the construction process.
View within the Grand Palace in Bangkok showing the golden Phra Siratana Chedi. A chedi, or stupa, is a mound-like reliquary containing Buddhist relics. The chedi is on the grounds of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
View within the Grand Palace in Bangkok showing the golden Phra Siratana Chedi. A chedi, or stupa, is a mound-like reliquary containing Buddhist relics. The chedi is on the grounds of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
Phra Thian Sanam Chan is a traditional Thai pavilion with a raised platform. Originally portable, it was given a marble base in 1963. It is on the grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok.
The Loha Prasat - a multi-tiered (36 m high) structure with 37 spires signifying the 37 virtues toward enlightenment - at the Wat Ratchanaddaram temple complex in Bangkok.
A Buddhist altar in Bangkok.
Traditional Thai dancer performing at the Silom Village Trade Center in Bangkok.
Traditional Thai dancer performing at the Silom Village Trade Center in Bangkok.
The new Traimit Witthayaram Temple (Wat Traimit) in Bangkok built in 2010 to house the Phra Sukhothai Traimit Golden Buddha. It replaced a temple that had housed the Golden Buddha since 1955.
The Phra Sukhothai Traimit Golden Buddha in Bangkok, Thailand, is the largest golden buddha statue in the world. Made of pure gold, it is 3 m (9.8 ft) tall and weighs 5.5 tons (5,500 kg). The Buddha was probably constructed in the 13th or 14th centuries and, at some point, was covered in layers of stucco and colored glass to conceal its true value from thieves. In 1954, while being relocated to a new site, the Buddha was dropped, and part of the covering broke, revealing the gold underneath. In 2010, the Golden Buddha was moved to a new building at the Wat Traimit Temple.
The Phra Sukhothai Traimit Golden Buddha in Bangkok, Thailand, is the largest golden buddha statue in the world. Made of pure gold, it is 3 m (9.8 ft) tall and weighs 5.5 tons (5,500 kg). The Buddha was probably constructed in the 13th or 14th centuries and, at some point, was covered in layers of stucco and colored glass to conceal its true value from thieves. In 1954, while being relocated to a new site, the Buddha was dropped, and part of the covering broke, revealing the gold underneath. In 2010, the Golden Buddha was moved to a new building at the Wat Traimit Temple.
The Prasart Museum in Bangkok houses the extensive private collection of historic Thai culture amassed by a wealthy Thai businessman. The museum features a collection of buildings from various parts of Thailand placed along pathways in a Garden of Serenity. It also has an extensive art collection, including various images of Buddha, Thai paintings, porcelain, pottery, gold, silver, and Chinese and Thai furnishings. Shown here is a pathway in the Garden of Serenity on the museum grounds; a chapel appears in the background.
Shrine on a pathway in the Garden of Serenity at the Prasart Museum in Bangkok.
Buddha in one of the chapels on the grounds of the Prasart Museum in Bangkok.
A chapel in the Burmese style in the Garden of Serenity on the grounds of the Prasart Museum in Bangkok.
Statues of monks in the Prasart Museum in Bangkok. Monks can be found in many Buddhist temples.
A statue of Thai King Rama IV in Lumphini Park, Bangkok.
A shrine to Thai King Rama IV in Lumphini Park, Bangkok.
A spirit house in front of Central World Plaza, Bangkok.
A sculpture depicting the Churning of the Sea of Milk in Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Bangkok.
A view of downtown Bangkok from the roof of the Chateau de Bangkok Hotel.
A view of downtown Bangkok from the roof of the Chateau de Bangkok Hotel.
A view of downtown Bangkok from the roof of the Chateau de Bangkok Hotel.
A spirit house in front of the Chateau de Bangkok Hotel.
Standing Buddha at Wat (Temple) Ubtgarawugan in Bangkok.
Barom Piman Hall is a neoclassical residence in Bangkok constructed between 1897 and 1903. The exterior is Western, but the interior is entirely Thai. The structure was sometimes used as a royal residence, but it is now the official guest house for visiting heads of state and their staffs.
Gateway at Wat Pho in Bangkok.
Guardian figures at the Wat Pho in Bangkok.
Wat Pho in Bangkok.
Courtyard at Wat Pho in Bangkok.
Head of the Reclining Buddha at Wat Pho in Bangkok.
Waterfront property on the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok.
Canal view in Bangkok.
Antiquities on sale at a marketplace in Bangkok.
A water lily in Bangkok.
Wat Surhatt in Bangkok.
A spirit house in Bangkok.
![Burma Railway bridge over the Khwae Yai River at Kanchanaburi (the original "Bridge Over the River Kwai").](https://dev.me/media/factbook/th/TH_022_large.jpg "Burma Railway bridge over the Khwae Yai River at Kanchanaburi (the original "Bridge Over the River Kwai").")
Burma Railway bridge over the Khwae Yai River at Kanchanaburi (the original "Bridge Over the River Kwai").
![Cemetery at Kanchanaburi of some of the World War II POWs who died constructing the Burma Railway bridge over the Khwae Yai River ("The Bridge Over the River Kwai").](https://dev.me/media/factbook/th/TH_021_large.jpg "Cemetery at Kanchanaburi of some of the World War II POWs who died constructing the Burma Railway bridge over the Khwae Yai River ("The Bridge Over the River Kwai").")
Cemetery at Kanchanaburi of some of the World War II POWs who died constructing the Burma Railway bridge over the Khwae Yai River ("The Bridge Over the River Kwai").
Ayutthaya Buddha head lodged in tree.
A lush garden in the provincial capital of Chiang Mai; the city has been part of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network since 2017
![Buddahs saying "sawatdee" or hello in Chiang Mai, which has over 300 Buddhist temples.](https://dev.me/media/factbook/th/TH_042_large.jpg "Buddahs saying "sawatdee" or hello in Chiang Mai, which has over 300 Buddhist temples.")
Buddahs saying "sawatdee" or hello in Chiang Mai, which has over 300 Buddhist temples.
Monkey retrieving coconuts on Ko Samui, an island in the Gulf of Thailand off the East Coast of the Kra Isthmus. Ko Samui is Thailand's third largest island with a population of 62,000; it attracts 1.5 million visitors annually, who are drawn to its pleasant climate and sandy beaches.
Riding elephants on the island of Ko Samui.
Wat Phra Yai (Big Buddha Temple) in the town of Buphut on the island of Ko Samui. The statue is 12 meters (39 ft) tall. Visitors must ascend and descend the stone stairs without shoes.
Na Muang Waterfall on Ko Samui. The water cascades some 30 meters (98 ft) down purple-hued rocks.
A view of some of the skyscrapers in Bangkok.
Chiang Mai, the largest city in northern Thailand, is 700 km (435 mi) north of Bangkok and near the highest mountains in the country; this is the Buddha statue in the city.
A view south along the eastern moat of the city center in Chiang Mai.
Night market in the northern city of Chiang Mai.
The East Gate (Tha Phae Gate) of the Chiang Mai city wall.
The Wat Bupparam in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai.
On the grounds of the Wat Bupparam in Chiang Mai.
The stupa at Wat Bupparam in Chiang Mai.
The entrance to Wat Chedi (Temple stupa) Luang in Chiang Mai city.
A closer view of the entrance to Wat Chedi (Temple stupa) Luang in Chiang Mai city.
A view of the stupa at Wat (Temple) Muen Larn in Chiang Mai city.
Phang Nga Bay, off the Andaman Sea near Phuket, is stunning collection of limestone islands. Over time, the seawater has eroded the lower rock faces, creating caves, overhangs, and rock ribbons. The erosion also creates numerous inlets as shown in the photo.
Before Bangkok was established as the royal residence, Ayutthaya was a royal palace. Today, the grounds are preserved as a shrine and historical site. A row of seated Buddha statues draped in orange and saffron robes lines the cloister gallery.
Chedis at Ayutthaya. Ayutthaya was the second capital of the Kingdom of Siam. Founded in 1350, Ayutthaya expanded to become one of the world's largest and most cosmopolitan urban areas and center of trade.
Ruins of a temple at Ayutthaya. The Burmese army burned the city to the ground in 1767, and residents were forced to flee. The abandoned city is an archaeological site today and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Two of the three restored chedi that are part of Wat Phra Si Sanphet, the Temple of the Buddha Si Sanphet. The bell-shaped chedi or stupas were originally gilded. The Burmese army razed the temple in 1767.
Temple complex at Ayutthaya. The city is situated on an island surrounded by three rivers connecting it to the sea. Ayutthaya's hydraulic water management system was unique in the world at that time and both protected the city from invaders and maintained irrigation needed for agriculture.
In the 19th century, Bang Pa-In Palace in Ayutthaya was the summer home for the King of Siam. The ornate grounds included gardens, residences, shrines, and a watch tower.
The Bang Pa-In Royal Palace in Ayutthaya.
Ho (Tower) Withun Thasana, also known as the Sages' Lookout, in Ayutthaya is a brightly colored observatory tower built by King Chulalongkorn in 1881 for surveying the surrounding countryside.
The ornate pavilion known as Aisawan Thiphya-Art floats in the middle of a pond at Bang Pa-In Palace. Today a bronze statue of King Chulalongkorn occupies the pavilion.
View of the Bangkok skyline from the Chao Phraya River.
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Thailand Factbook Data
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: 95 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330
mailing address: 7200 Bangkok Place, Washington DC 20521-7200
telephone: [66] 2-205-4000
FAX: [66] 2-205-4103
email address and website:
acsbkk@state.gov
https://th.usembassy.gov/
consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai
Age structure
15-64 years: 69.53% (male 23,797,302/female 24,734,505)
65 years and over: 14.47% (2023 est.) (male 4,500,808/female 5,597,559)
For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page.
Geographic coordinates
Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Heliports
Natural hazards
Area - comparative
about three times the size of Florida; slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming
Military service age and obligation
note 1: serving in the armed forces is a national duty of all Thai citizens; conscription was introduced in 1905; it includes women, however, only men over the age of 21 who have not gone through reserve training are conscripted; conscripts are chosen by lottery (on draft day, eligible draftees can request volunteer service, or they may choose to stay for the conscription lottery); approximately 75-100,000 men are drafted for military service each year and conscripts reportedly comprise as much as 50% of the armed forces
note 2: as of 2020, women comprised about 8% of active-duty military personnel
Background
Two unified Thai kingdoms emerged in the mid-13th century. The Sukhothai, located in the south-central plains, gained its independence from the Khmer Empire to the east. By the late 13th century, Sukhothai’s territory extended into present-day Burma and Laos. Sukhothai lasted until the mid-15th century. The Thai Lan Na Kingdom was established in the north with its capital at Chang Mai. Lan Na was conquered by the Burmese in the 16th century. The Ayutthaya Kingdom (14th-18th centuries) succeeded the Sukhothai and would become known as the Siamese Kingdom. During the Ayutthaya period, the Thai/Siamese peoples consolidated their hold on what is present-day central and north-central Thailand. Following a military defeat at the hands of the Burmese in 1767, the Siamese Kingdom rose to new heights under the military ruler TAKSIN, who defeated the Burmese occupiers and expanded the kingdom’s territory into modern-day northern Thailand (formerly the Lan Na Kingdom), Cambodia, Laos, and the Malay Peninsula. The kingdom fought off additional Burmese invasions and raids in the late 1700s and early 1800s. In the mid-1800s, Western pressure led to Siam signing trade treaties that reduced the country’s sovereignty and independence. In the 1890s and 1900s, the British and French forced the kingdom to cede Cambodian, Laotian, and Malay territories that had been under Siamese control.
A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy. After the Japanese invaded Thailand in 1941, the government split into a pro-Japan faction and a pro-Allied faction backed by the king. Thailand became a US treaty ally in 1954 after sending troops to Korea and later fighting alongside the US in Vietnam. Thailand since 2005 has experienced several rounds of political turmoil including a military coup in 2006 that ousted then Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat, followed by large-scale street protests by competing political factions in 2008, 2009, and 2010. THAKSIN's youngest sister, YINGLAK Chinnawat, in 2011 led the Puea Thai Party to an electoral win and assumed control of the government.
In early May 2014, after months of large-scale anti-government protests in Bangkok beginning in November 2013, YINGLAK was removed from office by the Constitutional Court and in late May 2014 the Royal Thai Army, led by Gen. PRAYUT Chan-ocha, staged a coup against the caretaker government. The military-affiliated National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), led by PRAYUT as the appointed minister, ruled the country for more than four years, during which time the NCPO drafted a new constitution guaranteeing military sway over Thai politics in future elections by allowing the military to appoint the entire 250-member Senate and requiring a joint meeting of the House and Senate to select the prime minister, effectively giving the military a veto over the choice for the top executive. King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet passed away in October 2016 after 70 years on the throne; his only son, WACHIRALONGKON (aka King RAMA X), formally ascended the throne in December 2019. He signed the new constitution in April 2017. A long-delayed election in March 2019, disputed and widely viewed as skewed in favor of the party aligned with the military, allowed PRAYUT to continue his premiership. The country experienced large-scale anti-government protests in 2020. The reformist Move Forward Party won the most seats in the 2023 election, but was unable to form a government, and Srettha THRAVISIN Pheu Thai Party replaced PRAYUT as prime minister by forming a coalition of moderate and conservative parties.
Environment - current issues
Environment - international agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Population below poverty line
note: % of population with income below national poverty line
Household income or consumption by percentage share
highest 10%: 27.3% (2021 est.)
note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
Exports - commodities
Exports - partners
Administrative divisions
Agricultural products
Military and security forces
Office of the Prime Minister: Royal Thai Police (2024)
note 1: the Thai Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) oversees counter-insurgency operations, as well as countering terrorism, narcotics and weapons trafficking, and other internal security duties; it is primarily run by the Army
note 2: official paramilitary forces in Thailand include the Thai Rangers (Thahan Phran or "Hunter Soldiers") under the Army; the Paramilitary Marines under the Navy; the Border Patrol Police (BPP) under the Royal Thai Police; the Volunteer Defense Corps (VDC or O So) and National Defense Volunteers (NDV), both under the Ministry of Interior; there are also several government-backed volunteer militias created to provide village security against insurgents in the Deep South or to assist the ISOC
Budget
expenditures: $128.581 billion (2020 est.)
Capital
geographic coordinates: 13 45 N, 100 31 E
time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: Bangkok was likely originally a colloquial name, but one that was widely adopted by foreign visitors; the name may derive from bang ko, where bang is the Thai word for "village on a stream" and ko means "island," both referencing the area's landscape, which was carved by rivers and canals; alternatively, the name may come from bang makok, where makok is the name of the Java plum, a plant bearing olive-like fruit; this possibility is supported by the former name of Wat Arun, a historic temple in the area, that used to be called Wat Makok;
Krung Thep Maha Nakhon, the city's Thai name, means "City of Angels, Great City" or simply "Great City of Angels" and is a shortening of the full ceremonial name: Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit; translated the meaning is: "City of angels, great city of immortals, magnificent city of the nine gems, seat of the king, city of royal palaces, home of gods incarnate, erected by Vishvakarman at Indra's behest"; it holds the world's record as the longest place name (169 letters); Krung Thep is used colloquially
Imports - commodities
Climate
Coastline
Constitution
amendments: amendments require a majority vote in a joint session of the House and Senate and further require at least one fifth of opposition House members and one third of the Senate vote in favor; a national referendum is additionally required for certain amendments; all amendments require signature by the king; Thailand's 2017 constitution was amended in November 2021 to increase the number of constituency members of parliament (MPs) from 350 to 400, reduce the number of party-list MPs from 150 to 100, and change the election to a two-ballot system
Exchange rates
Exchange rates:
35.061 (2022 est.)
31.977 (2021 est.)
31.294 (2020 est.)
31.048 (2019 est.)
32.31 (2018 est.)
Executive branch
head of government: Prime Minister SRETTHA Thawisin (since 5 September 2023)
cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the king; a Privy Council advises the king
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister candidate approved by the House of Representatives and Senate and appointed by the king; starting in 2024, approval of prime minister needed only by the House of Representatives
note: following its May 2023 election win, the MJP formed an eight-party coalition and put forward its leader PITA Limjaroenrat for prime minister; however, the Senate blocked PITA from becoming prime minister in the first National Assembly vote in July 2023, and the Assembly subsequently voted that he could not submit his name again; the Constitutional Court also suspended PITA after accepting cases accusing him of violating election law; in August 2023, MJP handed over the lead in forming a new government to the second largest party in the coalition, PTP, which then formed a new coalition without MJP; PTP put forward SRETTHA Thavisin for prime minister, and he was approved by the National Assembly 482 votes out of a possible 747
Fiscal year
Flag description
note: similar to the flag of Costa Rica but with the blue and red colors reversed
Illicit drugs
not a cultivator or producer of significant quantities of opiates, methamphetamine, or other illicit drugs; not a significant source or transit country for drugs entering the United States; drugs smuggled through Thailand heading for Indo-Pacific region markets; large influx of methamphetamine and heroin from neighboring Burma to other markets, but also consumed domestically, most of which transits through Thailand to other markets, but is also consumed domestically; a major source of precursor or essential chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics
Independence
Industries
Judicial branch
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges selected by the Judicial Commission of the Courts of Justice and approved by the monarch; judge term determined by the monarch; Constitutional Court justices - 3 judges drawn from the Supreme Court, 2 judges drawn from the Administrative Court, and 4 judge candidates selected by the Selective Committee for Judges of the Constitutional Court, and confirmed by the Senate; judges appointed by the monarch serve single 9-year terms; Supreme Administrative Court judges selected by the Judicial Commission of the Administrative Courts and appointed by the monarch; judges serve for life
subordinate courts: courts of first instance and appeals courts within both the judicial and administrative systems; military courts
Land boundaries
border countries (4): Burma 2,416 km; Cambodia 817 km; Laos 1,845 km; Malaysia 595 km
Land use
arable land: 30.8% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 8.8% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 1.6% (2018 est.)
forest: 37.2% (2018 est.)
other: 21.6% (2018 est.)
Legal system
Legislative branch
Senate or Wuthisapha (currently 250 seats; members appointed by the National Council for Peace and Order to serve 5-year terms; the Senate appointed in 2024 will consist of 200 members elected from various groups of professionals for a 5-year term)
House of Representatives or Saphaphuthan Ratsadon (500 seats; 400 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 100 members elected in a single nationwide constituency by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: Senate - last selections held on 14 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024)
House of Representatives - last held on 14 May 2023 (next to be held in May 2027)
election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 223, women 26, percent of women 10.4%
House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - MFP 36.2%, PTP 27.7%, UTN 11.9%, PJT 2.9%, DP 2.3%, PPRP 1.4%, PCC 1.5%, other 16%; seats by party - MFP 152, PTP 141, PJT 71, PPRP 41, UTN 36, DP 24, PCC 9, CTP 10, Thai Sang Thai 6, other 11; composition - 405 men, 94 women, percent women 18.8%
Literacy
total population: 94.1%
male: 95.5%
female: 92.8% (2021)
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
International organization participation
National holiday
Nationality
adjective: Thai
Natural resources
Geography - note
Economic overview
Pipelines
Political parties and leaders
Bhumjaithai Party (aka Phumchai Thai Party or PJT; aka Thai Pride Party) or BJT [ANUTIN Chanwirakun]
Chat Phatthana Kla arty (National Development Party) [KON Chatikawanit]
Chat Thai Phatthana Party (Thai Nation Development Party) or CTP [VARAWUT Silpa-archa]
Move Forward Party or MFP [CHAITHAWAT Tulathon]
New Economics Party or NEP [MANUN Siwaphiromrat]
Palang Pracharat Party (People's State Power Party) or PPRP [PRAWIT Wongsuwan]
Pheu (Puea) Thai Party (For Thais Party) or PTP [PAETONGTARN Shinawatra (aka Ung In)]
Prachachat Party or PCC [THAWEE Sodsong]
Prachathipat Party (Democrat Party) or DP [CHALERMCHAI Sri-on]
Puea Chat Party (For Nation Party) or PCP [SARUNWUT Sarunket]
Puea Tham Party (For Dharma Party) [NALINI Thawisin]
Seri Ruam Thai Party (Thai Liberal Party or TLP) [SERIPHISUT Temiyawet]
Thai Civilized Party or TCL [MONGKOLKIT Suksintharanon]
Thai Local Power Party or TLP [CHATCHAWAI Kong-udom]
Thai People Power Party or TLPT [NIKHOM Bunwiset]
Thai Sang Thai Party [SUDARAT Keyuraphan]
United Thai Nation (Ruam Thai Sang Chat) or UTN [PHIRAPHAN Saliratthawiphak]
Ports and terminals
container port(s) (TEUs): Laem Chabang (8,335,384) (2021)
LNG terminal(s) (import): Map Ta Phut
Suffrage
Telecommunication systems
domestic: fixed-line is 19 per 100 and mobile-cellular is 176 per 100 (2022)
international: country code - 66; landing points for the AAE-1, FEA, SeaMeWe-3,-4, APG, SJC2, TIS, MCT and AAG submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Africa, Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2019)
Terrain
Government type
Country name
conventional short form: Thailand
local long form: Ratcha Anachak Thai
local short form: Prathet Thai
former: Siam
etymology: Land of the Tai [People]"; the meaning of "tai" is uncertain, but may originally have meant "human beings," "people," or "free people''
Location
Map references
Irrigated land
Diplomatic representation in the US
chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20007
telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600
FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611
email address and website:
thai.wsn@thaiembdc.org
https://thaiembdc.org
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
Internet country code
Major infectious diseases
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 41,000 (2022)
stateless persons: 566,900 (2022) (estimate represents stateless persons registered with the Thai Government; actual number may be as high as 3.5 million); note - about half of Thailand's northern hill tribe people do not have citizenship and make up the bulk of Thailand's stateless population; most lack documentation showing they or one of their parents were born in Thailand; children born to Burmese refugees are not eligible for Burmese or Thai citizenship and are stateless; most Chao Lay, maritime nomadic peoples, who travel from island to island in the Andaman Sea west of Thailand are also stateless; stateless Rohingya refugees from Burma are considered illegal migrants by Thai authorities and are detained in inhumane conditions or expelled; stateless persons are denied access to voting, property, education, employment, healthcare, and driving
note: Thai nationality was granted to more than 23,000 stateless persons between 2012 and 2016 and more than 18,000 between 2018 and 2021; in 2016, the Government of Thailand approved changes to its citizenship laws that could make 80,000 stateless persons eligible for citizenship, as part of its effort to achieve zero statelessness by 2024 (2021)
GDP (official exchange rate)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Credit ratings
Moody's rating: Baa1 (2003)
Standard & Poors rating: BBB+ (2004)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
Total renewable water resources
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male: 15 years
female: 16 years (2016)
Urbanization
rate of urbanization: 1.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Broadcast media
Drinking water source
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
National anthem
lyrics/music: Luang SARANUPRAPAN/Phra JENDURIYANG
note: music adopted 1932, lyrics adopted 1939; by law, people are required to stand for the national anthem at 0800 and 1800 every day; the anthem is played in schools, offices, theaters, and on television and radio during this time; "Phleng Sanlasoen Phra Barami" (A Salute to the Monarch) serves as the royal anthem and is played in the presence of the royal family and during certain state ceremonies
Major urban areas - population
International law organization participation
Physicians density
National symbol(s)
Mother's mean age at first birth
Contraceptive prevalence rate
GDP - composition, by end use
government consumption: 16.4% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 23.2% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: -0.4% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 68.2% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -54.6% (2017 est.)
Dependency ratios
youth dependency ratio: 22.7
elderly dependency ratio: 18.4
potential support ratio: 4.8 (2021 est.)
Citizenship
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Thailand
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Population distribution
Electricity access
National air transport system
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 283
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 76,053,042 (2018)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 2,666,260,000 (2018) mt-km
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
Sanitation facility access
rural: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population
rural: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Ethnic groups
note: data represent population by nationality
Religions
Languages
major-language sample(s):
สารานุกรมโลก - แหล่งข้อมูลพื้นฐานที่สำคัญ (Thai)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Imports - partners
Disputes - international
Thailand-Burma: in 2016, Thailand expressed its interest in investing in Burma’s Hatgyi Dam project on the Salween River near the Thai-Burma border; the dam has the potential to supply electricity and water during the drought season; approximately 100,000 mostly Karen refugees fleeing civil strife, political upheaval, and economic stagnation in Burma live in nine remote camps in Thailand near the border
Thailand-Cambodia: Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of their border; in 2011, Thailand and Cambodia resorted to arms in the dispute over the location of the boundary on the precipice surmounted by Preah Vihear temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962 and part of a planned UN World Heritage site; in 2013, the International Court of Justice ruled that the land with the temple was Cambodian territory but that a nearby hill belonged to Thailand
Thailand-Laos: talks continue on completion of demarcation with Laos but disputes remain over several islands in the Mekong River
Thailand-Malaysia: separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Malay-Muslim southern provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia to stem insurgent activities; disputed areas are the Bukit Jeli area at the headwaters of the Golok River and the continental shelf boundary in the Gulf of Thailand
Elevation
lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
mean elevation: 287 m
Current health expenditure
Military - note
since 2004, the military has fought against separatist insurgents in the southern provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat, as well as parts of Songkhla; the insurgency is rooted in ethnic Malay nationalist resistance to Thai rule that followed the extension of Siamese sovereignty over the Patani Sultanate in the 18th century; the insurgency consists of several armed groups, the largest of which is the Barisan Revolusi Nasional-Koordinasi (BRN-C): since 2020, Thai officials have been negotiating with BRN, and has parallel talks with an umbrella organization, MARA Pattani, that claims to represent the insurgency groups; since 2004, violence associated with the insurgency has claimed more than 7,300 lives (as of 2023); the Thai Government has had as many as 100,000 military and paramilitary forces deployed in the south to combat the insurgency
Thailand has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US, a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; the Thai and US militaries host the annual "Cobra Gold" multinational military exercises in Thailand; the exercise is one of the largest multinational exercises in the Pacific region (2023)
Military and security service personnel strengths
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
Military deployments
Total water withdrawal
industrial: 2.78 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 51.79 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 5,128,993 tons (2012 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 19.1% (2012 est.)
Demographic profile
Thailand has experienced a substantial fertility decline since the 1960s largely due to the nationwide success of its voluntary family planning program. In just one generation, the total fertility rate (TFR) shrank from 6.5 children per woman in the 1960s to below the replacement level of 2.1 in the late 1980s. Reduced fertility occurred among all segments of the Thai population, despite disparities between urban and rural areas in terms of income, education, and access to public services. The country’s “reproductive revolution” gained momentum in the 1970s as a result of the government’s launch of an official population policy to reduce population growth, the introduction of new forms of birth control, and the assistance of foreign non-government organizations. Contraceptive use rapidly increased as new ways were developed to deliver family planning services to Thailand’s then overwhelmingly rural population. The contraceptive prevalence rate increased from just 14% in 1970 to 58% in 1981 and has remained about 80% since 2000.
Thailand’s receptiveness to family planning reflects the predominant faith, Theravada Buddhism, which emphasizes individualism, personal responsibility, and independent decision-making. Thai women have more independence and a higher status than women in many other developing countries and are not usually pressured by their husbands or other family members about family planning decisions. Thailand’s relatively egalitarian society also does not have the son preference found in a number of other Asian countries; most Thai ideally want one child of each sex.
Because of its low fertility rate, increasing life expectancy, and growing elderly population, Thailand has become an aging society that will face growing labor shortages. The proportion of the population under 15 years of age has shrunk dramatically, the proportion of working-age individuals has peaked and is starting to decrease, and the proportion of elderly is growing rapidly. In the short-term, Thailand will have to improve educational quality to increase the productivity of its workforce and to compete globally in skills-based industries. An increasing reliance on migrant workers will be necessary to mitigate labor shortfalls.
Thailand is a destination, transit, and source country for migrants. It has 3-4 million migrant workers as of 2017, mainly providing low-skilled labor in the construction, agriculture, manufacturing, services, and fishing and seafood processing sectors. Migrant workers from other Southeast Asian countries with lower wages – primarily Burma and, to a lesser extent, Laos and Cambodia – have been coming to Thailand for decades to work in labor-intensive industries. Many are undocumented and are vulnerable to human trafficking for forced labor, especially in the fisheries industry, or sexual exploitation. A July 2017 migrant worker law stiffening fines on undocumented workers and their employers, prompted tens of thousands of migrants to go home. Fearing a labor shortage, the Thai Government has postponed implementation of the law until January 2018 and is rapidly registering workers. Thailand has also hosted ethnic minority refugees from Burma for more than 30 years; as of 2016, approximately 105,000 mainly Karen refugees from Burma were living in nine camps along the Thailand-Burma border.
Thailand has a significant amount of internal migration, most often from rural areas to urban centers, where there are more job opportunities. Low- and semi-skilled Thais also go abroad to work, mainly in Asia and a smaller number in the Middle East and Africa, primarily to more economically developed countries where they can earn higher wages.
Average household expenditures
on alcohol and tobacco: 3.4% of household expenditures (2018 est.)
Air pollutants
carbon dioxide emissions: 283.76 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 86.98 megatons (2020 est.)
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Pacific Ocean drainage: Mekong (805,604 sq km)
Major lakes (area sq km)
Major rivers (by length in km)
note – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
National heritage
selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic City of Ayutthaya (c); Historic Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns (c); Thungyai-Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries (n); Ban Chiang Archaeological Site (c); Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex (n); Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex (n); The Ancient Town of Si Thep and its Associated Dvaravati Monuments (n)
Child marriage
women married by age 18: 20.2%
men married by age 18: 9.8% (2019 est.)
Coal
consumption: 35.761 million metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 63,000 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 23.899 million metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 1.063 billion metric tons (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 2.8% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 1.7% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 9.6% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Natural gas
consumption: 54,802,466,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 14,944,842,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)
proven reserves: 138.243 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 1,284,800 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 28,600 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 979,800 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 252.8 million barrels (2021 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
Remittances
1.79% of GDP (2021 est.)
1.65% of GDP (2020 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Space program overview
note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S
Space launch site(s)
Space agency/agencies
Geoparks
global geoparks and regional networks: Khorat; Satun (2023)
Labor force
note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male: 6.2%
female: 8.1%
Net migration rate
Median age
male: 39.8 years
female: 42.2 years
Debt - external
$158.964 billion (2018 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$246.025 billion (2021 est.)
$258.104 billion (2020 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Waterways
Refined petroleum products - imports
Public debt
50.32% of GDP (2020 est.)
40.14% of GDP (2019 est.)
note: central government debt as a % of GDP
Total fertility rate
Military expenditures
1.3% of GDP (2021)
1.4% of GDP (2020)
1.3% of GDP (2019)
1.3% of GDP (2018)
Unemployment rate
1.21% (2021 est.)
1.1% (2020 est.)
note: % of labor force seeking employment
Population
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)
Internet users
percent of population: 85% (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
from coal and metallurgical coke: 58.78 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 146.172 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 100.321 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Area
land: 510,890 sq km
water: 2,230 sq km
Taxes and other revenues
note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$1.223 trillion (2021 est.)
$1.205 trillion (2020 est.)
note: data in 2017 dollars
Roadways
Airports
Infant mortality rate
male: 7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Telephones - mobile cellular
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 176 (2022 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.23% (2021 est.)
-0.85% (2020 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Refined petroleum products - exports
Current account balance
-$10.268 billion (2021 est.)
$20.933 billion (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Real GDP per capita
$17,100 (2021 est.)
$16,900 (2020 est.)
note: data in 2017 dollars
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 16 (2020 est.)
Tobacco use
male: 41.3% (2020 est.)
female: 2.9% (2020 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
Energy consumption per capita
Death rate
Birth rate
Electricity
consumption: 190,569,262,000 kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 2,617,583,000 kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 29,550,571,000 kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 13.286 billion kWh (2019 est.)
Merchant marine
by type: bulk carrier 28, container ship 28, general cargo 88, oil tanker 251, other 489
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
Imports
$296.115 billion (2021 est.)
$232.048 billion (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Exports
$295.972 billion (2021 est.)
$257.981 billion (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Telephones - fixed lines
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 19 (2022 est.)
Refined petroleum products - production
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer: 1.85 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 4.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
male: 74.9 years
female: 81.1 years
Real GDP growth rate
1.49% (2021 est.)
-6.07% (2020 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
Industrial production growth rate
note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Railways
standard gauge: 84 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge (84 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 4,043 km (2017) 1.000-m gauge
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry: 36.2% (2017 est.)
services: 55.6% (2017 est.)