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Central Bangkok at Chao Phraya River.
Thailand's new temples? Residential towers in Central Bangkok at Chao Phraya River.
Image: nationsonline.org
 
Flag of Thailand
Flag of Thailand
Location map of Thailand. Where in Asia is Thailand?
Location map of Thailand
Discover Thailand, the Kingdom in Southeast Asia. The country is bordered in west and northwest by Myanmar (Burma), in south west by the Andaman Sea, in east and north east by Lao PDR, in south east by Cambodia, in south by the Gulf of Thailand (an inlet of the South China Sea), and by Malaysia. In south the country occupies a part of the Malay Peninsula.

Thailand covers an area of 513,120 km², the country is just slightly larger than Spain or slightly more than twice the size of the U.S. state of Wyoming. Until 1939 the country was known as Siam.

The Kingdom has a population of 68 million people, by far the largest city is Bangkok, the national capital with estimated 12 million citizens. Spoken language is Thai.

Adventure Thailand - the Land of Smiles, this is a virtual guide to "Muang Thai" - often translated as the "Land of the Free", as the Thais call their country. Despite the fact that Thailand was governed by martial law until March 2015, after a military coup in May 2014. The Royal Thai Armed Forces dissolved the elected caretaker government, likewise the senate, repealed the constitution, and established a military junta. Amazing Thailand!

On 13 October 2016 His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej died, he was the ninth monarch of Thailand from the Chakri Dynasty. On 1 December 2016 Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn was appointed as the new King of Thailand.


Kingdom of Thailand | Muang Thai | ประเทศไทย


Country Profile



Background:
Siam, "the land of the White Elephant" or the country of Muang Thai (Land of the Free).

The Thais have their own culture (including literature, drama, architecture, music, painting, sculpture, folk dances, and many handicrafts), their own language, their own cuisine, their own martial arts, and their own beliefs, with influences from China and India.

After the short-lived kingdom of Sukhothai founded in 1238, a unified Thai kingdom (Ayutthaya) was established in the mid-14th century; it was known as Siam until 1939. Thailand is the only southeast Asian country never 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.

 

Official Name:
Muang T'hai; Prathet T'hai
Int'l long form: Kingdom of Thailand
Int'l short form: Thailand
Formerly: Siam

ISO Country Code: th, tha

Actual Time: Mon-Mar-18  01:12
Local Time = UTC +7
Thailand does not operate Daylight-Saving Time.

Country Calling Code: +66

Capital City: Bangkok
(in Thai: Krung Thep; pop. 10 million est.)

Other Cities:
Nakhon Ratchasima (2.5 million), Chiangmai (1.6 million), Songkla (1.2 million).

Government:
Type: Constitutional monarchy.
Constitution: New constitution promulgated 11 October 1997.
Independence: Never colonized; traditional founding date 1238.

Geography:
Location: Southeastern Asia mainland, bordering the Andaman Sea (West) and the Gulf of Thailand (East), southeast of Burma (Myanmar)
Area: 513,115 km² (198,114 sq. mi.)
Terrain: Densely populated central plain; northeastern plateau; mountain range in the west; southern isthmus joins the land mass with Malaysia.

Climate:
Thailand is a warm and rather humid tropical country with monsoonal climate. Seasons--Dry: March to May, Rainy: June to October, Cool: November to February.

People:
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Thai(s)
Population: 68 million (2015)
Ethnic groups: Thai 89%, other 11%.
Religions: Theravada Buddhist 95%, Muslim 4%, Christian, Hindu, other
Languages: Thai (official language); English is the second language of the elite; regional dialects.
Education: Literacy: 96% male, 92% female.

Natural resources:
Tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, gypsum, lignite, fluorite; fish, arable land.

Agriculture products:
Rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans.

Industries:
Tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry, electric appliances and components, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics, world's second-largest tungsten producer, and third-largest tin producer.

Exports - commodities: electronics, computer parts, automobiles and parts, electrical appliances, machinery and equipment, textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber

Exports - partners: US 11.2%, China 11.1%, Japan 9.4%, Hong Kong 5.5%, Malaysia 4.8%, Australia 4.6%, Vietnam 4.2%, Singapore 4.1% (2015)

Imports - commodities: capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels

Imports - partners: China 20.3%, Japan 15.4%, US 6.9%, Malaysia 5.9%, UAE 4% (2015)

Currency:
Baht (THB)

Thailand in numbers
Thailand statistical key figures.

 

Note: External links will open in a new browser window.

Official Sites of Thailand

royal  Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary
Official website of the Thai Monarchy.

The Royal Court of Thailand
His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's Golden Jubilee Home Page.
Palaces of the King
The residences of King Bhumibol.


Royal Thai Government
The Office of the Prime Minister.

Thai Parliament
The Thai National Assembly - National Reform Steering Assembly.

Thailand e-government
Office of Electronic Government. (in Thai)


Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The site offers an overview of the country and information
on regulations for foreign visitors to Thailand.

Thailand's Visa Information
Information for visitors to Thailand.


More Official Websites:
 Ministries of the Kingdom of Thailand
List of Thailand's National Government Agencies and Ministries.

Diplomatic Missions
Royal Thai Embassy
Washington D.C.
Foreign Missions in Thailand
Addresslist of Foreign Diplomatic Missions.
Thailand's Missions Abroad
List of Thai Embassies and Consulates abroad.


Statistics
National Statistical Office
Responsible for country's statistical activities including
the collection and compilation, disemination of basic statistical data.

 Thailand in Figures
Thailand statistical key figures.  

Weather
Thai Meteorological Department
The official Thai weather.


Maps of Thailand

Map of Thailand
Political Map of Thailand.
Region Map of Thailand
Map showing Thailand and the surrounding countries with international borders,
the regions of Thailand, major cities, expressways, and major airports.

Google Earth Google Map Thailand
Searchable map/satellite view of Thailand.
Google Earth Google Map Bangkok
Searchable map/satellite view of Thailand's capital city.
Google Earth Google Map Chiangmai
Searchable map/satellite view of the "Northern Capital".
Google Earth Google Map Phuket
Searchable map/satellite view of Thailand's biggest island.

Map of Southeast Asia
Map of the Southeast Asia region.
profile Map of Asia
Reference Map of Asia.
 

Thai News


Bangkok Post
One of Thailand's leading English language newspaper.
Bussiness Day
Thailand's only business newspaper in English.
Thai News Agency (TNA)
Thailand related news.
The Nation
Online News & Information Service in English.

Thai News in Thai:
Dailynews
National and international news. (in Thai)
Thairath
Asian and national news.

International News Sources
BBC News Country Profile: Thailand
With links to Thailand related news and background information.


Human Rights
Thomson Reuters Foundation
Reuters news covers the world’s under-reported stories.
Amnesty International Thailand
Amnesty International Reports.
Human Rights Watch: Thailand
Background Briefings.

Press freedom
Reporters sans frontières - Thailand
Report about Press freedom in the country.


Wat Arun, Bangkok, the Thai capital
Chao Phraya river with Wat Arun in background, Bangkok.
Image: nationsonline.org
 

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Arts & Culture


The Fine Arts Department
Responsible for cultural heritage and artistic creation.
Bangsai Arts and Crafts Centre
Arts and culture Thai style.
Khon Masks of Thailand
Khon masks comprise part of the costume of performers of the classical dance-drama.
National Library of Thailand (NLT)
The site provides information about the institution's history, organisation, services, and online catalogs. National Library of Thailand is located in Bangkok.
The Siam Society
Established in 1904, under Royal Patronage, as an organization for those interested in the artistic, scientific, and cultural affairs of Thailand and neighboring countries.
Thai Classical Dance
The Rituals and Traditions of Thai classical dance.
Thai Cuisine
Regional Food with recipes.
Vegetarian Thai Cuisine
Site with information about Kin Jay, the Thai variant of vegetarian food.
Thaisilk
Wikipedia page about the traditional handicraft and art of silk weaving in Thailand.

Festivals
 Chinese New Year Bangkok
Images of street scenes, Chinese temples, people and places in Bangkok's Chinatown by Valeska Gehrmann.
Loi Krathong Festival
A festival celebrated nationwide in Thailand, the floating of a ‘Krathong' – a banana–leaf cup – is intended to float away ill fortune.
The River of King
One of Thailand's grandest spectacles, the Royal Barge Procession on Chao Phraya River.
Songkran
Site about the Songkran, Thailand's New Year and Water Festival.


Worldfilm Festival of Bangkok
Annual Worldfilm Festival Bangkok, with mostly Asian contemporary films.

Museum
Rama IX Art Museum Foundation
Contemporary and modern Thai art.


Native
indigenous peoples The Karens (Ka-rans)
Indigenous people of the southeast Asian countries of Thailand and Burma.

Sports
Muaythai
Muaythai & Boxing Sports Magazine (Muay Thai - Thai Kick Boxing, the national sport.)
 
Thai Classical Dancing
Thai Classical Dance
© tourismthailand.org

Ramakien mural Wat Po
Ramakien mural in Wat Po, Bangkok.
Image: nationsonline.org

Business & Economy

Thailand has a well-developed infrastructure, okay kind of, a free-enterprise economy, generally pro-investment policies, and strong export industries. Thailand achieved steady growth due largely to industrial and agriculture exports - mostly electronics, agricultural commodities, automobiles and parts, and processed foods. Unemployment is less than 1%, with a nation-wide 300 baht ($9) per day minimum wage. The Thai economy has weathered internal and external economic shocks in recent years. The global economic recession severely cut Thailand's exports, with most sectors experiencing double-digit drops. In late 2011 Thailand's recovery was interrupted by historic flooding in the industrial areas in Bangkok and its five surrounding provinces, crippling the manufacturing sector.

Bank of Thailand
Central Bank of Thailand.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand

Ministry of Energy

Ministry of Industry

 List of State Enterprises of the Kingdom of Thailand
List of Thailand's State Enterprises.

 Thailand in Figures
Thailand statistical key figures.

Thai Chamber of Commerce
The Thai Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand (Bangkok).
Thai Board of Investment (BOI)
Thai Investment and business information.
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI)
The Gem and Jewelry Institute of Thailand
The leading institute in the development and promotion of the country's gem and jewelry industry.
Thailand Business Pages
Thai Industry, Companies, Products.
Thaitrade - Department of export promotion
Thai Exports
Trade and Export information.

__Transportation


Airlines

Thai Airways
Thai Airways is the national flag carrier airline of Thailand.

Bangkok Airways
Domestic flights.

Nok Air
Thai regional low-cost airline. Nok Air serves the largest number of domestic routes within the country.

Thai Smile Airways
Thai Smile is a Thai budget airline and a subsidiary of Thai Airways International.

Thai AirAsia
Thai AirAsia is a joint venture between AirAsia and Thailand's Asia Aviation. The customer service will be provided by AirAsia.

AirAsia X
Thai AirAsia X is Thailand's first long-haul low-cost airline.

Thai Lion Air
Thai Lion Air is a Thai budget airline and a subsidiary of the Indonesian Lion Air.

Thai Vietjet Air

Thai Vietjet Air is a Thai low cost carrier and a holding company of the Vietnamese airline VietJet Air.


__Railroad
State Railway of Thailand
Official website of the State Railway of Thailand.
 
 
View of mountainous Ko Chang (Elephant Island), Gulf of Thailand
Mountainous Ko Chang (Elephant Island) in the Gulf of Thailand. The island is known for several waterfalls, thriving coral reefs, and hiking trails in its rainforests.
Image: nationsonline.org

Travel and Tour Consumer Information


Destination Thailand - Travel and Tour Guides


Discover Thailand: Ayutthaya, Bangkok, Muang Boran, Cha-Am (Muang Phetch), Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Hat Yai, Hua Hin, Isaan, Kanchanaburi, Khao Lak, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Khorat, Lanna, Nong Khai, Krabi, Pattaya, Phang-Nga, Ranong, Satun, Sukhothai, Trang, Ubon Ratchathani, the Golden Triangle.
Islands: Ko Chang, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao, Koh Samui, Koh Phi Phi, Phuket.
Accommodation, hotels, attractions, festivals, events, tourist boards, adventure, islands, for more information see the links below.


TourismThailand.Org
The Official Website for Tourism in Thailand with comprehensive country information.

Tourism Authority of Thailand
The Newsroom of the Tourism Authority of Thailand features news and information on Thai tourism, events in Thailand, Thai culture, cuisine, art, and way of life.

Thailand Today
Official website, designed and developed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to serve as a one-stop source of comprehensive and reliable facts and information about Thailand.

Thailand Grand Festival
Tourism Authority calender of Thai Festivals plus Travel Guides, Stories & Trips.

Thailander
An information source for and about Thailand.

 Muang Boran
The Ancient City - meet the past of Muang Thai.
Sacred Sites in Thailand
Spiritual travel to sacred sites, temples and healers in Thailand.
Sawadee.com
Tourism portal with extensive information on Thailand's major tourist destinations, tourist attractions, islands, people, hotels and resorts accommodation.
Thailander.com
Thai portal site with travel and tourism information.

Hotels
Hotels in Thailand
Find a Hotel in Thailand.


Do's and Don'ts
Facts for Travelers
Some specific do's and don'ts worth pointing out.
Do's and Don'ts in Thailand
Some special advice by the Tourism Authority.

Tour Operators
Pleasure Holiday Tour
Bangkok based tour and travel company.
 
 

Education and Research

Bangkok is Thailand's center of culture and education. The city is the seat of six major universities: Chulalongkorn, Thammasat, Silpakorn, Kasetsart, Mahidol, and the Asian Institute of Technology (1959).

Bangkok
Asian Institute of Technology (สถาบันเทคโนโลยีแห่งเอเชีย)
Technical university,and an international institution for higher education in engineering, advanced technologies, and management and planning.

Assumption University
Frst international university of Thailand, AU is led by the Brothers of St. Gabriel - founded in 1969.

Chulalongkorn University
Thailand's first institution of higher learning - founded in 1917.

Kasetsart University
Known as Kaset University is a top-ranked Public University in Thailand, it was founded in 1943.
Kasetsart University (english version)

Mahidol University
Mahidol University, the public research university originated from the first institution of higher learning in Thailand.

Thammasat University
Thailand's second oldest university - founded in 1934. Thammasat has often been involved in Thai national politics. Its campus was the site of the 14 October 1973 uprising and the 6 October 1976 Massacre.

Silpakorn University
Leading Thai university in the fine arts and archaeology.


Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai University
Chiang Mai, founded in 1964.
Maejo University
Chiang Mai - founded in 1934.


Space Research
Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA)
GISTDA is Thailand's public organization in space technology and geo-informatics.
GISTDA in English

Theos Pilot Project
Thailand Earth Observation System, has been launched its geo data satellite on 1 October 2008.
 
 

Environment & Nature

Thailand Environment Institute
Non-profit organization focusing on environmental issues.
Elephant Reintroduction Foundation
A project to reintroduce domestic elephants back into the wild.
Plant Genetics Conservation Project
A project to classify and protect plant genetics.
 
 

History

History of Thailand
Thailand's History from the early kingdoms until today, plus links to additional information about the history of Thailand.
 
 

Language

The official language of Thailand is the Thai language, it is a Tai-Kadai language, closely related to the Lao language and the Shan language in Burma (Myanmar), and numerous smaller languages spoken in the area from Hainan and Yunnan south to the Malaysian border. It is the principal language of education and government and spoken throughout the country. The standard is based on the dialect of the Central Thai people, and it is written in Thai alphabet.

thai-language.com
The site offers English speakers a high-quality non-commercial Thai language resource with discussion forums, dictionary, and learning materials support. Very useful.
 
 

Search

Open Directory Project: Thailand
DMOZ's Thailand directory.


Sources and additional information on Thailand


Amnesty International: Thailand
BBC Country Profile: Thailand
British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO): Thailand
FAO: Thailand
GlobalEDGE: Thailand
The Heritage Foundation: Thailand
Human Development Reports (HDR): Thailand
Human Rights Watch: Thailand
OEC: Thailand
Reporters Without Borders: Thailand
WHO: Thailand
Wikipedia: Thailand
The World Bank: Thailand

The World Factbook: Thailand
 
 Support UNICEF

Other Countries in Southeast Asia:
Brunei | Cambodia | East Timor | Indonesia | Laos | Malaysia | Myanmar | Philippines | Singapore | Vietnam
 
 
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