Country Name: The Kingdom of Thailand
Area: Thailand covers an area of 513,000 square kilometers.
Population: With a population of 67.9 million, Thailand is a diverse country home to over 30 ethnic groups. The Thai ethnic group is the largest, and the national language is Thai. The majority, around 90% of the population, practices Buddhism, while the remaining population follows Islam, Christianity, Catholicism, Hinduism, and Sikhism.
Capital: The capital city of Thailand is Bangkok.
Head of State: His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua, also known as King Rama X, has been the reigning monarch since October 2016. The coronation ceremony took place from May 4th to 6th, 2019.
Important Holidays: Thailand celebrates several significant holidays, including the Songkran Festival, which takes place from April 13th to 15th in the Gregorian calendar. The Loy Krathong Festival is observed in the first and middle of November in the Gregorian calendar, and on December 15th in the Thai calendar. Additionally, National Day is celebrated on December 5th in honor of the birth anniversary of King Rama IX, Bhumibol.
Brief introduction: Thailand is located in the central southern part of the Indochinese Peninsula, sharing borders with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Malaysia. It is also surrounded by the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast and the Andaman Sea to the southwest. The country has a tropical monsoon climate with three distinct seasons: hot, rainy, and cool. The average annual temperature is around 27 ℃.
Thailand’s history dates back to 1238 AD when a relatively unified country was formed. It went through various dynasties, including the Sukhothai Dynasty, Ayuthaya Dynasty, Thonburi Dynasty, and Bangkok Dynasty. Originally known as Siam, the country underwent significant changes in the late 19th century. In 1896, Siam became a buffer country between British Myanmar and French Indochina, as stipulated by a treaty between Britain and France. Remarkably, Thailand managed to avoid colonization, making it the only country in Southeast Asia to do so. During the reign of King Rama IV, which began in the late 19th century, Thailand started opening up to the outside world. King Rama V further embraced Western influence and implemented social reforms based on their experiences. In June 1932, the Democratic Party carried out a coup, leading to the transition from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. The country was officially renamed Thailand in 1939, and after several changes, it was formally established as Thailand in 1949.
Politics: Thailand implements a constitutional monarchy. After World War II, power in Thailand was held by the military group for an extended period, resulting in frequent changes in government. However, starting from the 1990s, military personnel gradually began to fade out of politics. In 2001, the Thai Rak Thai Party emerged victorious in the national election, with Thaksin Shinawatra serving as Prime Minister. Thaksin was re-elected in 2005. However, in September 2006, a military coup took place, leading to Thaksin’s resignation. Following the coup, a national election was held in 2007, and the People’s Power Party emerged as the winner, with Samak Sundaravej appointed as the prime minister. However, in September 2008, Samak was forced to resign unconstitutionally. The People’s Power Party then elected Somchai as the new prime minister. However, in December of the same year, the Constitutional Court ruled that the People’s Power Party, the Chart Thai Party and Matchima Thipataya Party were guilty of electoral fraud charges, resulting in their dissolution and Somchai’s resignation. On December 15th, Democratic Party leader Abhisit was elected as the Prime Minister. In the July 2011 national election, the Thai party won more than half of the seats in the House of the representatives, leading to the establishment of the Yingluck government in August. In December 2013, Yingluck announced the dissolution of the lower house of parliament and a new general election. However, the 2014 lower house elections faced challenges due to opposition boycotts, resulting in voting difficulties in some areas. In March, the Constitutional Court declared the general election invalid. Subsequently, on May 22nd, the military assumed power under the name of the “National Stability Maintenance Corps”. The National Legislative Assembly was formed on July 31st, and on August 21st, the Assembly elected Prayut, the Chairman of the National Stability Pact and Army Commander, as the new Prime Minister. Prayut officially took office as Prime Minister on the 24th of August. On October 13, 2016, King Bhumibol Adulyadej passed away, and King Vajiralongkorn ascended to the throne. In March 2019, the Thai general election was held, and the Palang Pracharath Party won the most seats. Prayut Chan-o-cha was reappointed. In March 2023, Prayut announced the dissolution of the lower house of parliament, followed by national elections held in May. On August 22nd, the new parliament’s upper and lower houses conducted a vote to elect the Prime Minister, resulting in Settha Thawisin being elected to the position. On September 1st, the king granted approval for the new cabinet members, and on September 5th, all cabinet members were sworn in.
Constitution: The current constitution came into effect on April 6, 2017, with the Royal Edict of King Vajiralongkorn. It is the 20th constitution of Thailand.
Parliament: In July 2023, a new parliament was established, comprising both an upper and lower house. The Senate consists of 250 members, while the House of the Representatives have 500 members. Currently, Wan Muhamad Noor Matha (Wan Noor) serves as the President of the National Assembly and Speaker of the House of the Representatives, while Pornpetch Wichitcholchai holds the position of Vice President of the National Assembly and Speaker of the Senate.
Government: On September 1, 2023, the new cabinet list was approved by the Thai King, and on September 5, all cabinet members took their oath of office. The current cabinet members include the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, MR. SRETTHHA THAVISIN, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, MR. PHUMTHAM WECHAYACHAI, the Deputy Prime Minister, MR. SOMSAK THEPSUTIN, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, MR. PARNPREE BAHIDDHA NUKARA, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, MR. ANUTIN CHARNVIRAKUL. Other members of the cabinet include the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, POL. GEN. PATCHARAWAT WONGSUWAN, and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy, Mr. PIRAPAN SALIRATHAVIBHAGA, six deputy prime ministers, as well as ministers and deputy ministers of defense, agriculture and cooperatives, transportation, and other departments, totaling 34 individuals.
Administrative divisions: The country is divided into five regions: central, southern, eastern, northern, and northeastern, with a total of 77 provinces, including counties, districts, and villages. Bangkok is the only province-level municipality directly under the central government. The governors of each province are civil servants appointed by the Ministry of the Interior, while the mayor of Bangkok is elected directly.
Judicial System: The judicial system belongs to the civil law system, with written laws as the main basis for court judgments. It is comprised of the Constitutional Court, the Judicial Court, the Administrative Court, and the Military Court.
The Constitutional Court’s main role is to make final rulings on bills that are deemed unconstitutional after being reviewed by Congress. It also handles cases involving politicians suspected of concealing assets, with decisions made by a simple majority. The Constitutional Court consists of one dean and eight judges, who are nominated by the Speaker of the House of Lords and approved by the King.
The Administrative Court primarily deals with litigation disputes involving state organs, state-owned enterprises, local governments, or disputes between civil servants and private enterprises. It is divided into two levels: the Supreme Administrative Court and the Junior Administrative Court. Additionally, it has an Administrative Judicial Committee comprised of the President of the Supreme Administrative Court and nine experts. The appointment of the President of the Supreme Administrative Court requires approval from the Administrative and Judicial Committee and the House of Lords. The Prime Minister nominates the candidate, and the King gives final approval.
Military courts mainly handle cases related to military crimes and other cases specified by law.
The Judicial Court handles all cases that do not fall within the jurisdiction of the Constitutional Court, Administrative Court, or Military Court. It is divided into three levels: the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, and the Court of First Instance. It also has a dedicated Criminal Affairs Department for Political Personnel. The Judicial Court has a judicial committee that is responsible for appointing, removing, promoting, increasing salaries, and punishing judges at all levels. Additionally, the Judicial Court has a Secretariat that handles daily administrative affairs.
Important figure: King Vajiralongkorn, the 10th King of the Rama Dynasty, was born on July 28, 1952 in Bangkok. He was crowned as the crown prince in December 1972 and ascended the throne in October 2016. The coronation ceremony took place from May 4th to 6th, 2019. During his early years, he studied at the Royal Preparatory School in the UK and Australia. Later, he attended the Royal Military Academy in Canberra, Australia, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree. Prior to becoming king, he served in the Thai Imperial Guard as the commander of the land, sea, and air armies.
Another important figure is Settha Thawisin, who holds the authority of Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. He was born on February 15, 1963 in Bangkok. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Massachusetts in the United States, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Clermont University. He has had a long tenure as the CEO and Chairman of Sansiri Group, a large real estate company in Thailand. In October 2022, he was listed as one of the candidates for Prime Minister of the Thai Party and was elected as the 30th Prime Minister of Thailand on August 22, 2023. He officially assumed the position of Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in September.
Economy: In the realm of economy, the implementation of the National Five Year Plan for Economic and Social Development has been ongoing since 1963. The upcoming 13th Five Year Plan is set to commence in 2023. Notable economic data for the year 2022 includes:
Gross Domestic Product: 495.2 billion US dollars.
GDP growth rate: 2.6%.
Currency name: baht.
Exchange rate (annual average price): 1 US dollar ≈ 34.5 baht.
Inflation rate: 6.08%.
Unemployment rate: 1.37%.
Resources: Resources in Thailand primarily consist of potassium salts, tin, lignite, oil shale, natural gas, zinc, lead, tungsten, iron, antimony, chromium, barite, gemstones, and petroleum.
Industry: The country’s industry is export-oriented and encompasses various sectors such as mining, textiles, electronics, plastics, food processing, toys, automotive assembly, building materials, petrochemicals, software, tires, and furniture. The proportion of industry in the gross domestic product is continuously increasing.
Agriculture: Agriculture is another significant economic sector, with arable land making up around 41% of the national land area. Major crops include rice, corn, cassava, rubber, sugarcane, mung beans, hemp, tobacco, coffee beans, cotton, palm oil, and coconuts.
Fisheries: Thailand’s fisheries industry benefits from its vast sea area and 2705 kilometers of coastline, particularly in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. Bangkok, Songkhla, and Phuket serve as important fishing centers and distribution hubs for fishing products. Thailand is a major global supplier of fish products.
Service industry: The service industry, particularly tourism, plays a vital role in generating foreign exchange income. Key tourist destinations include Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Chiang Rai, Hua Hin, and Samui Island.
Transportation: Transportation in Thailand is mainly by road and air. Highways connect all provinces in the country, extending in all directions. The two major waterway transportation arteries are the Mekong river and Chao Phraya river. There are a total of 47 ports in Thailand, including 26 seaports and 21 international ports. These ports include Map Ta Phut Port, Laem Chabang Port, Bangkok Port, Songkhla Port, Phuket Port, Chiang Saen Port, Chiang Khong Port, Ranong Port, and Siracha Port. Shipping routes from these ports can reach various destinations such as China, Japan, the United States, Europe, and Singapore. Thailand has a total of 57 airports, including 8 international airports. Since its opening, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport has become a crucial air transportation hub in Southeast Asia. International routes from this airport can reach over 40 cities in Europe, the United States, Asia, and Oceania. Additionally, domestic routes cover more than 20 large and medium-sized cities across the country.
Fiscal Finance: The fiscal revenue for 2022 amounted to 71 billion US dollars. As of September 2023, Thailand’s foreign exchange reserves reached 210 billion US dollars.
Foreign Trade: Foreign trade plays a crucial role in the national economy. In 2022, Thailand’s total trade volume was 545.7 billion US dollars, showing a year-on-year increase of 11.9%. Exports amounted to 265.3 billion US dollars, with a year-on-year increase of 16.3%, while imports reached 280.4 billion US dollars, experiencing a year-on-year increase of 7.6%. The main growth point for exports lies in industrial products. Important trading partners of Thailand include China, Japan, ASEAN, the United States, the European Union, and others.
The main export products consist of automobiles and spare parts, computers and spare parts, integrated circuit boards, electrical appliances, primary plastics, chemicals, petrochemical products, jewelry, ready-to-wear clothing, shoes, rubber, furniture, processed seafood and canned goods, rice, cassava, etc.
The main imported products include mechanical and electrical products and spare parts, industrial machinery, electronic product spare parts, automotive spare parts, building materials, crude oil, papermaking machinery, steel, integrated circuit boards, chemical products, computer equipment and spare parts, household appliances, jewelry and jewelry, metal products, feed, fruits and vegetables, etc.
Overseas investment: Thailand’s main investment destinations are the United States, ASEAN, Chinese Mainland, and Taiwan. In 2022, Thailand’s investment in China decreased by $68.09 million compared to the previous year, displaying a year-on-year decrease of 36.6%. The main companies that invested in China include Charoen Pokphand Group and Bangkok Bank, among others.
Foreign investment: Since 1961, Thailand has implemented an open market economy policy, adopting a series of preferential policies to encourage foreign investment. The period from 1987 to 1990 marked the peak of foreign investment in the country. However, in 1997, Thailand experienced a significant decrease in foreign investment due to the impact of the Asian financial crisis. In recent years, the Thai government has taken measures to boost investment, enhance infrastructure construction, and create a favorable environment to attract foreign investors.
Military: In the mid-19th century, following the example of the West, Thailand established its military forces, including the land and navy. The air force was later established in 1915. According to the constitution, the supreme commander of the armed forces is the king. The National Security Council, which is under the leadership of the Prime Minister, plays a crucial role in formulating national security policies and implementing the overall national security strategy. The Ministry of National Defense serves as the highest military administrative agency, responsible for developing and implementing national defense policies and plans. The Supreme Command, comprised of the land, sea, and air branches, serves as the highest command structure of the military. Its main responsibility is to command and coordinate the operations of the three branches.
Education: The implementation of 12-year compulsory education is the norm in Thailand. The education system consists of primary and secondary education, spanning a total of 12 years. This includes 6 years of primary school, followed by 3 years of junior high school and 3 years of high school. Secondary vocational schools typically have a 3-year system, while most universities offer a 4-year program. However, medical universities have a longer duration of 5 years. Thailand is renowned for its prestigious higher education institutions, such as Chulalongkorn University, Thammasat University, Mahidol University, Kasetsart University, Chiang Mai University, Khon Kaen University, Prince of Sognkhla University, Srinakharinwirot University, Assumption University, and the Asian Institute of Technology. Additionally, the country has open universities like Ramkhamhaeng University and Sukhothai Open University, providing opportunities for distance learning and flexible study options.
Press and Publication: The media in Thailand operates mainly as private entities following market rules. The Thai media is considered the primary source of news, with English and Chinese media serving as secondary sources. The main Thai language media outlets include Matichon, Thairath, Manager, Daily News and others. Chinese language media outlets such as Tong Guan Media Printing, Tong Hua Medial Lab. , Sing SianYer Pao Daily News, Asia News Time, Kia Hua Tong Nguan, and the Universal Daily News also play a significant role. Additionally, English language media outlets like Bangkok Post, The Nation, Instant News, and ThaiPBS are prominent in the country. Thai Broadcasting Station is a national radio station that operates foreign departments, providing broadcasts in various languages, including Thai, English, French, Chinese, Malay, Vietnamese, Lao, Cambodian, Burmese, and Japanese. Wireless television stations are primarily based in Bangkok, and most television programs are transmitted via satellite. The television network covers the entire country.
Foreign relations: Thailand adheres to an independent foreign policy, focusing on neighboring diplomacy, actively developing good neighborly and friendly relations, and maintaining a balance with major powers. The country attaches great importance to regional cooperation and has served as the coordinator of China-ASEAN relations from 2012 to 2015. Thailand actively promotes ASEAN integration and the construction of the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area, while also supporting cooperation between ASEAN and China, Japan, and South Korea. Emphasis is placed on economic diplomacy and the promotion of trade liberalization. Additionally, Thailand has initiated and promoted the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) mechanism, and actively participates in various multilateral cooperation mechanisms such as the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, and the Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation. In June 2018, Thailand hosted the 8th Summit of the Ayeyawaddy-Chao Phraya Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS). The country also actively develops relations with Muslim countries and seeks to play an active role in regional and international affairs, including international peacekeeping, climate change, food security, energy security, and drug control cooperation. Thailand served as the Chairman of the Group of 77 in 2016, the rotating Chairman of ASEAN in 2019, and will host the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in 2022.