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Thailand General Overview
The Kingdom of Thailand, previously known as Siam, is situated
in the heart of Southeast Asia with Bangkok as the capital city. It shares a
border with Cambodia to the east, Laos to the northeast, Myanmar to the west,
and Malaysia to the south. Thailand, with its shape resembling a head of an
elephant, is around 198,114 square miles, or roughly the size of the state of
Texas. The Kingdom borders two bodies of water-the Gulf of Thailand to the south
and the Indian Ocean to the west.
Thailand is divided into 5 natural regions: the north, northeast, the central
plain, east and the south. The north is a mountainous region comprised of
ridges, natural forest, and deep, narrow alluvial valleys. The northeast is an
arid region characterized by a rolling surface and undulating hills. Central
Thailand is a lush, fertile valley and possesses the richest and most extensive
rice-producing area in the country. The south is hilly with thick forests and
rich deposits of minerals and iron ores. The southern region is also the center
for rubber production and the cultivation of other topical crops.
Thailand has a warm, tropical climate affected by a seasonal monsoon. Thailand
experiences a rainy season from June to October and a dry season for the rest of
the year. Temperatures average 75 to 92 degrees Fahrenheit, with the highest
temperatures occurring from March to May and the lowest appearing in December
and January.
There are conflicting opinions of the origins of the Thais. For several decades,
Thais were presumed to have migrated 4,500 years ago, from what is now the
southern part of China. Recently, however, new pre-historic artifacts from the
Ban Chiang era were discovered in northeast Thailand, questioning the previous
theory. These artifacts include evidence of bronze metallurgy dating over 3,500
years, as well as other indications of a far more sophisticated culture than any
previously founded.
As of 2003, the population of Thailand stood at around 64.2 million, about 8
million of whom live in the capital city of Bangkok. The largest ethnic minority
is the Chinese. Other ethnic groups present in Thailand include Malays,
Cambodians, Vietnamese, and Indians. The official language, spoken by almost 100
percent of the population, is Thai. Thai is a tonal, uninflected, and
predominantly monosyllabic language borrowed from Khmer, Pali, and Sanskrit.
Chinese and Malay are also spoken in some areas, while local dialects are common
in rural communities. English is widely spoken in Bangkok and other major
metropolitan areas.
Buddhism is the faith of approximately 95 percent of the population. Islam,
Christianity, Hinduism, and other faiths are also openly practiced and protected
under the Constitution.
Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia that has never been colonized.
Its government structure has undergone gradual and practical evolution in
response to the changing environment. Since 1932, Thailand has been a
constitutional monarchy, with a king as head of state and a parliamentarian form
of government. The bicameral parliament is composed of 500 representatives and
200 senators. The Prime Minister is selected from the members of the House of
Representatives. Furthermore, Thailand is divided into 76 provinces, each
administered by appointed governors. Appointed governors administer 75 of
Thailand's 76 provinces. Bangkok, the 76th province, is administered by an
elected governor.
Prior to 1932, Thailand’s political history can be summarized into three
chronological kingdoms: Sukhothai, Ayutthaya, and Rattanakosin. The Kingdom of
Sukhothai (1257-1378) adopted the paternalistic system of government, where the
King had absolute power and reigned over his subjects, paying close attention to
their well-being. The succeeding Ayutthaya Kingdom during the 1300-1700’s
inherited extensive Khmer traditions and customs, including a system of
government based on the concept of divine rights.
The Ayutthaya period also brought a strong centralized government characterized
by a clear division between civil and military administration. The final
Rattanakosin Kingdom was established in 1767 with Bangkok as the capital. The
Rattanakosin Kingdom adopted the Ayutthaya system of governance. Three centuries
later, King Rama V, who reigned in the late 19th century during the threat of
colonialism in Southeast Asia, reorganized the central, regional and local
administrations. This restructuring formed the basis of Thailand's present
governing system.
There are three key components of the Thai governmental structure. The first and
foremost is that His Majesty the King is the head of the armed forces and
upholder of Buddhism and all other religions. The constitution provides that His
Majesty the King is a sacred and inviolable person. His sovereign power emanates
from the people. Furthermore, His Majesty the King exercises his legislative
power through the parliament, executive power through the cabinet headed by a
prime minister, and judicial power through the country. The monarch is empowered
with the right to be consulted, the right to encourage, and the right to
admonish warnings whenever the government fails to administer state affairs for
the good of the people.
The second component relates to the legislative branch. The first constitution
was a cautious document that created a bicameral National Assembly with two
categories of members: the House of Representatives (the lower house) and the
Senate (the upper house). Under the Constitution, the Prime Minister is the head
of government and the chief executive.
During the 57 years of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej's reign, Thailand has
enjoyed enviable economic growth. With a predominantly agrarian base and a
sophisticated and a growing manufacturing sector, Thailand’s economy is
well-diversified. Thailand possesses a developed tourism, agricultural,
manufacturing, minerals, and telecommunications industry. It also embraces the
latest technologies.
Thailand’s present government took office in February 2001 under the premiership
of Police Lieutenant Colonel Thaksin Shinawatra, leader of the Thai Rak Thai
Party. One of the main economic policies under the present Government is the
Dual Track Development Strategy. The Dual Track Development strategy is aimed at
raising domestic productivity and demand on the one hand, and expanding exports
and foreign direct investments on the other. Under this strategy, the government
has initiated several programs to promote growth and development at the
grassroot level.
One of the programs, One Tambon, One Product (OTOP), was created to help
communities to use their local knowledge to develop and market their unique
products. Furthermore, a Village Fund, the People’s Bank, and provision of Small
and Medium Enterprise (SME) credits were created to promote grassroots
enterprise. The success of this Dual Track Development Strategy is evident. In
2003, the economy grew by 6.3 per cent, one of the highest rates in the world.
Another reason for Thailand's successful economic recovery is the increase
demand for Thai export, which rose by 16 per cent in 2003. To meet this figure,
the Kingdom has actively sought new markets for its exports while strengthening
its traditional markets in the United States, Europe and Japan. Furthermore, the
Government has been pursuing free trade agreements (FTA) with several countries,
including Australia, Bahrain, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Peru, and the
United States.
In conclusion, the Kingdom of Thailand is a country blessed with political
stability and economic prosperity. The Kingdom, a society that is also free,
cohesive, and open, remains one of the most attractive places in the world to
visit and conduct business.
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