THAILAND                                                                        
GEOGRAPHY                                                                       
Total area: 514,000 km2; land area: 511,770 km2                                 
                                                                                
Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming                  
                                                                                
Land boundaries: 4,863 km total; Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km,               
Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km                                                  
                                                                                
Coastline: 3,219 km                                                             
                                                                                
Maritime claims:                                                                
                                                                                
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm;                                                
                                                                                
Territorial sea: 12 nm                                                          
                                                                                
Disputes: boundary dispute with Laos; unresolved maritime                       
boundary with Vietnam                                                           
                                                                                
Climate: tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon                        
(mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to                
mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid                               
                                                                                
Terrain: central plain; eastern plateau (Khorat); mountains                     
elsewhere                                                                       
                                                                                
Natural resources: tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum,                
timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite                                   
                                                                                
Land use: arable land 34%; permanent crops 4%; meadows and pastures             
1%; forest and woodland 30%; other 31%; includes irrigated 7%                   
                                                                                
Environment: air and water pollution; land subsidence in Bangkok                
area                                                                            
                                                                                
Note: controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and                        
Singapore                                                                       
                                                                                
PEOPLE                                                                          
Population: 56,814,069 (July 1991), growth rate 1.4% (1991)                     
                                                                                
Birth rate: 20 births/1,000 population (1991)                                   
Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1991)                                    
                                                                                
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1991)                          
                                                                                
Infant mortality rate: 37 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)                       
                                                                                
Life expectancy at birth: 66 years male, 71 years female (1991)                 
                                                                                
Total fertility rate: 2.2 children born/woman (1991)                            
                                                                                
Nationality: noun--Thai (sing. and pl.); adjective--Thai                        
                                                                                
Ethnic divisions: Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11%                              
                                                                                
Religion: Buddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%,                         
Hinduism 0.1%, other 0.5% (1991)                                                
                                                                                
Language: Thai; English is the secondary language of the elite;                 
ethnic and regional dialects                                                    
                                                                                
Literacy: 93% (male 96%, female 90%) age 15 and over can                        
read and write (1990 est.)                                                      
                                                                                
Labor force: 30,870,000; agriculture 62%, industry 13%,                         
commerce 11%, services (including government) 14% (1989 est.)                   
                                                                                
Organized labor: 309,000 union members (1989)                                   
                                                                                
GOVERNMENT                                                                      
Long-form name: Kingdom of Thailand; under martial law since                    
military takeover 23 February 1991                                              
                                                                                
Type: constitutional monarchy; under martial law since                          
military coup of 23 February 1991                                               
                                                                                
Capital: Bangkok                                                                
                                                                                
Administrative divisions: 73 provinces (changwat, singular and                  
plural); 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,          
Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha Sarakham, Nakhon           
Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan,           
Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan, Narathiwat, 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, 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                 
                                                                                
Constitution: 22 December 1978; interim constitution promulgated                
by National Peace-Keeping Council on 1 March 1991                               
                                                                                
Legal system: based on civil law system, with influences of                     
common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; martial               
law in effect since 23 February 1991 military coup                              
                                                                                
National holiday: Birthday of His Majesty the King, 5 December                  
(1927)                                                                          
                                                                                
Executive branch: monarch, interim prime minister, three                        
interim deputy prime ministers, interim Council of Ministers (cabinet),         
Privy Council; following the military coup of 23 February 1991                  
a National Peace-Keeping Council was set up                                     
                                                                                
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly (Rathasatha)                    
consists of an upper house or Senate (Vuthisatha) and a lower house or          
House of Representatives (Saphaphoothan-Rajsadhorn); following the              
military coup of 23 February 1991 the National Assembly was dissolved           
and a new interim National Legislative Assembly has been formed until           
elections are held in April 1992                                                
                                                                                
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Sarndika)                                       
                                                                                
Leaders:                                                                        
                                                                                
Chief of State--King PHUMIPHON ADUNLAYADET (since 9 June 1946);                 
Heir Apparent Crown Prince WACHIRALONGKON (born 28 July 1952);                  
                                                                                
Head of Government--Interim Prime Minister ANAN Panyarachun                     
(since 4 March 1991);                                                           
Interim Deputy Prime Minister SANO Unakun (since 6 March 1991);                 
Interim Deputy Prime Minister Police Gen. PHAO Sarasin (since 6 March           
1991);                                                                          
Interim Deputy Prime Minister MICHAI Ruchupan (since 6 March 1991);             
                                                                                
National Peace-Keeping Council (ruling junta)--Chairman                         
Gen. SUNTHON Khongsomphong;                                                     
Vice Chairman Gen. SUCHINDA Khraprayun;                                         
Vice Chairman Adm. PRAPHAT Kritsanachan;                                        
Vice Chairman Air Chief Mar. KASET Rotchananin;                                 
Vice Chairman Police Gen. SAWAT Amonwiwat                                       
                                                                                
Political parties and leaders: under martial law political                      
parties are prohibited from meeting; leaders of several parties have            
resigned and other parties are fragmenting; it is unclear which of              
the following parties functioning at the time of the military                   
coup will still be in existence by the time new elections are                   
held;                                                                           
                                                                                
Thai Nation Party (TNP);                                                        
Solidarity Party;                                                               
Thai Citizens Party (TCP);                                                      
People's Party (Ratsadon);                                                      
Thai People's Party;                                                            
Social Action Party (SAP);                                                      
Democrat Party (DP);                                                            
Mass Party;                                                                     
Force of Truth Party (Phalang Dharma);                                          
People's Party (Prachachon);                                                    
New Aspiration Party;                                                           
United Democracy Party;                                                         
Liberal Party;                                                                  
Social Democratic Force                                                         
                                                                                
Suffrage: universal at age 21                                                   
                                                                                
Elections:                                                                      
                                                                                
House of Representatives--last held 24 July 1988 (next to be                    
held by April 1992 for a new National Legislative Assembly according            
to the National Peace-Keeping Council);                                         
results--TNP 27%, SAP 15%, DP 13%, TCP 9%, other 36%;                           
seats--(357 total) TNP 96, Solidarity 62, SAP 53, DP 48, TCP 31,                
People's Party (Ratsadon) 21, Thai People's Party (Prachachon) 17,              
Force of Truth Party (Phalang Dharma) 15, United Democracy Party 5,             
Mass Party 5, Liberal 3, Social Democratic Force 1; note--the                   
House of Representatives was dissolved 23 February 1991; the                    
new interim National Legislative Assembly has 292 seats with 148 of             
the seats held by active and retired military officers                          
                                                                                
Communists: illegal Communist party has 500 to 1,000 members;                   
armed Communist insurgents throughout Thailand total 300 to 500                 
(est.)                                                                          
                                                                                
Member of: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT,                  
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT,          
INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,                   
UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO                                          
                                                                                
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador-designate PHIRAPHONG                      
Kasemsi; Embassy at 2300 Kalorama Road NW, Washington DC 20008;                 
telephone (202) 483-7200; there are Thai Consulates General in Chicago,         
Los Angeles, and New York;                                                      
                                                                                
US--Ambassador Daniel A. O'DONAHUE; Embassy at 95 Wireless Road,                
Bangkok (mailing address is APO San Francisco 96346); telephone  66  (2)        
252-504019; there is a US Consulate General in Chiang Mai and Consulates        
in Songkhla and Udorn                                                           
                                                                                
Flag: five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double                   
width), white, and red                                                          
                                                                                
ECONOMY                                                                         
Overview: Thailand, one of the more advanced developing countries               
in Asia, enjoyed a year of 9% growth in 1990, although down from the            
double-digit rates of 1987-89. The increasingly sophisticated                   
manufacturing sector benefited from export-oriented investment, but             
the agricultural sector contracted 2%, primarily because of weaker              
demand in Thailand's major overseas markets for commodities such as             
rice. The trade deficit almost doubled in 1990, to $9 billion, but              
earnings from tourism ($4.7 billion), remittances, and net capital              
inflows helped keep the balance of payments in surplus. The government          
has followed fairly sound fiscal and monetary policies, aided by                
increased tax receipts from the fast-moving economy. In 1990 the                
government approved new projects--especially for telecommunications             
and roads--needed to refurbish the country's now overtaxed                      
infrastructure. Although growth in 1991 will slow further, Thailand's           
economic outlook remains good, assuming the continuation of prudent             
government policies in the wake of the 23 February 1991 military coup.          
                                                                                
GNP: $79 billion, per capita $1,400; real growth rate 10% (1990                 
est.)                                                                           
                                                                                
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8% (1990 est.)                                
Unemployment rate: 4.9% (1990 est.)                                             
                                                                                
Budget: revenues $15.2 billion; expenditures $15.2 billion,                     
including capital expenditures of $4.1 billion (FY91)                           
                                                                                
Exports: $23.0 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.);                                     
                                                                                
commodities--light manufactures 66%, fishery products 12%,                      
rice 8%, tapioca 8%, manufactured gas, corn, tin;                               
                                                                                
partners--US 22%, Japan 17%, Singapore 7%, Netherlands, FRG,                    
Hong Kong, UK, Malaysia, China (1989)                                           
                                                                                
Imports: $32.0 billion (c.i.f., 1990 est.);                                     
                                                                                
commodities--machinery and parts 23%, petroleum products 13%,                   
chemicals 11%, iron and steel, electrical appliances;                           
                                                                                
partners--Japan 30%, US 11%, Singapore 8%, FRG 5%, Taiwan,                      
South Korea, China, Malaysia, UK (1989)                                         
                                                                                
External debt: $26.9 billion (end 1990 est.)                                    
                                                                                
Industrial production: growth rate 14% (1990 est.); accounts for                
almost 27% of GDP                                                               
                                                                                
Electricity: 7,270,000 kW capacity; 29,000 million kWh produced,                
530 kWh per capita (1990)                                                       
                                                                                
Industries: tourism is the largest source of foreign exchange;                  
textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco,             
cement, other light manufacturing, such as jewelry; electric appliances         
and components, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics; world's               
second-largest tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer                 
                                                                                
Agriculture: accounts for 15% of GNP and 62% of labor force;                    
leading producer and exporter of rice and cassava (tapioca); other              
crops--rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans; except for wheat,           
self-sufficient in food; fish catch of 2.8 million tons (1989)                  
                                                                                
Illicit drugs: a minor producer, major illicit trafficker of                    
heroin, particularly from Burma and Laos, and cannabis for the                  
international drug market; eradication efforts have reduced the area of         
cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring                 
countries; opium poppy cultivation has been affected by eradication             
efforts                                                                         
                                                                                
Economic aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $870                   
million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments          
(1970-88), $8.1 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $19 million              
                                                                                
Currency: baht (plural--baht); 1 baht (B) = 100 satang                          
                                                                                
Exchange rates: baht (B) per US$1--25.224 (January 1991), 25.585                
(1990), 25.702 (1989), 25.294 (1988), 25.723 (1987), 26.299 (1986),             
27.159 (1985)                                                                   
                                                                                
Fiscal year: 1 October-30 September                                             
                                                                                
COMMUNICATIONS                                                                  
Railroads: 3,940 km 1.000-meter gauge, 99 km double track                       
                                                                                
Highways: 44,534 km total; 28,016 km paved, 5,132 km earth surface,             
11,386 km under development                                                     
                                                                                
Inland 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: natural gas, 350 km; refined products, 67 km                         
                                                                                
Ports: Bangkok, Pattani, Phuket, Sattahip, Si Racha                             
                                                                                
Merchant marine: 136 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 521,565                 
GRT/791,570 DWT; includes 2 short-sea passenger, 79 cargo,                      
9 container, 29 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker,                   
9 liquefied gas, 1 chemical tanker, 3 bulk, 3 refrigerated cargo,               
1 combination bulk                                                              
                                                                                
Civil air: 41 (plus 2 leased) major transport aircraft                          
                                                                                
Airports: 127 total, 103 usable; 56 with permanent-surface runways;             
1 with runways over 3,659 m; 12 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 28 with             
runways 1,220-2,439 m                                                           
                                                                                
Telecommunications: service to general public inadequate; bulk of               
service to government activities provided by multichannel cable and             
radio relay network; 739,500 telephones (1987); stations--over 200 AM,          
100 FM, and 11 TV in government-controlled networks; satellite earth            
stations--1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT; domestic        
satellite system being developed                                                
                                                                                
DEFENSE FORCES                                                                  
Branches: Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (including Royal Thai                
Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force, Paramilitary Forces                        
                                                                                
Manpower availability: males 15-49, 16,028,159; 9,778,003 fit for               
military service; 604,483 reach military age (18) annually                      
                                                                                
Defense expenditures: $2.4 billion, 3% of GNP (1990 est.)                       
                                                                                
