Thailand

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"Siam" redirects here. For other uses, see Siam (disambiguation).

Kingdom of Thailand
ราชอาณาจ ักรไทย
Ratcha Anachak Thai

Flag Emblem

Anthem: Phleng Chat
Royal anthem: Phleng Sansoen Phra Barami

Capital Bangkok1
(and largest city) / /

Official languages Thai

Demonym Thai

Parliamentary democracy and

Government
Constitutional monarchy

 - King Bhumibol Adulyadej

 - Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva

Formation
 Sukhothai
 -  1238 
Kingdom

Constitutional
 -  24 June 1932 
Monarchy

 - Later Constitution 24 August 2007 

Area
513,115 km2
 (49th)
 - Total
198,115 sq mi 

 - Water (%) 0.4 (2,230 km2)

Population

December
 -  63,038,247 (20th)
2007 estimate

 - 2000 census 60,606,947[1] 

122/km2 (85th)
 - Density
317/sq mi

GDP (PPP) 2007 estimate

 - Total $519.786 billion[2] (24th)

 - Per capita $7,906[2] (83rd)

GDP (nominal) 2007 estimate

 - Total $245.351 billion[2] (34th)

 - Per capita $3,732[2] (92nd)

Gini (2002) 42 (medium) 

HDI (2006) ▲0.786 (medium) (▼81st)
Baht (Thai: บาท; Symbol: ฿)
Currency
(THB)

Time zone (UTC+7)

Internet TLD .th

Calling code 66
1
^ Thai name: Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or Krung Thep The full
 name is "Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara
Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom
Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit
Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit"

^ According to the Department of Provincial Administration's

2
official register, not taking into account unregistered citizens and
immigrants.

The Kingdom of Thailand (IPA: /ˈtaɪlænd/, Thai: ราชอาณาจักรไทย Ratcha

Anajak Thai (help·info), IPA: [râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj]) is an independent country that
lies in the heart of Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Laos and Myanmar, to
the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to
the west by the Andaman Sea and Myanmar. By the maritime boundary, the country is
bordered to the southeast by Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand, to the southwest by
Indonesia and India in the Andaman Sea.

The capital and largest city of Thailand is Bangkok. It is also the country's center of
political, commercial, industrial and cultural activities. Bangkok is known in Thai as
"Krung Thep Mahanakorn," or, more colloquially, "Krung Thep."

Thailand is the world's 51st-largest country in terms of total area, roughly equal in size to
Spain, with a surface area of approximately 513,000 km2 (198,000 sq mi), and the 20th
most-populous country, with approximately 63 million people. About 75% of the
population is ethnically Thais, 14% is of Chinese origin, and 3% is ethnically Malay,[3]
the rest belong to minority groups including Mons, Khmers, and various hill tribes. The
country's official language is Thai.

Thailand is one of the most devoutly Buddhist countries in the world. The national
religion is Theravada Buddhism which is practiced by more than 95% of all Thais.[4] The
cultures and traditions in Thailand are significantly influenced by those of India, China
and many western countries.

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy with King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the ninth king of
the House of Chakri, as the ruling monarch. The King has reigned for more than half a
century, making him the longest reigning Thai monarch and the longest reigning current
monarch in the world. The King is recognized as the Head of State, the Head of the
Armed Forces, the Upholder of the Buddhist religion, and Defender of the Faith.
Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia that has never been ruled by a European
power. However, during the Second World War, and while claiming neutrality, Thailand
was occupied by the armed forces of the Empire of Japan who built the infamous 'Death
Railway' using captured Allied Prisoners of War and slave Asian labourers.

Contents
[hide]
  1 Etymology
 2 History
o 2.1 Southern Violence
 3 Politics and government
o 3.1 History
o 3.2 1997 to 2006
o 3.3 After the 2006 coup
 4 Education
 5 Administrative divisions
o 5.1 Central
o 5.2 East
o 5.3 North
o 5.4 Northeast (Isan)
o 5.5 South
o 5.6 Metropolitan Areas
 6 Geography
 7 Economy
 8 Demographics
o 8.1 Language
o 8.2 Religion
 9 Culture
 10 International rankings
 11 See also
 12 References
 13 External links
 14 Thailand topics

Etymology
The country's official name was Siam (Thai: สยาม; IPA: [saˈjaːm], RTGS: Sayam) until
June 23, 1939,[5] when it was changed to Thailand. It was renamed Siam from 1945 to
May 11, 1949, after which it was again renamed Thailand. Also spelled Siem, Syâm or
Syâma, it has been identified with the Sanskrit Śyâma, dark or brown. But the names
Shan and A-hom seem to be variants of the same word, and Śyâma is possibly not its
origin but a learned and artificial distortion.[6]

The word Thai (ไทย) is not, as commonly believed, derived from the word Tai (ไท)
meaning "free" in the Thai language; it is, however, the name of an ethnic group from the
central plains (the Thai people).[citation needed] A famous Thai scholar argued that Tai (ไท)
simply means "people" or "human being" since his investigation shows that in some rural
areas the word "Tai" was used instead of the usual Thai word "khon" (คน) for people.[7]
The phrase "Land of the free" is derived from the fact that the Thai are proud of the fact
that Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia never colonized by Europe.
Ratcha Anachak Thai (Thai: ราชอาณาจักรไทย) means "Kingdom of Thailand" or
"Kingdom of Thai." Etymologically, its components are: -Ratcha- (from Sanskrit raja,
meaning "king, royal, realm,") ; -ana- (from Pāli āṇā, "authority, command, power,"
itself from Sanskrit ājñā, same meaning) -chak (from Sanskrit cakra or cakraṃ meaning
"wheel", a symbol of power and rule).

History
Main article: History of Thailand
See also: Peopling of Thailand

The region known as Thailand has been inhabited by humans since the paleolithic period,
about 10,000 years ago. Prior to the fall of the Khmer Empire in the 13th century, various
states thrived there, such as the various Tai, Mon, Khmer and Malay kingdoms, as seen
through the numerous archaeological sites and artifacts that are scattered throughout the
Siamese landscape. Prior to the 12th century however, the first Thai or Siamese state is
traditionally considered to be the Buddhist kingdom of Sukhothai, which was founded in
1238.

Following the decline and fall of the Khmer empire in the 13th - 14th century, the
Buddhist Tai Kingdoms of Sukhothai, Lanna and Lan Chang were on the ascension.
However, a century later, Sukhothai's power was overshadowed by the new kingdom of
Ayutthaya, established in the mid-14th century.

After the fall of the Ayutthaya in 1767 to the Burmese, King Taksin the Great moved the
capital of Thailand to Thonburi for a brief period. The current Rattanakosin era of Thai
history began in 1782, following the establishment of Bangkok as capital of the Chakri
dynasty under King Rama I the Great.

Thailand retains a tradition of trade with its neighboring states, and the cultures of the
Indian ocean and the South China sea. European trade and influence arrived to Thailand
in the 16th century, beginning with the Portuguese. Despite European pressure, Thailand
is the only Southeast Asian nation never to have been colonised. Two main reasons for
this were that Thailand had a long succession of very able rulers in the 1800s and that it
was able to exploit the rivalry and tension between the French and the British. As a result,
the country remained as a buffer state between parts of Southeast Asia that were
colonized by the two colonial powers. Despite this, Western influence led to many
reforms in the 19th century and major concessions, most notably being the loss of large
territory on the east side of the Mekong to the French and the step by step absorption by
Britain of the Shan (Thai Yai) States (now in Burma) and the Malay Peninsula. The loss
initially included Penang and Tumasik and eventually culminated in the loss of three
predominantly ethnic-Malay southern provinces, which later became Malaysia's three
northern states, under the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909.

In 1932, a bloodless revolution resulted in a new constitutional monarchy. During World

War II, Thailand became an ally of Japan while at the same time maintaining an active
anti-Japanese resistance movement known as the Seri Thai. After the war, Thailand
emerged as an ally of the United States. As with many of the developing nations during
the Cold War, Thailand then went through decades of political transgression
characterised by coups d'état as one military regime replaced another, but eventually
progressed towards a stable prosperity and democracy in the 1980s.

In 1997, Thailand was hit with the Asian financial crisis and the Thai baht for a short
time peaked at 56 baht to the US dollar compared to about 25 baht to the dollar before
1997. Since then, the baht has regained most of its strength and as of 26 December 2008,
is valued at 34.71 baht to the US dollar.

The official calendar in Thailand is based on Eastern version of the Buddhist Era, which
is 543 years ahead of the Gregorian (western) calendar. For example, the year AD 2008 is
called 2551 BE in Thailand.

Southern Violence

See also: South Thailand insurgency

The neutrality of this section is disputed.
Please see the discussion on the talk page. (August 2008)
Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved.

Peninsular Malaysia was once known as Tanah Melayu (Malay Land). It extends from
Singapore to the Ithsmus of Kra bordering Burma, Thailand and Malay Land. Phuket is
Bukit (hill) in Malay, "Satun" is "Setoi" (a tropical fruit) was the Province of "Kedah"
under the Malay Sultanate and Patani (Land of Farmers) was also part of the Malay
Sultanate. In these areas people once spoke both Malay as well as Sam-sam, a local
version of the Siamese language. The majority of residents were Muslims. Thailand tried
to dominate the Peninsula as far as Malacca in the 1400s but failed.

The Northern states of the Malay Sultanate presented an annual gift to the Thai King in
the form of a golden flower, who looked on this as a form of tribute. The British
intervened in the Malay State and with the Anglo-Siamese Treaty tried to build a railway
from the south to Bangkok, Thailand relinquished sovereignty over what are now the
northern Malay provinces of Kedah, Pelis, and Kelantan to the British. Kedah provinces
and Patani were given to Thailand.

The Malay Peninsula provinces were infiltrated by the Japanese in the World War II in
1942 and also by the Malayan Communist Party (CPM) from 1948 to 1998 decided to
sign for peace with the Malaysian and Thai Governments after the CPM lost its support
from Vietnam and China after the Cultural Revolution.

Recent insurgent uprisings are a continuation of separatist fighting which started after
World War II with Sukarno's support for the PULO and has intensified with US President
Bush's initiation of the War on Terror. Since the uprisings, most victims have been
Buddhist and Muslim bystanders.
Politics and government
Main article: Politics of Thailand
See also: Constitutions of Thailand
See also: Government of Thailand

History

Since the political reform of the absolute monarchy in 1932, Thailand has had 17
constitutions and charters.[8][9] Throughout this time, the form of government has ranged
from military dictatorship to electoral democracy, but all governments have
acknowledged a hereditary monarch as the head of state.[10][11]

1997 to 2006

See also: 1997 Constitution of Thailand

Bangkok's Democracy Monument: a representation of the 1932 Constitution sits on top

of two golden offering bowls above a turret.

The 1997 Constitution was the first constitution to be drafted by popularly-elected

Constitutional Drafting Assembly, and was popularly called the "People's
Constitution."[12]

The 1997 Constitution created a bicameral legislature consisting of a 500-seat House of

Representatives (สภาผู ้แทนราษฎร, sapha phutan ratsadon) and a 200-seat Senate
(วุฒสิ ภา, wuthisapha). For the first time in Thai history, both houses were directly
elected. Many human rights are explicitly acknowledged, and measures were established
to increase the stability of elected governments. The House was elected by the first-past-
the-post system, where only one candidate with a simple majority could be elected in one
constituency. The Senate was elected based on the province system, where one province
can return more than one Senator depending on its population size. Members of the
House of Representatives served four-year terms, while Senators served six-year terms.

The court system (ศาล, saan) included a constitutional court with jurisdiction over the
constitutionality of parliamentary acts, royal decrees, and political matters.
The January 2001 general election, the first election under the 1997 Constitution, was
called the most open, corruption-free election in Thai history.[13] The subsequent
government was the first in Thai history to complete a 4-year term. The 2005 election had
the highest voter turnout in Thai history and was noted for a marked reduction in vote-
buying compared to previous elections.[14][15][16]

In early 2006, significant pressure from corruption allegations led Thaksin Shinawatra to
call for a snap election. The opposition boycotted the elections and Thaksin was re-
elected. Pressure continued to build, leading to a military coup on 19 September 2006.

After the 2006 coup

See also: 2006 Thai coup d'état

Soldiers of the Royal Thai Army in the streets of Bangkok on the day after the coup.

Without meeting much resistance, a military junta overthrew the elected government of
Thaksin Shinawatra on 19 September 2006 . The junta abrogated the constitution,
dissolved Parliament and the Constitutional Court, detained and later removed several
members of the government, declared martial law, and appointed one of the King's Privy
Counselors, General Surayud Chulanont, as the Prime Minister. The junta later wrote a
highly abbreviated interim constitution and appointed a panel to draft a permanent
constitution. The junta also appointed a 250-member legislature, called by some critics a
"chamber of generals" and others claimed that it lacks representatives from the poor
majority.[17][18] In this interim constitution draft, the head of the junta was allowed to
remove the Prime Minister at any time. The legislature was not allowed to hold a vote of
confidence against the Cabinet and the public was not allowed to file comments on bills.
[19]
This interim constitution was later surpassed by the permanent constitution on 24
August 2007.

Martial law was partially revoked in January 2007. The ban on political activities was
lifted in July 2007,[20] following the 30 May dissolution of the Thai Rak Thai party. The
new constitution has been approved by a referendum on 19 August, which led to a return
to democratic elections on 23 December 2007.
The People's Power Party (Thailand), led by Samak Sundaravej formed a government
with five smaller parties. Following several court rulings against him in a variety of
scandals, and surviving a vote of no confidence, and protesters blockading government
buildings and airports, in September 2008, Sundaravej was removed from office by the
Constitutional Court of Thailand. He was replaced by PPP member Somchai Wongsawat.
As of October 2008, Wongsawat was unable to access his offices, which were occupied
by protesters from the People's Alliance for Democracy. On December 2, 2008,
Thailand's Constitutional Court banned the ruling Peoples Power Party.[21]After
defections from smaller parties the opposition Democrats Party was able to form a
government, a first for the party since 2001. The leader of the Democrat party, and
former Leader of the Opposition, Abhisit Vejjajiva was appointed and sworn-in as the
27th Prime Minister, together with the new Cabinet on the 17 December 2008.

Thailand remains an active member of the regional Association of South-East Asian

Nations.

Education
Main article: Education in Thailand

Primary school students in Thailand

Thailand enjoys a high level of literacy, and education is provided by a well organized
school system of kindergartens, primary, lower secondary and upper secondary schools,
numerous vocational colleges, and universities. The private sector of education is well
developed and significantly contributes to the overall provision of education which the
government would not be able to meet through the public establishments. Education is
compulsory up to and including Grade 9, and the government provides free education
through to Grade 12.

Thailand has never been colonized, and its educational system is not based on European
models to any great extent. Education in a modern sense is relatively recent and,
according to some sources, still needs to overcome some major cultural hurdles in order
to ensure further development and improvement to its standards, which in some respects
have fallen to the lowest levels in southeast Asia.

The establishment of reliable and coherent curricula for its primary and secondary
schools is subject to such rapid changes that schools and their teachers are not always
sure what they are supposed to be teaching, and authors and publishers of textbooks are
unable to write and print new editions quickly enough to keep up with the volatile
situation. The issue concerning university entrance has therefore also been in constant
upheaval for a number of years. Nevertheless, education has seen its greatest progress in
the years since 2001, most of the present generation of pupils and students are computer
literate, and knowledge of English is on the increase at least in quantity if not in quality.

Administrative divisions

Map of Thailand
Main article: Subdivisions of Thailand

Thailand is divided into 75 provinces (จังหวัด, changwat) , which are gathered into 5
groups of provinces by location. There are also 2 special governed districts: the capital
Bangkok (Krung Thep Maha Nakhon) and Pattaya, of which Bangkok is at provincial
level and thus often counted as a 76th province.

Each province is divided into districts and the districts are further divided into sub-
districts (tambons). As of 2006 there are 877 districts (อำเภอ, amphoe) and the 50
districts of Bangkok (เขต, khet). Some parts of the provinces bordering Bangkok are also
referred to as Greater Bangkok (ปริมณฑล, pari monthon). These provinces include
Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Nakhon Pathom and Samut Sakhon. The name
of each province's capital city (เมือง, mueang) is the same as that of the province: for
example, the capital of Chiang Mai province (changwat Chiang Mai) is Mueang Chiang
Mai or Chiang Mai. The 75 provinces are as follows:
Central

1. Ang Thong
2. Bangkok (Krung Thep Maha Nakhon), Special Governed District of
3. Chai Nat
4. Kanchanaburi
5. Lopburi
6. Nakhon Nayok
7. Nakhon Pathom
8. Nonthaburi
9. Pathum Thani
10. Phetchaburi
11. Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya

Monk praying at a temple.

12. Prachuap Khiri Khan

13. Ratchaburi
14. Samut Prakan
15. Samut Sakhon
16. Samut Songkhram
17. Saraburi
18. Sing Buri
19. Suphan Buri

East

1. Chachoengsao
2. Chanthaburi
3. Chonburi
4. Prachinburi
5. Rayong
 6. Sa Kaeo
7. Trat

North

Phra That Chae Haeng, Nan Province

1. Chiang Mai
2. Chiang Rai
3. Kamphaeng Phet
4. Lampang
5. Lamphun
6. Mae Hong Son
7. Nakhon Sawan
8. Nan
9. Phayao
10. Phetchabun
11. Phichit
12. Phitsanulok
13. Phrae
14. Sukhothai
15. Tak
16. Uthai Thani
17. Uttaradit
Phra That Phanom, Nakhon Phanom Province

Northeast (Isan)

1. Amnat Charoen
2. Buri Ram
3. Chaiyaphum
4. Kalasin
5. Khon Kaen
6. Loei
7. Maha Sarakham
8. Mukdahan
9. Nakhon Phanom
10. Nakhon Ratchasima
11. Nong Bua Lamphu
12. Nong Khai
13. Roi Et
14. Sakon Nakhon
15. Si Sa Ket
16. Surin
17. Ubon Ratchathani

Architecture in the Srivijayan style. Surat Thani Thailand

18. Udon Thani

19. Yasothon

South
 1. Chumphon
2. Krabi
3. Nakhon Si Thammarat
4. Narathiwat
5. Pattani
6. Phang Nga
7. Phatthalung
8. Phuket
9. Ranong
10. Satun
11. Songkhla
12. Surat Thani
13. Trang
14. Yala

Metropolitan Areas

 Bangkok Metropolitan Area - 10,061,726

 Chiang Mai Metropolitan Area - 957,634
 Pattaya-Chonburi Metropolitan Area - 957,298
 Greater Hatyai-Songkhla Metropolitan Area - 712,900
 Nakhon Ratchasima Metropolitan Area - 429,853
 Phuket Province - 321,802

NOTE: In italics [1], that province represents the Greater Bangkok sub-region; in
italics [2], that province represents the West sub-region.

See also: List of cities in Thailand, List of cities in Thailand by population, List of
metropolitan areas in Thailand by population

Geography

Mountainous landscape of Northern Thailand.

Main article: Geography of Thailand
See also: River Systems of Thailand  and List of islands of Thailand
For maps, see: Atlas of Thailand
At 514,000 km2 (198,000 sq mi), Thailand is the world's 50th largest country in land
mass, whilst it is the world's 20th largest country in terms of population. It is comparable
in population to countries such as France and United Kingdom, and is similar in land size
to France and California in the US; it is just over twice the size of the entire United
Kingdom, and 1.4 times the size of Germany.

Thailand is home to several distinct geographic regions, partly corresponding to the

provincial groups. The north of the country is mountainous, with the highest point being
Doi Inthanon at 2,565 metres above sea level (8,415 ft). The northeast, Isan, (see special
section on this region) consists of the Khorat Plateau, bordered to the east by the Mekong
river. The centre of the country is dominated by the predominantly flat Chao Phraya river
valley, which runs into the Gulf of Thailand. The south consists of the narrow Kra
Isthmus that widens into the Malay Peninsula.

The local climate is tropical and characterized by monsoons. There is a rainy, warm, and
cloudy southwest monsoon from mid-May to September, as well as a dry, cool northeast
monsoon from November to mid-March. The southern isthmus is always hot and humid.
Major cities beside the capital Bangkok include Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Udon
Thani, Ubon Ratchathani, Nakhon Sawan, Chiang Mai, Phitsanulok, Surat Thani, Phuket
and Hat Yai.

Economy

A BTS skytrain passing the Sathon area of Bangkok.

Elevated view of Sukhumvit Road in downtown Bangkok.

Main article: Economy of Thailand

Thailand is an emerging economy. After enjoying the world's highest growth rate from
1985 to 1996[citation needed] - averaging 9.4% annually - increased pressure on Thailand's
currency, the baht, in 1997, the year in which the economy contracted by 1.9% led to a
crisis that uncovered financial sector weaknesses and forced the Chavalit Yongchaiyudh
administration to float the currency, however, Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh
was forced to resign after his cabinet came under fire for its slow response to the crisis.
The Baht was pegged at 25 to the US dollar from 1978 to 1997, however, the baht
reached its lowest point of 56 to the US dollar in January 1998 and the economy
contracted by 10.8% that year. This collapse prompted the Asian financial crisis.

Thailand's economy started to recover in 1999, expanding 4.2% and 4.4% in 2000,
largely due to strong exports. Growth (2.2%) was dampened by the softening of the
global economy in 2001, but picked up in the subsequent years due to strong growth in
Asia, a relatively weak baht encouraging exports and increasing domestic spending as a
result of several mega projects and incentives of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra,
known as Thaksinomics. Growth in 2002, 2003 and 2004 was 5-7% annually. Growth in
2005, 2006 and 2007 hovered around 4-5% Due both to the weakening of the US dollar
and an increasingly strong Thai currency, by March 2008, the dollar was hovering around
the 33 baht mark.

Thailand exports an increasing value of over $105 billion worth of goods and services
annually.[22] Major exports include Thai rice, textiles and footwear, fishery products,
rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances. Thailand is the world’s
no.1 exporter of rice, exporting more than 6.5 million tons of milled rice annually. Rice is
the most important crop in the country. Thailand has the highest percent of arable land,
27.25%, of any nation in the Greater Mekong Subregion.[23] About 55% of the available
land area is used for rice production.[24]

Substantial industries include electric appliances, components, computer parts and

automobiles, while tourism makes up about 6% of the Thai economy.

Thailand uses the metric system but traditional units of measurement and imperial
measure (feet, inches) are still much in use, particularly for agriculture and building
materials. Years are numbered as B.E. (Buddhist Era) in education, the civil service,
government, and on contracts and newspaper datelines; in banking, however, and
increasingly in industry and commerce, standard Western year (Christian or Common
Era) counting prevails.[25]

Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Thailand
A market (Phahurat;พาหุรัด) in Bangkok.

Language

The official language of Thailand is the Thai language, a Kradai language closely related
to Lao, Shan in Burma, and numerous smaller languages spoken in an arc from Hainan
and Yunan 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 the Thai alphabet, an abugida script that
evolved from the Khmer script. Several other dialects exist, and coincide with the
regional designations. Southern Thai is spoken in the southern provinces, and Northern
Thai is spoken in the provinces that were formally part of the independent kingdom of
Lannathai.

Thailand is also host to several other minority languages, the largest of which is the Lao
dialect of Isan spoken in the northeastern provinces. Although sometimes considered a
Thai dialect, it is a Lao dialect, and the region in where it is traditionally spoken was
historically part of the Lao kingdom of Lan Xang. In the far south, Yawi, a dialect of
Malay, is the primary language of the Malay Muslims. Chinese dialects are also spoken
by the large Chinese population, Teochew being the dialect best represented.

Numerous tribal languages are also spoken, including those belonging to the Mon-Khmer
family, such as Mon, Khmer, Viet, Mlabri; Austronesian family, such as Cham, Moken,
and Orang Asli, Sino-Tibetan family such as Hmong, Lawa, Akhan, and Karen; and other
Tai languages such as Nyaw, Phu Thai, and Saek.

English is a mandatory school subject, but the number of fluent speakers remains very
low, especially outside the cities.

Religion

Main article: Religion in Thailand

According to the last census (2000) 95% of Thais are Buddhists of the Theravada
tradition. Muslims are the second largest religious group in Thailand at 4.6%. Thailand's
southernmost provinces - Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and part of Songkhla Chumphon have
dominant Muslim populations, consisting of both ethnic Thai and Malay.[verification needed]
Most often Muslims live in separate communities from non-Muslims. The southern tip of
Thailand is mostly ethnic Malays. Christians, mainly Catholics, represent 0.75% of the
population. A tiny but influential community of Sikhs in Thailand and some Hindus also
live in the country's cities, and are heavily engaged in retail commerce. There is also a
small Jewish community in Thailand, dating back to the 17th century. Since 2001,
Muslim activists, generally described by the Thai government as terrorists or separatists,
have rallied against the central government because of alleged corruption and ethnic bias
on the part of officials.
Culture
Main article: Culture of Thailand

Traditional Thai dancers with Khmer style headress.

The culture of Thailand incorporates a great deal of influence from India, China,
Cambodia, and the rest of Southeast Asia. Thailand's main theology Theravada Buddhism
is central to modern Thai identity and belief. In practice, Thai Buddhism has evolved
over time to include many regional beliefs originating from Hinduism, animism as well
as ancestor worship. In areas in the southernmost parts of Thailand, Islam is prevalent.
Several different ethnic groups, many of which are marginalized, populate Thailand.
Some of these groups overlap into Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia and have
maintained a distinctly traditional way of life despite strong Thai cultural influence.
Overseas Chinese also form a significant part of Thai society, particularly in and around
Bangkok. Their successful integration into Thai society has allowed for this group to hold
positions of economic and political power, the most noteworthy of these being the Thai
Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, who held power from 2001 until 19 September 2006
when he was ousted by a military coup d'état.

Like most Asian cultures, respect towards ancestors is an essential part of Thai spiritual
practice. Thais have a strong sense of hospitality and generosity, but also a strong sense
of social hierarchy. Seniority is an important concept in Thai culture. Elders have by
tradition ruled in family decisions or ceremonies.

Children performing traditional musical instruments

The traditional Thai greeting, the wai, is generally offered first by the youngest of the two
people meeting, with their hands pressed together, fingertips pointing upwards as the
head is bowed to touch their face to the hands, usually coinciding with the spoken word
"Sawat-dii khrap" for male speakers, and "Sawat-dii ka" for females. The elder then is to
respond afterwards in the same way. Social status and position, such as in government,
will also have an influence on who performs the wai first. For example, although one
may be considerably older than a provincial governor, when meeting it is usually the
visitor who pays respect first. When children leave to go to school, they are taught to wai
to their parents to represent their respect for them. They do the same when they come
back. The wai is a sign of respect and reverence for another, similar to the namaste
greeting of India.

Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, is the national sport in Thailand and its native martial art call
"Muay." In the past "Muay" was taught to Royal soldiers for combat on battlefield if
unarmed. After they retired from the army, these soldiers often became Buddhist monks
and stayed at the temples. Most of the Thai people's lives are closely tied to Buddhism
and temples; they often send their sons to be educated with the monks. ”Muay” is also
one of the subjects taught in the temples.[26]

Theravada Buddhism is highly respected in Thailand.

Muay Thai achieved popularity all over the world in the 1990s. Although similar martial
arts styles exist in other southeast Asian countries, few enjoy the recognition that Muay
Thai has received with its full-contact rules allowing strikes including elbows, throws and
knees. This is due to Thailand's economic standing in the world while other nation such
as Cambodia, Laos and Burma are listed as the world's Least Developed Countries by the
UN. Association football, however, has possibly overtaken Muay Thai's position as most
widely viewed and liked sport in contemporary Thai society and it is not uncommon to
see Thais cheering their favourite English Premier League teams on television and
walking around in replica kits. Another widely enjoyed pastime, and once a competitive
sport, is kite flying.

Taboos in Thailand include touching someone's head or pointing with the feet, as the
head is considered the most sacred and the foot the dirtiest part of the body. Stepping
over someone, or over food, is considered insulting. However, Thai culture as in many
other Asian cultures, is succumbing to the influence of globalization with some of the
traditional taboos slowly fading away with time.

Books and other documents are the most revered of secular objects. One should not slide
a book across a table or place it on the floor.[citation needed]
Thai seafood curry, an example of Thai cuisine.

Thai cuisine blends five fundamental tastes: sweet, spicy, sour, bitter and salty. Some
common ingredients used in Thai cuisine include garlic, chillies, lime juice, lemon grass,
and fish sauce. The staple food in Thailand is rice, particularly jasmine variety rice (also
known as Hom Mali rice) which is included in almost every meal. Thailand is the world's
largest exporter of rice, and Thais domestically consume over 100 kg of milled rice per
person per year.[24] Over 5000 varieties of rice from Thailand are preserved in the rice
gene bank of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), based in the Philippines.
The King of Thailand is the official patron of IRRI.[27]

Thai society has been influenced in recent years by its widely-available multi-language
press and media. There are numerous English, Thai and Chinese newspapers in
circulation; most Thai popular magazines use English headlines as a chic glamor factor.
Most large businesses in Bangkok operate in English as well as other languages. Thailand
is the largest newspaper market in South East Asia with an estimated circulation of at
least 13 million copies daily in 2003. Even upcountry, out of Bangkok, media flourishes.
For example, according to Thailand's Public Relations Department Media Directory
2003-2004, the nineteen provinces of northeast Thailand themselves hosted 116
newspapers in addition to radio, TV and cable.

International rankings

Organization Survey Ranking

Heritage Foundation Indices of Economic Freedom 50 out of 157

134 out of
Reporters Without Borders Worldwide Press Freedom Index
169

Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index 84 out of 179

United Nations Development
Human Development Index 78 out of 177
Programme

Global Competitiveness
World Economic Forum 34 out of 125
Report(2008)[28]

See also
Thailand
portal

 Thai Temple Art and Architecture

 Category:Thai Buddhist temples
 Buddhism in Thailand
 Category:Thai Buddhist temples outside of Thailand
 Tourism in Thailand

References
1. ^ Population and Housing Census 2000, National Statistical Office
2. ^ a b c d "Thailand". International Monetary Fund.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2008/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?
sy=2004&ey=2008&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=578&s=NGD
PD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC
%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=52&pr.y=6. Retrieved on 9 October 2008.
3. ^ CIA World Factbook Thailand, CIA World Factbook.
4. ^ Population by religion, sex, area and region, National Statistic Office of
Thailand.
5. ^ Thailand (Siam) History, CSMngt-Thai.
6. ^ Eliot, Charles (1921). The Project Gutenberg EBook of Hinduism and
Buddhism, An Historical Sketch, Vol. 3 (of 3) [EBook #16847]. London:
Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd.. pp. Ch. xxxvii 1; citing in turn Footnote 189: The
name is found on Champan inscriptions of 1050 A.D. and according to Gerini
appears in Ptolemy's Samarade = Sâmaraṭṭha. See Gerini, Ptolemy, p. 170. But
Samarade is located near Bangkok and there can hardly have been Tais there in
Ptolemy's time; and Footnote 190: So too in Central Asia Kustana appears to be a
learned distortion of the name Khotan, made to give it a meaning in Sanskrit..
7. ^ จิตร ภูมศ ั ดิ์ 1976: "ความเป็ นมาของคำสยาม ไทย ลาวและขอม และลักษณะ
ิ ก
ทางสงั คม ของชอ ื่ ชนชาติ" (Jid Phumisak 1976: "Coming Into Existence for the
Siamese Words for Thai, Laotian and Khmer and Societal Characteristics for
Nation-names")
 8. ^ The Council of State, Constitutions of Thailand. This list contains 2 errors: it
states that the 6th constitution was promulgated in 1912 (rather than 1952) , and it
states that the 11th constitution was promulgated in 1976 (rather than 1974).
9. ^ Thanet Aphornsuvan, The Search for Order: Constitutions and Human Rights in
Thai Political HistoryPDF (152 KiB), 2001 Symposium: Constitutions and Human
Rights in a Global Age: An Asia Pacific perspective
10. ^ A list of previous coups in Thailand
11. ^ A list of recent coups in Thailand's history
12. ^ Kittipong Kittayarak, The Thai Constitution of 1997 and its Implication on
Criminal Justice ReformPDF (221 KiB)
13. ^ Robert B. Albritton and Thawilwadee Bureekul, Developing Democracy under
a New Constitution in ThailandPDF (319 KiB), National Taiwan University and
Academia Sinica Asian Barometer Project Office Working Paper Series No. 28,
2004
14. ^ Pongsudhirak Thitinan, "Victory places Thaksin at crossroads," Bangkok Post,
9 February 2005
15. ^ "Unprecedented 72% turnout for latest poll". The Nation. 10 February 2005.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/Election2005/news/news.php?
news=02%2F10020506.htm.
16. ^ Aurel Croissant and Daniel J. Pojar, Jr., Quo Vadis Thailand? Thai Politics after
the 2005 Parliamentary Election, Strategic Insights, Volume IV, Issue 6 (June
2005)
17. ^ The Nation, NLA 'doesn't represent' all of the people, 14 October 2006
18. ^ The Nation, Assembly will not play a major role, 14 October 2006
19. ^ The Nation, Interim charter draft, 27 September 2006
20. ^ "Ban on political activities lifted". The Nation. 18 July 2007.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/07/18/politics/politics_30041398.php.
21. ^ [1] Spiegel Online, December 2, 2008
22. ^ CIA world factbook - Thailand
23. ^ CIA world factbook - Greater Mekong Subregion
24. ^ a b IRRI country profile
25. ^ Weights and measures in Thailand
26. ^ Muay Thai History
27. ^ Cooperation of IRRI and ThailandPDF (38.7 KiB)
28. ^ "Global Competitiveness Report 2008-2009" (PDF). World Economic Forum.
www.weforum.org. 2008. http://www.weforum.org/pdf/gcr/2008/rankings.pdf.
Retrieved on 12 September 2008.

External links
Find more about Thailand on Wikipedia's sister projects:

Definitions from Wiktionary

 Textbooks from Wikibooks

Quotations from Wikiquote

Source texts from Wikisource

Images and media from Commons

News stories from Wikinews

Learning resources from Wikiversity

Government

 Thaigov.go.th Royal Government of Thailand

 Thai National Assembly Official Thai Parliament website
 Chief of State and Cabinet Members
 Mfa.go.th Thailand Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 Thailand Internet Information National Electronics and Computer Technology
Center

General information

 Thailand entry at The World Factbook

 Thailand from UCB Libraries GovPubs
 Thailand at the Open Directory Project
 Wikimedia Atlas of Thailand

Travel

 Tourism Authority of Thailand Official tourism website

 Thailand travel guide from Wikitravel
 Thailand Travel Dictionary Non-commercial information site
 Longdo Map Thailand On-line Thailand map
 Thailand.org Travel Guide

Other

 No.1 Meta Search Engine in Thailand

 Flickr: Photos tagged with "Thailand"
 Birdwatching in Thailand
 Learn Thai Culture.com
 Thailand Country Fact Sheet from the Common Language Project
 Search Thailand

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Thailand topics
History: Ayutthaya Kingdom, Chakri Dynasty, Constitution of Thailand, Early history of Thailand,
Effect of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on Thailand, Hariphunchai, History of
Thailand (1768-1932), History of Thailand (1932-1973), History of Thailand since 1973,
Lanna, Nakhon Si Thammarat kingdom, Pattani Kingdom, Plaek Pibulsonggram, Pridi
Phanomyong, Sarit Dhanarajata, Siamese coup d'état of 1932, South Thailand insurgency,
Srivijaya
Politics: 1997 Constitution of Thailand, 2006 Interim Constitution of Thailand, Administrative
divisions of Thailand, Cabinet of Thailand, Constitution of Thailand, Constitutional Court
of Thailand, Foreign relations of Thailand, National Assembly of Thailand, People's
 Alliance for Democracy, Sonthi Boonyaratglin, South Thailand insurgency, Pridiyathorn
Devakula, Prem Tinsulanonda, Surayud Chulanont, 2006 Thai coup d'état, Thai 2006
interim civilian government, Thai Rak Thai, Thaksin Shinawatra, Samak Sundaravej
Economy: Agriculture in Thailand, Baht, Bank of Thailand, List of banks in Thailand Bureau of the
Crown Property, Stock Exchange of Thailand, Suvarnabhumi Airport, Thai Airways
International, Thaksinomics, Tourism in Thailand, Transport in Thailand, US-Thailand
Free Trade Agreement, Rail transport in Thailand, Thai motorway network
Geography: Bangkok Metropolitan Area, Chao Phraya River,Demographics of Thailand, Doi Inthanon,
Gulf of Thailand, Khao Lak, Khao Yai National Park, Khorat Plateau, Ko Chang, Ko
Samet, Ko Samui, Kra Isthmus, Kwai river, Mekong, Patong Beach, Phi Phi Islands, Three
Pagodas Pass
Provinces: Bangkok, Chiang Mai Province, Chiang Rai Province, Chonburi Province, Kanchanaburi
Province, Khon Kaen Province, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Nakhon Si Thammarat
Province, Narathiwat Province, Pattani Province, Phuket Province, Songkhla Province,
Ubon Ratchathani Province, Udon Thani Province, Yala Province
Culture: Thai art, Buddhism in Thailand, Buddhist temples in Thailand, Cinema of Thailand,
Cuisine of Thailand, Dance of Thailand, Farang, Flag of Thailand, Kathoey, Lakorn,
Literature in Thailand, Thai language, Loy Krathong, Media of Thailand, Muay Thai,
Music of Thailand, List of television stations in Thailand, Thai names, National Museum,
Thai New Year, Public holidays in Thailand, Ramakien, Royal Flags of Thailand, Royal
Flora Ratchaphruek, Thai greeting, Thai-style dresses, Traditional Thai musical
instruments, Traditional Thai puppets
Others: Pridi Banomyong, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Communications in Thailand, Elephant
Nature Park, Environmental issues in Thailand, Grand Palace, Bangkok, Prostitution in
Thailand, Queen Sirikit, Military of Thailand, Thai royal and noble titles, List of shopping
malls in Thailand, Thai studies