Country Information on Thailand 

Terrain

Doi Inthanon, Thailand's highest peak (almost 2,600 m high), is found in the north of the country, where there are a number of mountain ranges that run from north to south. The centre and east of the country have low, arid plateaus, whilst the north-east has very fertile valleys. Southern Thailand is a rainforested peninsula. Thailand's largest river, the Chao Phraya, crosses the vast plain that is found between the mountain systems of central and eastern Thailand.

Climate

Thailand experiences warm and tropical, hot and humid weather all year round. The climate is influenced by the monsoons, which cause heavy rain between May and September. The rest of the year is relatively dry. Average temperatures range from 24°C to 33°C, although temperatures can drop dramatically, particularly in the mountainous northern region.

Fauna/Flora

The jungles and swamps that are found along Thailand's coast have extensive tracts of tropical trees, such as mangroves, reeds, ebony and rosewood. The most common species in the dense woods of the uplands are teak and oak. A wide variety of tropical plants and fruit trees, such as orchids, gardenia, hibiscus, banana, mango and coconut trees also grow in Thailand. Many animal species inhabit the jungles and forests. Elephants are abundant. Other large wild animals include the rhinoceros, tiger, leopard, gaur, water buffalo and gibbon. Thailand has more than 50 species of snakes, several of which are poisonous.

History/Politics

In prehistoric times, Thailand was peopled by the Negritos. Although a few Thai groups migrated to Thailand, the majority remained in Yunnan (China) where they founded the kingdom of Nanchao around AD 650, which was conquered by the Mongols in the 13th century.

In the middle of that same century, a new Thai kingdom formed, the Ayuthaya kingdom, which was invaded by the Burmese between the 16th and 18th centuries. In 1767, they finally invaded and destroyed Ayuthaya. The Thais expelled the Burmese and moved their capital to Thonburi.

Although European traders and missionaries came to Siam in the 16th century, it was not until 1824 that Great Britain became a colonial power in the region. However, a treaty signed with France in 1896 secured Siam's independence, in exchange for significant land concessions. Following a bloodless coup in 1932, Siam became a constitutional monarchy and Siam changed its name to Thailand in 1939.

During World War II, Japanese mediation meant that Thailand was able to recover land that it had previously lost to the French. In return, the Thai government allowed Japanese troops to occupy the country and in 1942 it declared war on the United States. After the war, in 1946, the king died and a regency ruled until his successor Bhumibol Adulyadej came of age.

A year later, a military junta took control of the government. The years that followed were characterised by more than 20 coups d'état, countercoups and short periods of democracy. A new constitution was finally promulgated in 1968. However, the country's economic decline led in 1971 to the formation of a military government which abolished the constitution.

From 1975 onwards, the country began a transition to democracy, during which military and civil governments alternated. The Thai Rak Thai Party (Thai Love Thai Party) won the elections in 2001 and formed a coalition government. Thaksin Shinawatra became prime minister. Over the course of 2001, the government's priority was the fight against drugs, which again became an issue in 2003. The tsunami, which affected southern Asia in December 2004, hit the south-west coast of Thailand, killing around 5,300 people and causing great destruction.

Economy

The production and export of rice and specific types of fruit formed the basis of the Thai economy until 1980. However, in recent decades, the government has made a conscious effort to diversify the economy. Government policy focused on the industrialisation of Thailand from 1980 to 1997, particularly in technology. Tourism has also become an important sector of the economy. Up until 1999, 54% of the country's workforce was employed in agriculture, 15% in industry and 31% in the services sector. In 2003, the unemployment rate was 0.8% and inflation was 1.4%.

Culture

Many Thai festivals are closely linked to Buddhist or Brahman rituals. New Year, Songkran, is celebrated in mid-April by "bathing" Buddha images. The sowing and harvesting of rice are also the reason for a number of festivals. To mark the beginning of the official rice-planting season in early May, the king participates in a traditional Brahman ritual that takes place in a large field in central Bangkok.