2021 Edition

Background

Two unified Thai kingdoms emerged in the mid-13th century. The Sukhothai, located in the south-central plains, gained its independence from the Khmer empire to the east. By the late 13th century, Sukhothai’s territory extended into present-day Burma and Laos. Sukhotai lasted until the mid-15th century. The Thai Lan Na kingdom was established in the north with its capital at Chang Mai. Lan Na was conquered by the Burmese in the 16th century. The Ayutthaya kingdom (14th-18th centuries) succeeded the Sukhothai and would become known as the Siamese Kingdom. During the Ayutthaya period, the Thai/Siamese peoples consolidated their hold on what is present-day central and north-central Thailand. Following a military defeat at the hands of the Burmese in 1767, the Siamese Kingdom rose to new heights under the military ruler TAKSIN, who defeated the Burmese occupiers and expanded the kingdom’s territory into modern-day northern Thailand (formerly the Lan Na kingdom), Cambodia, Laos, and the Malay Peninsula. The kingdom fought off additional Burmese invasions and raids in the late 1700s and early 1800s. In the mid-1800s, Western pressure led to Siam signing trade treaties that reduced the country’s sovereignty and independence. In the 1890s and 1900s, the British and French forced the kingdom to cede Cambodian, Laotian, and Malay territories that had been under Siamese control. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy. After the Japanese invaded Thailand in 1941, the government split into a pro-Japan faction and a pro-Ally faction backed by the king. Following the war, Thailand became a US treaty ally in 1954 after sending troops to Korea and later fighting alongside the US in Vietnam. Thailand since 2005 has experienced several rounds of political turmoil including a military coup in 2006 that ousted then Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat, followed by large-scale street protests by competing political factions in 2008, 2009, and 2010. THAKSIN's youngest sister, YINGLAK Chinnawat, in 2011 led the Puea Thai Party to an electoral win and assumed control of the government. In early May 2014, after months of large-scale anti-government protests in Bangkok beginning in November 2013, YINGLAK was removed from office by the Constitutional Court and in late May 2014 the Royal Thai Army, led by Royal Thai Army Gen. PRAYUT Chan-ocha, staged a coup against the caretaker government. The military-affiliated National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), led by PRAYUT as the appointed minister, ruled the country for more than four years, during which time the NCPO drafted a new constitution guaranteeing military sway over Thai politics in future elections by allowing the military to appoint the entire 250 member Senate and requiring a joint meeting of the House and Senate to select the prime minister, effectively giving the military a veto over the top executive. King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet passed away in October 2016 after 70 years on the throne; his only son, WACHIRALONGKON Bodinthrathepphayawarangkun (aka King Rama X), ascended the throne in December 2016. He signed the new constitution in April 2017. A long-delayed election in March 2019, disputed and widely viewed as skewed in favor of the party aligned with the military, allowed PRAYUT to continue his premiership. The country experienced large-scale pro-democracy protests in 2020.

Area

land

510,890 sq km

total

513,120 sq km

water

2,230 sq km

Area - comparative

about three times the size of Florida; slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming

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

Coastline

3,219 km

Elevation

highest point

Doi Inthanon 2,565 m

lowest point

Gulf of Thailand 0 m

mean elevation

287 m

Geographic coordinates

15 00 N, 100 00 E

Geography - note

controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore; ideas for the construction of a canal across the Kra Isthmus that would create a bypass to the Strait of Malacca and shorten shipping times around Asia continue to be discussed

Irrigated land

64,150 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Burma 2416 km, Cambodia 817 km, Laos 1845 km, Malaysia 595 km

total

5,673 km

Land use

agricultural land

41.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 30.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 8.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 1.6% (2018 est.)

forest

37.2% (2018 est.)

other

21.6% (2018 est.)

Location

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma

Major lakes (area sq km)

Salt water lake(s)

Thalesap Songkhla - 1,290 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Mekong (shared with China [s], Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam [m]) - 4,350 km; Salween (shared with China [s] and Burma [m]) - 3,060 km; Mun - 1,162 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage: Salween (271,914 sq km)Pacific Ocean drainage: Mekong (805,604 sq km)

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

continental shelf

200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts

Natural resources

tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

Population distribution

highest population density is found in and around Bangkok; significant population clusters found througout large parts of the country, particularly north and northeast of Bangkok and in the extreme southern region of the country

Terrain

central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere

Age structure

0-14 years

16.45% (male 5,812,803/female 5,533,772)

15-24 years

13.02% (male 4,581,622/female 4,400,997)

25-54 years

45.69% (male 15,643,583/female 15,875,353)

55-64 years

13.01% (male 4,200,077/female 4,774,801)

65 years and over

11.82% (male 3,553,273/female 4,601,119) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

10.25 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

7.7% (2019)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

73% (2019)

Current Health Expenditure

3.8% (2018)

Death rate

7.66 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

Thailand has experienced a substantial fertility decline since the 1960s largely due to the nationwide success of its voluntary family planning program.  In just one generation, the total fertility rate (TFR) shrank from 6.5 children per woman in 1960s to below the replacement level of 2.1 in the late 1980s.  Reduced fertility occurred among all segments of the Thai population, despite disparities between urban and rural areas in terms of income, education, and access to public services.  The country’s “reproductive revolution” gained momentum in the 1970s as a result of the government’s launch of an official population policy to reduce population growth, the introduction of new forms of birth control, and the assistance of foreign non-government organizations.  Contraceptive use rapidly increased as new ways were developed to deliver family planning services to Thailand’s then overwhelmingly rural population.  The contraceptive prevalence rate increased from just 14% in 1970 to 58% in 1981 and has remained about 80% since 2000.  Thailand’s receptiveness to family planning reflects the predominant faith, Theravada Buddhism, which emphasizes individualism, personal responsibility, and independent decision-making.  Thai women have more independence and a higher status than women in many other developing countries and are not usually pressured by their husbands or other family members about family planning decisions.  Thailand’s relatively egalitarian society also does not have the son preference found in a number of other Asian countries; most Thai ideally want one child of each sex. Because of its low fertility rate, increasing life expectancy, and growing elderly population, Thailand has become an aging society that will face growing labor shortages.  The proportion of the population under 15 years of age has shrunk dramatically, the proportion of working-age individuals has peaked and is starting to decrease, and the proportion of elderly is growing rapidly.  In the short-term, Thailand will have to improve educational quality to increase the productivity of its workforce and to compete globally in skills-based industries.  An increasing reliance on migrant workers will be necessary to mitigate labor shortfalls. Thailand is a destination, transit, and source country for migrants. It has 3-4 million migrant workers as of 2017, mainly providing low-skilled labor in the construction, agriculture, manufacturing, services, and fishing and seafood processing sectors.  Migrant workers from other Southeast Asian countries with lower wages – primarily Burma and, to a lesser extent, Laos and Cambodia – have been coming to Thailand for decades to work in labor-intensive industries.  Many are undocumented and are vulnerable to human trafficking for forced labor, especially in the fisheries industry, or sexual exploitation.  A July 2017 migrant worker law stiffening fines on undocumented workers and their employers, prompted tens of thousands of migrants to go home.  Fearing a labor shortage, the Thai Government has postponed implementation of the law until January 2018 and is rapidly registering workers.  Thailand has also hosted ethnic minority refugees from Burma for more than 30 years; as of 2016, approximately 105,000 mainly Karen refugees from Burma were living in nine camps along the Thailand-Burma border. Thailand has a significant amount of internal migration, most often from rural areas to urban centers, where there are more job opportunities.  Low- and semi-skilled Thais also go abroad to work, mainly in Asia and a smaller number in the Middle East and Africa, primarily to more economically developed countries where they can earn higher wages.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

18.4

potential support ratio

5.4 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

41.9

youth dependency ratio

23.5

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

3% of GDP (2019)

Ethnic groups

Thai 97.5%, Burmese 1.3%, other 1.1%, unspecified <.1% (2015 est.)

note

note: data represent population by nationality

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1% (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

12,000 (2020 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

500,000 (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

5.92 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

7.2 deaths/1,000 live births

total

6.58 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Languages

Thai (official) only 90.7%, Thai and other languages 6.4%, only other languages 2.9% (includes Malay, Burmese); note - data represent population by language(s) spoken at home; English is a secondary language of the elite (2010 est.)

major-language sample(s)

สารานุกรมโลก - แหล่งข้อมูลพื้นฐานที่สำคัญ (Thai)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.6 years (2021 est.)

male

74.39 years

total population

77.41 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

92.4% (2018)

male

95.2%

total population

93.8%

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria

Major urban areas - population

10.723 million BANGKOK (capital), 1.417 Chon Buri, 1.324 million Samut Prakan, 1.182 million Chiang Mai, 979,000 Songkla, 975,000 Nothaburi (2021)

Maternal mortality ratio

37 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

female

40.1 years (2020 est.)

male

37.8 years

total

39 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

23.3 years (2009 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Thai

noun

Thai (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-0.03 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

10% (2016)

Physicians density

0.81 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

69,480,520 (July 2021 est.)

Population distribution

highest population density is found in and around Bangkok; significant population clusters found througout large parts of the country, particularly north and northeast of Bangkok and in the extreme southern region of the country

Population growth rate

0.26% (2021 est.)

Religions

Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.3%, Christian 1%, other <0.1%, none <0.1% (2015 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 99.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.1% of population (2017 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

16 years (2016)

male

15 years

total

15 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.99 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.88 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.77 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.96 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.54 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

5.9% (2020 est.)

male

4.6%

total

5.2%

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

52.2% of total population (2021)

Administrative divisions

76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural) and 1 municipality* (maha nakhon); Amnat Charoen, Ang Thong, Bueng Kan, Buri Ram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep* (Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan, Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, 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, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Saraburi, Satun, Sing Buri, Si Sa Ket, Songkhla, Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon

Capital

etymology

Bangkok was likely originally a colloquial name, but one that was widely adopted by foreign visitors; the name may derive from "bang ko," where "bang" is the Thai word for "village on a stream" and "ko" means "island," both referencing the area's landscape, which was carved by rivers and canals; alternatively, the name may come from "bang makok," where "makok" is the name of the Java plum, a plant bearing olive-like fruit; this possibility is supported by the former name of Wat Arun, a historic temple in the area, that used to be called Wat Makok; Krung Thep, the city's Thai name, means "City of the Deity" and is a shortening of the full ceremonial name: Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit; translated the meaning is: City of angels, great city of immortals, magnificent city of the nine gems, seat of the king, city of royal palaces, home of gods incarnate, erected by Vishvakarman at Indra's behest; it holds the world's record as the longest place name (169 letters)

geographic coordinates

13 45 N, 100 31 E

name

Bangkok

time difference

UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Thailand

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed as a joint resolution by the Council of Ministers and the National Council for Peace and Order (the junta that has ruled Thailand since the 2014 coup) and submitted as a draft to the National Legislative Assembly; passage requires majority vote of the existing Assembly members and presentation to the monarch for assent and countersignature of the prime minister

history

many previous; latest drafted and presented 29 March 2016, approved by referendum 7 August 2016, signed into law by the king 6 April 2017

Country name

conventional long form

Kingdom of Thailand

conventional short form

Thailand

etymology

Land of the Tai [People]"; the meaning of "tai" is uncertain, but may originally have meant "human beings," "people," or "free people

former

Siam

local long form

Ratcha Anachak Thai

local short form

Prathet Thai

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Michael HEATH (since August 2019)

consulate(s) general

Chiang Mai

email address and website

acsbkk@state.govhttps://th.usembassy.gov/

embassy

95 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330

FAX

[66] 2-205-4103

mailing address

7200 Bangkok Place, Washington DC  20521-7200

telephone

[66] 2-205-4000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20007

chief of mission

Ambassador MANATSAWI Sisodaphon (since 17 February 2021)

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

email address and website

https://thaiembdc.org

FAX

[1] (202) 944-3611

telephone

[1] (202) 944-3600

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the king; a Privy Council advises the king

chief of state

King WACHIRALONGKON, also spelled Vajiralongkorn, (since 1 December 2016)

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; the House of Representatives and Senate approves a person for Prime Minister who must then be appointed by the King (as stated in the transitory provision of the 2017 constitution); the office of prime minister can be held for up to a total of 8 years

head of government

Prime Minister PRAYUT Chan-ocha (since 11 June 2019)

note

note:  PRAYUT Chan-ocha was appointed interim prime minister in August 2014, three months after he staged the coup that removed the previously elected government of Prime Minister YINGLAK Chinnawat; on 5 June 2019 PRAYUT (independent) was approved as prime minister by the parliament 

Flag description

five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red; the red color symbolizes the nation and the blood of life, white represents religion and the purity of Buddhism, and blue stands for the monarchy

note

note: similar to the flag of Costa Rica but with the blue and red colors reversed

Government type

constitutional monarchy

Independence

1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, BIS, CD, CICA, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest courts

Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the court president, 6 vice presidents, 60-70 judges, and organized into 10 divisions); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president and 8 judges); Supreme Administrative Court (number of judges determined by Judicial Commission of the Administrative Courts)

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges selected by the Judicial Commission of the Courts of Justice and approved by the monarch; judge term determined by the monarch; Constitutional Court justices - 3 judges drawn from the Supreme Court, 2 judges drawn from the Administrative Court, and 4 judge candidates selected by the Selective Committee for Judges of the Constitutional Court, and confirmed by the Senate; judges appointed by the monarch serve single 9-year terms; Supreme Administrative Court judges selected by the Judicial Commission of the Administrative Courts and appointed by the monarch; judges serve for life

subordinate courts

courts of first instance and appeals courts within both the judicial and administrative systems; military courts

Legal system

civil law system with common law influences

Legislative branch

description

bicameral National Assembly or Ratthasapha consists of:Senate or Wuthisapha (250 seats; members appointed by the Royal Thai Army to serve 5-year terms)House of Representatives or Saphaphuthan Ratsadon (500 seats; 375 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 150 members elected in a single nationwide constituency by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 224, women 26, percent of women 10.4%House of Representatives - percent of vote by party in 2019 election- PPRP 23.7%, PTP 22.2%, FFP 17.8%, DP 11.1%, PJT 10.5%, TLP 2.3%, CTP 2.2%, NEP 1.4%, PCC 1.4%, ACT 1.2%, PCP 1.2%,  other 5.1%; seats by party - PTP 136, PPRP 116, FFP 81, DP 53, PJT 51, CTP 10, TLP 10, PCC 7, PCP 5, NEP 6, ACT 5, other 20; composition - men 421, women 79, percent of women 15.8%; note(s) - total National Assembly percent of women 14%; the FFP was dissolved by the Constitutional Court in February of 2020 and its representatives moved to the newly-formed Move Forward Party or to other political parties

elections

Senate - last held on 14 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024)House of Representatives - last held on 24 March 2019 (next to be held in 2023)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Luang SARANUPRAPAN/Phra JENDURIYANG

name

"Phleng Chat Thai" (National Anthem of Thailand)

note

note: music adopted 1932, lyrics adopted 1939; by law, people are required to stand for the national anthem at 0800 and 1800 every day; the anthem is played in schools, offices, theaters, and on television and radio during this time; "Phleng Sanlasoen Phra Barami" (A Salute to the Monarch) serves as the royal anthem and is played in the presence of the royal family and during certain state ceremonies

National holiday

Birthday of King WACHIRALONGKON, 28 July (1952)

National symbol(s)

garuda (mythical half-man, half-bird figure), elephant; national colors: red, white, blue

Political parties and leaders

Action Coalition of Thailand Party or ACT [TAWEESAK Na Takuathung (acting); CHATUMONGKHON Sonakun resigned June 2020]Chat Phatthana Party (National Development Party) [THEWAN Liptaphanlop]Chat Thai Phatthana Party (Thai Nation Development Party) or CTP [KANCHANA Sinlapa-acha]New Economics Party or NEP [MINGKHWAN Sangsuwan]Move Forward Party or MFP (formed in 2020 from the disbanded Future Forward Party, FPP) [PHITHA Limcharoenrat]Phalang Pracharat Party or PPP [PRAWIT Wongsuwan]Phumchai Thai Party (Thai Pride Party) or PJT [ANUTHIN Chanwirakun]Prachachat Party of PCC [WAN Muhamad NOOR Matha]Prachathipat Party (Democrat Party) or DP [CHURIN Laksanawisit]Puea Chat Party (For Nation Party) or PCP [SONGKHRAM Kitletpairot]Puea Thai Party (For Thais Party) or PTP [CHONLANON Sikaew]Puea Tham Party (For Dharma Party) [NALINI Thawisin]Seri Ruam Thai Party (Thai Liberal Party) or TLP [SERIPHISUT Temiyawet]Thai Forest Conservation Party or TFCP [DAMRONG Phidet]Thai Local Power Party or TLP [collective leadership]Thai Raksa Chat Party (Thai National Preservation Party) [PRICHAPHON Phongpanit]

note

note: as of 5 April 2018, 98 new parties applied to be registered with the Election Commission in accordance with the provisions of the new organic law on political parties

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agricultural products

sugar cane, cassava, rice, oil palm fruit, rubber, maize, tropical fruit, poultry, pineapples, mangoes/guavas

Budget

expenditures

85.12 billion (2017 est.)

revenues

69.23 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

BBB+ (2013)

Moody's rating

Baa1 (2003)

Standard & Poors rating

BBB+ (2004)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2018

$28.423 billion (2018 est.)

Current account balance 2019

$37.033 billion (2019 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$158.964 billion (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$167.89 billion (2019 est.)

Economic overview

With a relatively well-developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy, and generally pro-investment policies, Thailand is highly dependent on international trade, with exports accounting for about two thirds of GDP. Thailand’s exports include electronics, agricultural commodities, automobiles and parts, and processed foods. The industry and service sectors produce about 90% of GDP. The agricultural sector, comprised mostly of small-scale farms, contributes only 10% of GDP but employs about one third of the labor force. Thailand has attracted an estimated 3.0-4.5 million migrant workers, mostly from neighboring countries. Over the last few decades, Thailand has reduced poverty substantially. In 2013, the Thai Government implemented a nationwide 300 baht (roughly $10) per day minimum wage policy and deployed new tax reforms designed to lower rates on middle-income earners. Thailand’s economy is recovering from slow growth during the years since the 2014 coup. Thailand’s economic fundamentals are sound, with low inflation, low unemployment, and reasonable public and external debt levels. Tourism and government spending - mostly on infrastructure and short-term stimulus measures – have helped to boost the economy, and The Bank of Thailand has been supportive, with several interest rate reductions. Over the longer-term, household debt levels, political uncertainty, and an aging population pose risks to growth.

Exchange rates

currency

baht per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

32.48 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

34.248 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

32.8075 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

30.29749 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

30.03 (2020 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$328.58 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$323.88 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$258.42 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Exports - commodities

office machinery/parts, cars and vehicle parts, integrated circuits, delivery trucks, gold (2019)

Exports - partners

United States 13%, China 12%, Japan 10%, Vietnam 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

1 October - 30 September

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

68.2% (2017 est.)

government consumption

16.4% (2017 est.)

household consumption

48.8% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-54.6% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

23.2% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.4% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

8.2% (2017 est.)

industry

36.2% (2017 est.)

services

55.6% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$543.798 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2011

48.4 (2011)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

36.4 (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

31.5% (2009 est.)

lowest 10%

2.8%

Imports

Imports 2018

$283.66 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$272.83 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$233.75 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Imports - commodities

crude petroleum, integrated circuits, natural gas, vehicle parts, gold (2019)

Imports - partners

China 22%, Japan 14%, United States 7%, Malaysia 6% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

1.6% (2017 est.)

Industries

tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry and electric appliances, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics, automobiles and automotive parts, agricultural machinery, air conditioning and refrigeration, ceramics, aluminum, chemical, environmental management, glass, granite and marble, leather, machinery and metal work, petrochemical, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, printing, pulp and paper, rubber, sugar, rice, fishing, cassava, world's second-largest tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

0.6% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

1% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

0.7% (2019 est.)

Labor force

37.546 million (2020 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

31.8%

industry

16.7%

services

51.5% (2015 est.)

Population below poverty line

9.9% (2018 est.)

Public debt

note

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are sold at public auctions

Public debt 2016

41.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

41.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2018

$1,256,360,000,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$1,284,830,000,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$1,206,620,000,000 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2017

4.26% (2017 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2018

4.31% (2018 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2019

2.62% (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2010 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2018

$18,100 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2018 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2019

$18,500 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$17,300 note: data are in 2017 dollars (2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2016

$171.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$202.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

15.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2018

1.06% (2018 est.)

Unemployment rate 2019

0.99% (2019 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

female

5.9% (2020 est.)

male

4.6%

total

5.2%

Crude oil - exports

790 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

875,400 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

228,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

349.4 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

187.7 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

2.267 billion kWh (2015 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

76% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

8% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

16% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

19.83 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

44.89 million kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

181.5 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Natural gas - consumption

52.64 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

14.41 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

38.59 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

193.4 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

1.326 million bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

278,300 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

134,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

1.328 million bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

16.62 (2020 est.)

total

11,599,513 (2020)

Broadcast media

26 digital TV stations in Bangkok broadcast nationally, 6 terrestrial TV stations in Bangkok broadcast nationally via relay stations - 2 of the stations are owned by the military, the other 4 are government-owned or controlled, leased to private enterprise, and all are required to broadcast government-produced news programs twice a day; multi-channel satellite and cable TV subscription services are available; radio frequencies have been allotted for more than 500 government and commercial radio stations; many small community radio stations operate with low-power transmitters (2017)

Internet country code

.th

Internet users

percent of population

77.84% (2020 est.)

total

48.59 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly; fixed-line 4 per 100 and mobile-cellular 186 per 100 (2019)

general assessment

high-quality system, especially in urban areas; mobile and mobile broadband penetration are on the increase; FttH has strong growth in cities; 4G-LTE available with adoption of 5G services; seven smart cities with aim for 100 smart cities by 2024; one of the biggest e-commerce markets in Southeast Asia; fixed-broadband and mobile marketplace on par with other developed Asian markets; development of Asian data center underway; Internet connectivity supported by international bandwidth to Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, and terrestrial cables with neighboring countries; two more submarine cables under construction with anticipated landings in 2022; government restricts Internet and freedom of press, with additional constraints in response to pandemic-related criticism in 2020; importer of broadcasting equipment and integrated circuits from China and export of same to neighboring countries in Asia (2020)

international

country code - 66; landing points for the AAE-1, FEA, SeaMeWe-3,-4, APG, SJC2, TIS, MCT and AAG submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Africa, Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

7.17 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

5.003 million (2020)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

166.6 (2020 est.)

total subscriptions

116.294 million (2020)

Airports

total

101 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

23

2,438 to 3,047 m

12

914 to 1,523 m

14

over 3,047 m

8

total

63

under 914 m

6 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

1,524 to 2,437 m

1

2,438 to 3,047 m

1

914 to 1,523 m

10

total

38

under 914 m

26 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HS

Heliports

7 (2013)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 26, container ship 27, general cargo 94, oil tanker 251, other 441 (2021)

total

839

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

2,666,260,000 mt-km (2018)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

76,053,042 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

283

number of registered air carriers

15 (2020)

Pipelines

2 km condensate, 5900 km gas, 85 km liquid petroleum gas, 1 km oil, 1097 km refined products (2013)

Ports and terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Laem Chabang (8,106,928) (2019)

LNG terminal(s) (import)

Map Ta Phut

major seaport(s)

Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Map Ta Phut, Prachuap Port, Si Racha

Railways

narrow gauge

4,043 km 1.000-m gauge (2017)

standard gauge

84 km 1.435-m gauge (84 km electrified) (2017)

total

4,127 km (2017)

Roadways

total

180,053 km (includes 450 km of expressways) (2006)

Waterways

4,000 km (3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m) (2011)

Military - note

including the most recent in 2014, the military has attempted more than 20 coups since the fall of absolute monarchy in 1932since 2004, the military has fought against separatist insurgents in the southern provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat, as well as parts of Songkhla; the insurgency is rooted in ethnic Malay nationalist resistance to Thai rule that followed the extension of Siamese sovereignty over the Patani Sultanate in the 18th century; the insurgency consists of several armed groups, the largest of which is the Barisan Revolusi Nasional-Koordinasi (BRN-C): since 2020, the Thai military has been negotiating with BRN, and has parallel talks with an umbrella organization, MARA Pattani, that claims to represent the insurgency groups; since 2004, the fighting has claimed more than 7,000 lives; as of late 2020, as many as 100,000 military and paramilitary forces were deployed in the south to combat the insurgency Thailand has Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA) status with the US; MNNA is a designation under US law that provides foreign partners with certain benefits in the areas of defense trade and security cooperation; while MNNA status provides military and economic privileges, it does not entail any security commitments

Military and security forces

Royal Thai Armed Forces (Kongthap Thai, RTARF): Royal Thai Army (Kongthap Bok Thai, RTA; includes Thai Rangers (Thahan Phran)), Royal Thai Navy (Kongthap Ruea Thai, RTN; includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force (Kongthap Akaat Thai, RTAF); Office of the Prime Minister: Royal Thai Police; Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC; oversees counter-insurgency operations, as well as countering terrorism, narcotics and weapons trafficking, and other internal security duties); Ministry of Interior: Volunteer Defense Corps (2021)

note

note: the Thai Rangers (aka Thahan Phran or 'Hunter Soldiers’) is a paramilitary force formed in 1978 to clear Communist Party of Thailand guerrillas from mountain strongholds in the country's northeast; it is a light infantry force led by regular officers and non-commissioned officers and comprised of both full‐ and part‐time personnel; it conducts counterinsurgency operations in the southern region; on the eastern border with Laos and Cambodia, the Rangers have primary responsibility for border surveillance and protection

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimates for the size of the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF) vary widely; approximately 350,000 active duty personnel (240,000 Army; 65,000 Navy; 45,000 Air Force); est. 20,000 Thai Rangers; est. 5-6,000 Internal Security Operations Command (2021)

Military deployments

275 South Sudan (UNMISS) (Oct 2021)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the RTARF has a diverse array of foreign-supplied weapons systems, including a large amount of obsolescent or second-hand US equipment; since 2010, Thailand has received military equipment from nearly 20 countries with China, South Korea, Sweden, Ukraine, and the US as the leading suppliers (2021)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2016

1.6% of GDP (2016)

Military Expenditures 2017

1.6% of GDP (2017)

Military Expenditures 2018

1.4% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

1.3% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military service age and obligation

21 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; males register at 18 years of age; 2-year conscript service obligation based on lottery (2021)

Disputes - international

separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Malay-Muslim southern provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia to stem insurgent activities; Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of demarcation with Laos but disputes remain over several islands in the Mekong River; despite continuing border committee talks, Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of boundary; in 2011, Thailand and Cambodia resorted to arms in the dispute over the location of the boundary on the precipice surmounted by Preah Vihear temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962 and part of a planned UN World Heritage site; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween river near the border with Burma; in 2004, international environmentalist pressure prompted China to halt construction of 13 dams on the Salween River that flows through China, Burma, and Thailand; approximately 100,000 mostly Karen refugees fleeing civil strife, political upheaval and economic stagnation in Burma live in remote camps in Thailand near the border

Illicit drugs

a minor producer of opium, heroin, and cannabis products; major part of the illegal drug market for the Southeast Asia region and the interconnected markets in East Asia and Oceania; transit point for illicit heroin en route to the international drug market from Burma and Laos; . “Yaba,” a tablet containing methamphetamine, caffeine, and other stimulants, is the most widely abused drug in Thailand

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

41,000

note

note: Thai nationality was granted to more than 23,000 stateless persons between 2012 and 2016; in 2016, the Government of Thailand approved changes to its citizenship laws that could make 80,000 stateless persons eligible for citizenship, as part of its effort to achieve zero statelessness by 2024 (2018)

refugees (country of origin)

91,479 (Burma) (2021)

stateless persons

480,695 (2020) (estimate represents stateless persons registered with the Thai Government; actual number may be as high as 3.5 million); note - about half of Thailand's northern hill tribe people do not have citizenship and make up the bulk of Thailand's stateless population; most lack documentation showing they or one of their parents were born in Thailand; children born to Burmese refugees are not eligible for Burmese or Thai citizenship and are stateless; most Chao Lay, maritime nomadic peoples, who travel from island to island in the Andaman Sea west of Thailand are also stateless; stateless Rohingya refugees from Burma are considered illegal migrants by Thai authorities and are detained in inhumane conditions or expelled; stateless persons are denied access to voting, property, education, employment, healthcare, and driving

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

283.76 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

86.98 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

26.23 micrograms per cubic meter (2016 est.)

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

Environment - current issues

air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; water scarcity; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting; hazardous waste disposal

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

41.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 30.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 8.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 1.6% (2018 est.)

forest

37.2% (2018 est.)

other

21.6% (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk

very high (2020)

food or waterborne diseases

bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases

dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria

Major lakes (area sq km)

Salt water lake(s)

Thalesap Songkhla - 1,290 sq km

Major rivers (by length in km)

Mekong (shared with China [s], Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam [m]) - 4,350 km; Salween (shared with China [s] and Burma [m]) - 3,060 km; Mun - 1,162 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage: Salween (271,914 sq km)Pacific Ocean drainage: Mekong (805,604 sq km)

Revenue from coal

coal revenues

0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0.34% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

438.61 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

51.79 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

industrial

2.777 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

municipal

2.739 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

52.2% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

26,853,366 tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

5,128,993 tons (2012 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

19.1% (2012 est.)