Map of Thailand | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century. Known as Siam until 1939 Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been colonized by a European power. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy. In alliance with Japan during World War II 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. A blanket amnesty bill for individuals involved in street protests altered at the last minute to include all political crimes - including all convictions against THAKSIN - triggered months of large-scale anti-government protests in Bangkok beginning in November 2013. In early May 2014 YINGLAK was removed from office by the Constitutional Court and in late May 2014 the Royal Thai Army staged a coup against the caretaker government. The head of the Royal Thai Army Gen. PRAYUT Chan-ocha was appointed prime minister in August 2014. The interim military government created several interim institutions to promote reform and draft a new constitution. Elections are tentatively set for mid-2017. Thailand has also experienced violence associated with the ethno-nationalist insurgency in its southern Malay-Muslim majority provinces. Since January 2004 thousands have been killed and wounded in the insurgency.


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

Geographic coordinates: 15 00 N 100 00 E

Map reference: Southeast Asia

Area
Total: 513,120 km²
Land: 510,890 km²
Water: 2,230 km²
Rank: 51
Comparative: about three times the size of Florida; slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming

Land boundaries
Total: 5,673 km
Border countries: (4) Burma 2,416 km; Cambodia 817 km; Laos 1845 km; Malaysia 595 km

Coastline: 3,219 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate: tropical; rainy warm cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid

Terrain: central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere

Elevation
Mean elevation: 287 m
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m: highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m

Natural resources: tin rubber natural gas tungsten tantalum timber lead fish gypsum lignite fluorite arable land

Land use
Agricultural land: 41.2%
Forest: 37.2%
Other: 21.6%

Irrigated land: 64,150 km² (2012)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

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

Geography
Note: controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore


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Population: 68,200,824
Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy higher infant mortality higher death rates lower population growth rates and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected
Rank: 21
Growth rate: 0.32% (2016 est.)
Growth rate rank: 174
Below poverty line: 12.6% (2012 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Thai
Adjective: Thai

Ethnic groups: Thai 95.9% Burmese 2% other 1.3% unspecified 0.9% (2010 est.)

Languages: Thai (official) 90.7% Burmese 1.3% other 8%
Note: English is a secondary language of the elite

Religions: Buddhist (official) 93.6% Muslim 4.9% Christian 1.2% other 0.2% none 0.1% (2010 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 17.18%
15-24 years: 14.47%
25-54 years: 46.5%
55-64 years: 11.64%
65 years and over: 10.21% (2016 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 39.2%
Youth dependency ratio: 24.7%
Elderly dependency ratio: 14.6%
Potential support ratio: 6.9%

Median age
Total: 37.2 years
Male: 36.2 years
Female: 38.2 years
Rank: 66

Population growth rate: 0.32% (2016 est.)
Rank: 174

Birth rate: 11.1 births/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 177

Death rate: 7.9 deaths/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 103

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2016 est.)
Rank: 97

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 50.4% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 2.97% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: BANGKOK (capital) 9.27 million; Samut Prakan 1.814 million (2015)

Environment
Current issues: air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Hazardous Wastes Marine Life Conservation Ozone Layer Protection Tropical Timber 83 Tropical Timber 94 Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male/female
25-54 years: 0.98 male/female
55-64 years: 0.89 male/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male/female
Total population: 0.97 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth: 23.3 (2009 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 9.4 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 10.4 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 8.4 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 142

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 74.7 years
Male: 71.5 years
Female: 78 years
Rank: 116

Total fertility rate: 1.51 children born/woman (2016 est.)
Rank: 196

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 79.3% (2012)

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 0.39 physicians/1000 population (2010)

Hospital bed density: 2.1 beds/1000 population (2010)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 1.12% (2015 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 42
People living with hivaids: 438,100 (2015 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 18
Deaths: 14,200 (2015 est.)
Deaths rank: 15

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever Japanese encephalitis and malaria

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 9.2% (2014)
Rank: 135

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 9.2% (2012)
Rank: 71

Education expenditures: 4.1% of GDP (2013)
Rank: 47

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 96.7%
Male: 96.6%
Female: 96.7%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 14 years
Male: 13 years
Female: 14 years

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand
Conventional short form: Thailand
Local long form: Ratcha Anachak Thai
Local short form: Prathet Thai
Former: Siam
Etymology: 'Land of the Tai [People]'; the meaning of 'tai' is uncertain but may originally have meant 'human beings' or 'people'

Government type: constitutional monarchy; note - interim military-run government since May 2014

Capital
Name: Bangkok
Geographic coordinates: 13 45 N 100 31 E
Time difference: UTC+7

Administrative divisions: 76 provinces (changwat singular and plural) and 1 municipality* (maha nakhon); Amnat Charoen Ang Thong Bueng Kan Buriram 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 Sara Buri Satun Sing Buri Sisaket Songkhla Sukhothai Suphan Buri Surat Thani Surin Tak Trang Trat Ubon Ratchathani Udon Thani Uthai Thani Uttaradit Yala Yasothon

Dependent areas

Independence: 1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

National holiday: Birthday of King PHUMIPHON (BHUMIBOL) 5 December (1927)

Constitution: many previous; interim constitution - replacing the 2007 permanent constitution - signed by the king 22 July 2014; first draft of new constitution completed 17 April 2015 rejected by drafting committee 6 September 2015; final draft completed by new drafting committee 29 March 2016 passed by referendum 7 August 2016 (2016)

Legal system: civil law system with common law influences

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
Chief of state: Privy Council President PREM Tinsulanonda serves as Regent ; note - King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet also spelled BHUMIBOL Adulyadej (since 9 June 1946) died 13 October 2016
Head of government: Interim Prime Minister Gen. PRAYUT Chan-ocha Deputy Prime Ministers PRAWIT Wongsuwan Gen. (since 31 August 2014) THANASAK Patimaprakon Gen. (since 31 August 2014) WISSANU Kruea-ngam (since 31 August 2014) SOMKHIT Chatusiphitak (since 20 August 2015) PRACHIN Chantong (since 20 August 2015) NARONG Phiphatthanasai (since 20 August 2015)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister appointed by the king; a Privy Council advises the king
Electionsappointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch with a resolution of the National Legislative Assembly
Note: Prime Minister YINGLAK Chinnawat also spelled YINGLUCK Shinawatra was removed from office on 7 May 2014 after the Constitutional Court ruled she illegally transferred a government official; Thai army declared martial law on 20 May 2014 followed by a coup on 22 May 2014

Legislative branch
Description: in transition; following the May 2014 military coup a National Legislative Assembly or Sapha Nitibanyat of no more than 220 members replaced the bicameral National Assembly; elections for a permanent legislative body are currently unscheduled and may not occur until mid-2017
Elections: Senate - last held on 30 March 2014; House of Representatives - last held on 2 February 2014 but later declared invalid by the Constitutional Court
Election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court of Justice ; Constitutional Court (consists of 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 to serve single 9-year terms; Supreme Administrative Court judges selected by the Judicial Commission of the Administrative Courts and appointed by the monarch; judges appointed for life
Subordinate courts: courts of first instance and appeals courts within both the judicial and administrative systems; military courts

Political parties and leaders:

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador PHISAN Manawaphat
In the us chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW Suite 401 Washington DC 20,007
In the us telephone: [1] 944-3,600
In the us FAX: [1] 944-3,611
In the us consulate general: Chicago Los Angeles New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Glyn T. DAVIES
From the us embassy: 120-122 Wireless Road Bangkok 10,330
From the us mailing address: APO AP 96,546
From the us telephone: [66] 205-4,000
From the us FAX: [66] 254-2,990 205-4,131
From the us consulate general: Chiang Mai

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; blue stands for the monarchy
Note: similar to the flag of Costa Rica but with the blue and red colors reversed

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

National anthem
Name: 'Phleng Chat Thai'
Lyrics and music: Luang SARANUPRAPAN/Phra JENDURIYANG
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 Sansasoen Phra Barami' serves as the royal anthem and is played in the presence of the royal family and during certain state ceremonies

National heritage


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Economy overview:

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2015 US dollars
Rank: 21

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 109

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2015 US dollars
Rank: 101

Gross national saving:
Rank: 21

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 51.5%
Government consumption: 17.2%
Investment in fixed capital: 24.9%
Investment in inventories: -5%
Exports of goods and services: 69%
Imports of goods and services: -57.7%

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 9.1%
Industry: 35.7%
Services: 55.1%

Agriculture products: rice cassava (manioc tapioca) rubber corn sugarcane coconuts palm oil pineapple livestock fish products

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

Industrial production growth rate: 2.2% (2015 est.)
Rank: 98

Labor force: 38.55 million (2015 est.)
Rank: 17
By occupation agriculture: 32.2%
By occupation industry: 16.7%
By occupation services: 51.1%

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 4

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 12.6% (2012 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.8%
Highest 10: 31.5%

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 24

Budget
Revenues: $73.65 billion
Expenditures: $81.16 billion
Surplus or deficit: -1.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 83

Taxes and other revenues: 18.6% of GDP (2015 est.)
Rank: 171

Public debt:
Note: data cover general government debt and includes debt instruments issued 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 intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental 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
Rank: 93

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 21

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 113

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 123

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 51

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 22

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 25

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 28

Current account balance:
Rank: 13

Exports:
Rank: 22
Commodities: automobiles and parts computer and parts jewelry and precious stones polymers of ethylene in primary forms refine fuels electronic integrated circuits chemical products rice fish products rubber products sugar cassava poultry machinery and parts iron and steel and their products
Partners: US 11.2% China 11.1% Japan 9.4% Hong Kong 5.5% Malaysia 4.8% Australia 4.6% Vietnam 4.2% Singapore 4.1% (2015)

Imports:
Rank: 25
Commodities: machinery and parts crude oil electrical machinery and parts chemicals iron & steel and product electronic integrated circuit automobile’s parts jewelry including silver bars and gold computers and parts electrical household appliances soybean soybean meal wheat cotton dairy products
Partners: China 20.3% Japan 15.4% US 6.9% Malaysia 5.9% UAE 4% (2015)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 15

Debt external:
Rank: 42

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 29

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 36

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access population without electricity: 700,000
Access electrification total population: 99%
Access electrification urban areas: 99.7%
Access electrification rural areas: 98.3%
Production: 164 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Production rank: 25
Consumption: 164 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Consumption rank: 24
Exports: 1.6 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Exports rank: 50
Imports: 12 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Imports rank: 16
Installed generating capacity: 40 million kW (2014 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 20
Generation sources fossil fuels: 90.2% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 75
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 187
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 6.5% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 123
Generation sources other renewable sources: 3.3% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 69

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 248,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 37
Crude oil exports: 30,010 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 48
Crude oil imports: 897,800 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 14
Crude oil proven reserves: 400 million bbl (1 January 2016 es)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 52

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 1.273 million bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products production rank: 20
Products consumption: 1.231 million bbl/day (2014 est.)
Products consumption rank: 20
Products exports: 241,800 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products exports rank: 31
Products imports: 75,400 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products imports rank: 65

Natural gas
Production: 42.15 billion m³ (2014 est.)
Production rank: 21
Consumption: 53.75 billion m³ (2014 est.)
Consumption rank: 15
Exports: 0 m³ (2013 est.)
Exports rank: 189
Imports: 11.6 billion m³ (2014 est.)
Imports rank: 25
Proven reserves: 219.5 billion m³ (1 January 2016 es)
Proven reserves rank: 43

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 301 million Mt (2013 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 22

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 5.309 million
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 8
Fixed lines rank: 27
Mobile cellular total: 84.797 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 125
Mobile cellular rank: 16

Telephone system
General assessment: high quality system especially in urban areas like Bangkok
Domestic: fixed-line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly
International: country code - 66; connected to major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia Australia Middle East Europe and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (2015)

Broadcast media: 6 terrestrial TV stations in Bangkok broadcast nationally via relay stations - 2 of the networks 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 (2008)

Internet
Country code: .th
Users total: 26.726 million
Users percent of population: 39.3%
Users rank: 30

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 63

Military and security forces

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 (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 19
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 276
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 54,259,629
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 2,134,149,001 mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: HS (2016)

Airports: 101 (2013)
Rank: 56
With paved runways total: 63
With paved runways over 3047 m: 8
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 12
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 23
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 14
With paved runways under 914 m: 6
With unpaved runways total: 38
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 1
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 10
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 26

Heliports: 7 (2013)

Pipelines: condensate 2 km; gas 5,900 km; liquid petroleum gas 85 km; oil 1 km; refined products 1097 km (2013)

Railways
Total: 4,071 km
Standard gauge: 28.8 km 1.435-m gauge
Narrow gauge: 4,042 km 1.000-m gauge
Rank: 43

Roadways
Total: 180,053 km (2006)
Rank: 28

Waterways: 4,000 km (3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m) (2011)
Rank: 26

Merchant marine
Total: 363
By type: bulk carrier 31 cargo 99 chemical tanker 28 container 18 liquefied gas 36 passenger 1 passenger/cargo 10 petroleum tanker 114 refrigerated cargo 24 roll on/roll off 1 vehicle carrier 1
Foreign owned: 13
Registered in other countries: 46 (2010)
Rank: 28

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Bangkok Laem Chabang Map Ta Phut Prachuap Port Si Racha
Container port TEUs): Bangkok : /span>span class=category_data>Bangkok (1,305,229) Laem Chabang (5,731,063)
LNG terminal: Map Ta Phut


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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; 140,000 mostly Karen refugees fleeing civil strife political upheaval and economic stagnation in Burma live in remote camps in Thailand near the border

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 106,349 (Burma) (2015)
IDPs: 35,000 (2015)
Stateless persons: 443,862 ; 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
Note: Thai nationality was granted to more than 18,000 stateless persons in the last 3 years

Illicit drugs: a minor producer of opium heroin and marijuana; transit point for illicit heroin en route to the international drug market from Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of cannabis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication efforts; also a drug money-laundering center; minor role in methamphetamine production for regional consumption; major consumer of methamphetamine since the 1990s despite a series of government crackdowns