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. 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.


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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: 52
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

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
Lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
Highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,565 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 41.2% (2011 est.)
Forest: 37.2% (2011 est.)
Other: 21.6% (2011 est.)

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; 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


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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: 68,615,858 (July 2018 est.)
Rank: 20
Growth rate: 0.29% (2018 est.)
Growth rate rank: 173
Below poverty line: 7.2% (2015 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Thai (singular and plural)
Adjective: Thai

Ethnic groups:

Languages:

Religions: Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.3%, Christian 1%, other (2015 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 16.73% (male 5,880,026 /female 5,598,611)
15-24 years: 13.83% (male 4,840,303 /female 4,649,589)
25-54 years: 46.12% (male 15,670,881 /female 15,972,254)
55-64 years: 12.35% (male 3,970,979 /female 4,503,647)
65 years and over: 10.97% (male 3,289,576 /female 4,239,992) (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 40 (2015 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 25.2 (2015 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 14.8 (2015 est.)
Potential support ratio: 6.8 (2015 est.)

Median age
Total: 38.1 years (2018 est.)
Male: 37 years
Female: 39.2 years
Rank: 63

Population growth rate: 0.29% (2018 est.)
Rank: 173

Birth rate: 11 births/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 177

Death rate: 8.1 deaths/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 87

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (2018 est.)
Rank: 98

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

Urbanization
Urban population: 50.7% of total population
Note: (2015-20 est.)
Rate of urbanization: 1.73% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: 10.35 million BANGKOK (capital), 1.289 million Samut Prakan, 1.151 million Chiang Mai, 954,000 Songkla, 950,000 Nothaburi, 901,000 Pathum Thani (2019)

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
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(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

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

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 9 deaths/1000 live births (2018 est.)
Male: 9.9 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 8 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 145

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.1 years (2018 est.)
Male: 71.9 years
Female: 78.5 years
Rank: 115

Total fertility rate: 1.52 children born/woman (2018 est.)
Rank: 194

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 78.4% (2015/16)

Drinking water source
Urban: 2.4% of population
Rural: 2% of population
Total: 2.2% of population (2015 est.)

Current health expenditure: 3.7% (2016)

Physicians density: 0.81 physicians/1000 population (2017)

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

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 10.1% of population (2015 est.)
Rural: 3.9% of population (2015 est.)
Total: 7% of population (2015 est.)

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: 1.1% (2018 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 44
People living with hivaids: 480,000 (2018 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 16
Deaths: 18,000 (2018 est.)
Deaths rank: 11

Major infectious diseases
Degree of risk: very high (2016)
Food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea (2016)
Vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria (2016)

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 10% (2016)
Rank: 140

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 6.7% (2016)
Rank: 75

Education expenditures: 4.1% of GDP (2013)
Rank: 100

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 92.9%
Male: 94.7%
Female: 91.2% (2015)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 15 years
Male: 15 years
Female: 16 years (2016)

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, people, or free people

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Capital
Name: Bangkok
Geographic coordinates: 13 45 N, 100 31 E
Time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time): 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 (168 letters)

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

Dependent areas

Independence: 1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

National holiday: Birthday of King WACHIRALONGKON, 28 July (1952)

Constitution
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
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 (2017)

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: King WACHIRALONGKON Bodinthrathepphayawarangkun, also spelled Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, (since 1 December 2016); note - King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet, also spelled BHUMIBOL Adulyadej (since 9 June 1946) died 13 October 2016
Head of government: Prime Minister PRAYUT Chan-ocha (since 25 August 2014); Deputy Prime Ministers PRAWIT Wongsuwan (since 31 August 2014), WISSANU Kruea-ngam (since 31 August 2014), SOMKHIT Chatusiphithak (since 20 August 2015), CHURIN Laksanawisit (since November 2019), ANUTHIN Chanwirakun (since November 2019)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the king; a Privy Council advises the king
Electionsappointments: 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: 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 - 498 votes to 244 for THANATHON Chuengrungrueangkit (FFP)

Legislative branch
Description:
Elections:
Election results:

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

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 chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20,007
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 944-3,600
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 944-3,611
In the us consulate: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge dAffaires Michael HEATH (since August 2019)
From the us telephone: [66] 2-205-4,000
From the us embassy: 95 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10,330
From the us mailing address: APO AP 96,546
From the us FAX: [66] 2-205-4,306
From the us consulate: Chiang Mai

Flag description:

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

National anthem
Name: Phleng Chat Thai (National Anthem of Thailand)
Lyricsmusic: 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 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 heritage


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Economy 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 20

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 84

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 99

Gross national saving:
Rank: 19

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 48.8% (2017 est.)
Government consumption: 16.4% (2017 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 23.2% (2017 est.)
Investment in inventories: -0.4% (2017 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 68.2% (2017 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -54.6% (2017 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 8.2% (2017 est.)
Industry: 36.2% (2017 est.)
Services: 55.6% (2017 est.)

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: 1.6% (2017 est.)
Rank: 141

Labor force: 38.37 million (2017 est.)
Rank: 16
By occupation agriculture: 31.8%
By occupation industry: 16.7%
By occupation services: 51.5% (2015 est.)

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 5

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 7.2% (2015 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.8%
Highest 10: 31.5% (2009 est.)

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 44

Budget
Revenues: 69.23 billion (2017 est.)
Expenditures: 85.12 billion (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit: -3.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 148

Taxes and other revenues: 15.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
Rank: 193

Public debt:
Rank: 118

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 38

Central bank discount rate:
Rank: 128

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 157

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 49

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 49

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 24

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 30

Current account balance:
Rank: 10

Exports:
Rank: 21
Partners: China 12.4%, US 11.2%, Japan 9.5%, Hong Kong 5.2%, Vietnam 4.9%, Australia 4.5%, Malaysia 4.4% (2017)
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

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%, Japan 14.5%, US 6.8%, Malaysia 5.4% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 12

Debt external:
Rank: 44

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 30

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 33

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 100% (2016)
Production: 181.5 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Production rank: 23
Consumption: 187.7 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Consumption rank: 22
Exports: 2.267 billion kWh (2015 est.)
Exports rank: 44
Imports: 19.83 billion kWh (2016 est.)
Imports rank: 11
Installed generating capacity: 44.89 million kW (2016 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 24
Generation sources fossil fuels: 76% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 94
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 193
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 8% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 124
Generation sources other renewable sources: 16% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 55

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 228,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 34
Crude oil exports: 790 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 76
Crude oil imports: 875,400 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 12
Crude oil proven reserves: 349.4 million bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 50

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 1.328 million bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products production rank: 14
Products consumption: 1.326 million bbl/day (2016 est.)
Products consumption rank: 16
Products exports: 278,300 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products exports rank: 29
Products imports: 134,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)
Products imports rank: 44

Natural gas
Production: 38.59 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Production rank: 22
Consumption: 52.64 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Consumption rank: 16
Exports: 0 m³ (2017 est.)
Exports rank: 199
Imports: 14.41 billion m³ (2017 est.)
Imports rank: 21
Proven reserves: 193.4 billion m³ (1 January 2018 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 43

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 355 million Mt (2017 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 19

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 2.91 million
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2017 est.)
Fixed lines rank: 49
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 121.53 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 178 (2017 est.)
Mobile cellular rank: 11

Telephone system
General assessment: high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok; mobile and mobile broadband penetration are on the increase; Fibre-to-the-home (FttH) has seen strong growth in the major cities; 4G TD-LTE and moving to 5G trials; seven smart cities with the hope of 100 smart cities within its borders in the next two decades; one of the biggest e-commerce markets in Southeast Asia (2018)
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 178 per 100 (2018)
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)

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
Users total: 32,398,778
Users percent of population: 47.5% (July 2016 est.)
Users rank: 21

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 8.208 million
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 12 (2017 est.)
Rank: 18


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 91

Military and security forces: Royal Thai Armed Forces (Kongthap Thai, RTARF): Royal Thai Army (Kongthap Bok Thai, RTA, includes paramilitary Thai Rangers (Thahan Phrahan)), Royal Thai Navy (Kongthap Ruea Thai, RTN, includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force (Kongthap Akaat Thai, RTAF); Interior Ministry paramilitary forces: Volunteer Defense Corps (2018)

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 (2018)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 19 (2015)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 276 (2015)
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 54,259,629 (2015)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 2,134,149,001
Note: mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: HS (2016)

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

Heliports: 7 (2013)

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

Railways
Total: 4,127 km (2017)
Standard gauge: 84 km
Note: 1.000-m gauge (2017)
Narrow gauge: 4,043 km
Rank: 47

Roadways
Total: 180,053 km
Note: (includes 450 km of expressways) (2006)
Rank: 30

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

Merchant marine
Total: 807
By type: bulk carrier 27, container ship 25, general cargo 91, oil tanker 241, other 423 (2018)
Rank: 27

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Map Ta Phut, Prachuap Port, Si Racha
Container port: Laem Chabang (7,227,431) (2017)
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; 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

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees: 97,603 (Burma) (2018)
Stateless persons: 478,883 (2018) (estimate represents stateless persons registered with the Thai Government; actual number may be as high as 3.5 million); note - about half of Thailands northern hill tribe people do not have citizenship and make up the bulk of Thailands 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 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)

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