Map of Thailand | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background:


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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
Comparative: about three times the size of Florida; slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming
Country comparison total: 5,673 km
Country comparison border countries: (4) Burma 2,416 km; Cambodia 817 km; Laos 1,845 km; Malaysia 595 km

Land boundaries
Total: 5,673 km
Border countries: (4) Burma 2,416 km; Cambodia 817 km; Laos 1,845 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
Highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,565 m
Lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
Mean elevation: 287 m

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

Land use
Agricultural land: 41.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land arable land: 30.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent crops: 8.8% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land permanent pasture: 1.6% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land forest: 37.2% (2018 est.)
Agricultural land other: 21.6% (2018 est.)

Irrigated land: 64,150 km² (2012)

Major rivers
By length in km: Mae Nam Khong (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 km
By length in km note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Major watersheds area km²: Indian Ocean drainage: Salween (271,914 km²); Pacific Ocean drainage: Mekong (805,604 km²)

Total water withdrawal
Municipal: 2.74 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Industrial: 2.78 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Agricultural: 51.79 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources: 438.61 billion m³ (2020 est.)

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
Total: 69,920,998
Male: 34,065,311
Female: 35,855,687 (2024 est.)
Growth rate: 0.17% (2024 est.)
Below poverty line: 6.3% (2021 est.)
Below poverty line note: % of population with income below national poverty line

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

Ethnic groups: Thai 97.5%, Burmese 1.3%, other 1.1%, unspecified <0.1% (2015 est.)
Note: data represent population by nationality

Languages: Thai (official) only 90.7%, Thai and other languages 6.4%, only other languages 2.9% (includes Malay, Burmese); English is a secondary language among the elite (2010 est.)
Major-language samples: สารานุกรมโลก - แหล่งข้อมูลพื้นฐานที่สำคัญ (Thai); Gheos World Guide, the indispensable source for basic information.
Note: data represent population by language(s) spoken at home

Religions: Buddhist 92.5%, Muslim 5.4%, Christian 1.2%, other 0.9% (includes animist, Confucian, Hindu, Jewish, Sikh, and Taoist) (2021 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 15.8% (male 5,669,592/female 5,394,398)
15-64 years: 69% (male 23,681,528/female 24,597,535)
65 years and over: 15.1% (2024 est.) (male 4,714,191/female 5,863,754)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 43.5
Youth dependency ratio: 22.7
Elderly dependency ratio: 18.4
Potential support ratio: 4.8 (2021 est.)

Median age
Total: 41.5 years (2024 est.)
Male: 40.2 years
Female: 42.7 years

Population growth rate: 0.17% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 9.9 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 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

Urbanization
Urban population: 53.6% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.43% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 11.070 million BANGKOK (capital), 1.454 Chon Buri, 1.359 million Samut Prakan, 1.213 million Chiang Mai, 1.005 million Songkla, 1.001 million Nothaburi (2023)

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, 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
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants
Particulate matter emissions: 24.64 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: 283.76 megatons (2016 est.)
Methane emissions: 86.98 megatons (2020 est.)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

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

Maternal mortality ratio: 29 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 6.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 5.6 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.2 years (2024 est.)
Male: 75.2 years
Female: 81.3 years

Total fertility rate: 1.54 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate: 73% (2019)

Drinking water source
Improved urban: 100% of population
Unimproved rural: 0% of population
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)
Unimproved urban: 0% of population

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Improved urban: 99.9% of population
Improved rural: 100% of population
Improved total: 100% of population
Unimproved urban: 0.1% of population
Unimproved rural: 0% of population
Unimproved total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 10% (2016)

Alcohol consumption
Per capita total: 6.86 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita beer: 1.85 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita wine: 0.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita spirits: 4.78 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Per capita other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use
Total: 22.1% (2020 est.)
Male: 41.3% (2020 est.)
Female: 2.9% (2020 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 7.7% (2019)

Education expenditures: 3.2% of GDP (2020 est.)

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 94.1%
Male: 95.5%
Female: 92.8% (2021)

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

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 5.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 3.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 7.4% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment


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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 Maha Nakhon, the city's Thai name, means 'City of Angels, Great City' or simply 'Great City of Angels' 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); Krung Thep is used colloquially

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 on 6 April 2017
Amendments: amendments require a majority vote in a joint session of the House and Senate and further require at least one fifth of opposition House members and one third of the Senate vote in favor; a national referendum is additionally required for certain amendments; all amendments require signature by the king; Thailand's 2017 constitution was amended in November 2021 to increase the number of constituency members of parliament (MPs) from 350 to 400, reduce the number of party-list MPs from 150 to 100, and change the election to a two-ballot system

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; also spelled Vajiralongkorn (since 1 December 2016)
Head of government: Prime Minister PHAETHONGTHAN Chinnawat; also spelled PAETONGTARN Shinawatra (since 18 August 2024)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the king; a Privy Council advises the king
Elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; prime minister candidate approved by the Senate and House of Representatives and appointed by the king; starting in 2024, approval of prime minister needed only by the House of Representatives
Note: following its May 2023 election win, the MJP formed an eight-party coalition and put forward its leader PITA Limjaroenrat for prime minister; however, the Senate blocked PITA from becoming prime minister in the first National Assembly vote in July 2023, and the Assembly subsequently voted that he could not submit his name again; the Constitutional Court also suspended PITA after accepting cases accusing him of violating election law; in August 2023, MJP handed over the lead in forming a new government to the second largest party in the coalition, PTP, which then formed a new coalition without MJP; PTP put forward SRETTHA Thavisin for prime minister, and he was approved by the National Assembly 482 votes out of a possible 747

Legislative branch
Description: bicameral National Assembly or Ratthasapha consists of: Senate or Wuthisapha (200 seats; members indirectly elected in a three-step process (district, provincial, and national) from 20 eligible groups of professionals and then certified by Election Commission for a single 5-year term), House of Representatives or Saphaphuthan Ratsadon (500 seats; 400 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 100 members elected in a single nationwide constituency by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
Elections: Senate - last election dates 9, 16, and 26 June 2024; certified on 10 July 2024 (next to be held in June 2,029), House of Representatives - last held on 14 May 2023 (next to be held in May 2,027)
Elections results: Senate - percent of vote by party - independents; seats by party - NA; composition - NA, House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - MFP 36.2%, PTP 27.7%, UTN 11.9%, BJT/PJT 2.9%, DP 2.3%, PPRP 1.4%, PCC 1.5%, other 16%; seats by party - MFP 152, PTP 141, BJT/PJT 71, PPRP 41, UTN 36, DP 24, PCC 9, CTP 10, Thai Sang Thai 6, other 11; composition - 403 men, 97 women, percentage women 19.4%

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: Bhumjaithai Party or BJT (aka Phumchai Thai Party or PJT; aka Thai Pride Party) , Chat Thai Phatthana Party (Thai Nation Development Party) or CTP, Move Forward Party or MFP (dissolved by order of the Constitutional Court, August 2024), Palang Pracharat Party (People's State Power Party) or PPRP , Pheu (Puea) Thai Party (For Thais Party) or PTP, Prachachat Party or PCC , Prachathipat Party (Democrat Party) or DP , Thai Sang Thai Party , United Thai Nation (Ruam Thai Sang Chat) or UTN

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 Dr. SURIYA Chindawongse (since 17 June 2024)
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 email address and website: thai.wsn@thaiembdc.org; [link]
In the us consulates general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Robert F. GODEC (since 7 October 2022)
From the us embassy: 95 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10,330
From the us mailing address: 7,200 Bangkok Place, Washington DC 20,521-7,200
From the us telephone: [66] 2-205-4,000
From the us fax: [66] 2-205-4,103
From the us email address and website: acsbkk@state.gov; [link]
From the us consulates 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, and 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' (National Anthem of Thailand)
Lyrics/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 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
Total world heritage sites: 8 (5 cultural, 3 natural)
Selected world heritage site locales:


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Economy overview: upper middle-income Southeast Asian economy; substantial infrastructure; major electronics, food, and automobile parts exporter; globally used currency; extremely low unemployment, even amid COVID-19; ongoing Thailand 4.0 economic development

Real gdp purchasing power parity: $1.516 trillion (2023 est.); $1.488 trillion (2022 est.); $1.452 trillion (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Real gdp growth rate: 1.88% (2023 est.); 2.46% (2022 est.); 1.57% (2021 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: $21,100 (2023 est.); $20,800 (2022 est.); $20,300 (2021 est.)
Note: data in 2021 dollars

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 57.7% (2023 est.)
Government consumption: 16.6% (2023 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 23% (2023 est.)
Investment in inventories: -0.4% (2023 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 65.4% (2023 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -63.7% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 8.6% (2023 est.)
Industry: 32.9% (2023 est.)
Services: 58.5% (2023 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products: sugarcane, rice, cassava, oil palm fruit, maize, rubber, tropical fruits, chicken, pineapples, fruits (2022)
Note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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: -2.27% (2023 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 40.814 million (2023 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 0.91% (2023 est.); 0.94% (2022 est.); 1.22% (2021 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate ages 15 24 total: 5.3% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 male: 3.9% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 female: 7.4% (2023 est.)
Rate ages 15 24 note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Population below poverty line: 6.3% (2021 est.)
Note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $90.509 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $106.576 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 14.38% (of GDP) (2022 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt: 60.35% of GDP (2022 est.)
Note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Revenue
From forest resources: 0.34% of GDP (2018 est.)
From coal: 0.03% of GDP (2018 est.)

Fiscal year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 1.23% (2023 est.); 6.08% (2022 est.); 1.23% (2021 est.)
Note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance: $7.002 billion (2023 est.); -$15.742 billion (2022 est.); -$10.268 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Exports: $336.871 billion (2023 est.); $324.063 billion (2022 est.); $295.972 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: US 17%, China 11%, Japan 8%, Vietnam 4%, Malaysia 4% (2022)
Partners note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Commodities: machine parts, integrated circuits, cars, trucks, vehicle parts/accessories (2022)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $328.009 billion (2023 est.); $334.478 billion (2022 est.); $296.115 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Partners: China 26%, Japan 11%, UAE 6%, US 5%, Malaysia 5% (2022)
Partners note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Commodities: crude petroleum, integrated circuits, gold, natural gas, vehicle parts/accessories (2022)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: $224.47 billion (2023 est.); $216.501 billion (2022 est.); $246.025 billion (2021 est.)
Note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Debt external: $35.388 billion (2022 est.)
Note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Access electrification total population: 99.9% (2022 est.)
Access electrification urban areas: 100%
Access electrification rural areas: 100%
Installed generating capacity: 57.216 million kW (2022 est.)
Consumption: 199.672 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Exports: 2.02 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Imports: 34.223 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 14.464 billion kWh (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 82.1% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources solar: 2.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources wind: 1.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 3.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 9.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Coal
Production: 13.642 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Consumption: 36.03 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Exports: 96,000 metric tons (2022 est.)
Imports: 22.485 million metric tons (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 1.063 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 386,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 1.248 million bbl/day (2022 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 252.75 million barrels (2021 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 30.797 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Consumption: 48.898 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Imports: 17.112 billion m³ (2022 est.)
Proven reserves: 138.243 billion m³ (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 307.934 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 61.666 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 156.756 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 89.511 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 69.958 million Btu/person (2022 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 4.368 million (2022 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 6 (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 126.414 million (2022 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 176 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures: 1.3% of GDP (2023 est.); 1.3% of GDP (2022 est.); 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.); 1.4% of GDP (2020 est.); 1.3% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military and security forces: Royal Thai Armed Forces (Kongthap Thai, RTARF): Royal Thai Army (Kongthap Bok Thai, RTA), 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 (2024)
Note 1: the Thai Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) oversees counter-insurgency operations, as well as countering terrorism, narcotics and weapons trafficking, and other internal security duties; it is primarily run by the Army
Note 2: official paramilitary forces in Thailand include the Thai Rangers (Thahan Phran or 'Hunter Soldiers') under the Army; the Paramilitary Marines under the Navy; the Border Patrol Police (BPP) under the Royal Thai Police; the Volunteer Defense Corps (VDC or O So) and National Defense Volunteers (NDV), both under the Ministry of Interior; there are also several government-backed volunteer militias created to provide village security against insurgents in the Deep South or to assist the ISOC

Military service age and obligation: 18 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; 21 years of age for compulsory military service for men; men register at 18 years of age; volunteer service obligation may be as short as 6 or 12 months, depending on educational qualifications; conscript service obligation also varies by educational qualifications, but is typically 24 months (2023)
Note: serving in the armed forces is a national duty of all Thai citizens; conscription was introduced in 1905; it includes women, however, only men over the age of 21 who have not gone through reserve training are conscripted; conscripts are chosen by lottery (on draft day, eligible draftees can request volunteer service, or they may choose to stay for the conscription lottery); approximately 75-100,000 men are drafted for military service each year

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system
Number of registered air carriers: 15 (2020)
Inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 283
Annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 76,053,042 (2018)
Annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 2,666,260,000 (2018) mt-km

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: HS

Airports: 108 (2024)

Heliports: 5 (2024)

Pipelines: 2 km condensate, 5,900 km gas, 85 km liquid petroleum gas, 1 km oil, 1,097 km refined products (2013)

Railways

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

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

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 91,339 (Burma) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2023)
Idps: 41,000 (2022)
Stateless persons: 566,900 (2022) (estimate represents stateless persons registered with the Thai Government; actual number may be as high as 3.5 million)
Note: Thai nationality was granted to more than 23,000 stateless persons between 2012 and 2016 and more than 18,000 between 2018 and 2021; 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 (2021)

Illicit drugs: not a cultivator or producer of significant quantities of opiates, methamphetamine, or other illicit drugs; not a significant source or transit country for drugs entering the United States; drugs smuggled through Thailand heading for Indo-Pacific region markets; large influx of methamphetamine and heroin from neighboring Burma to other markets, but also consumed domestically, most of which transits through Thailand to other markets, but is also consumed domestically; a major source of precursor or essential chemicals used in the production of illicit narcotics