Thailand

Thailand ( or ; , ), officially the Kingdom of Thailand (, ; ), is a country in Southeast Asia. Its neighbours are Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Myanmar. Its name was Siam until June 1939 and between 1945 and May 11 1949. The word Thai (aithy) comes from the ethnic group in the center of Thailand.
Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. It has a King as a head of state, who is Vajiralongkorn at the moment.
Most people here (95%) follow the philosophy called Buddhism. Smaller number of people (4.4%), mostly to the south, follow Islam. Other religions in Thailand are Christianity, Hinduism, and Sikhism. Some Muslims in the south have begun fighting the government because they want to be more independent.
Population: the total fertility rate was 1.3 (in 2019).
History
A Buddhist kingdom named Sukhothai was founded here in 1238.
A century later, a bigger kingdom named Ayuthaya appeared south of Sukhothai. Later Sukhothai became a part of Ayuthaya. Ayuthaya existed for more than 400 years before its fall by the attack of a Burmese kingdom.
A soldier of Chinese origin then founded a new capital city at Thonburi, and became King Taksin.
The current era, Rattanakosin, started on founding Bangkok as the capital city by King Rama I of Chakri Dynasty.
Before 1932, Thailand was an absolute monarchy. On June 24, 1932, a group of people did a coup and changed Thailand to a constitutional monarchy. It was not until 1973 that Thai people voted for a Prime Minister in an election. There were coups both before and after this year.
In 1951, there was a failed coup - the Manhattan Rebellion. On September 19, 2006, the army did a coup d'etat and took control from Thaksin Shinawatra's government.
In May 2014, a new military coup d'etat removed another government.
In October 2016, Rama X become the new king.
Between 1932 and 2014, Thailand had 12 coup d'etats.
Provinces
Thailand is made up of 76 provinces (cchanghwad, changwat), put into 5 groups. There are 2 specially governed districts: the capital Bangkok and Pattaya. The 76 provinces including Bangkok are as follows:
Central
Ang Thong
Bangkok (Krung Thep Maha Nakhon), Special Governed District of
Chai Nat
Kanchanaburi
Lopburi
Nakhon Nayok
Nakhon Pathom
Nonthaburi
Pathum Thani
Phetchaburi
Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
Prachuap Khiri Khan
Ratchaburi
Samut Prakan
Samut Sakhon
Samut Songkhram
Saraburi
Sing Buri
Suphan Buri
East
Chachoengsao
Chanthaburi
Chonburi
Prachinburi
Rayong
Sa Kaeo
Trat
North
Chiang Mai
Chiang Rai
Kamphaeng Phet
Lampang
Lamphun
Mae Hong Son
Nakhon Sawan
Nan
Phayao
Phetchabun
Phichit
Phitsanulok
Phrae
Sukhothai
Tak
Uthai Thani
Uttaradit
Northeast (Isan)
Amnat Charoen
Bueng Kan
Buri Ram
Chaiyaphum
Kalasin
Khon Kaen
Loei
Maha Sarakham
Mukdahan
Nakhon Phanom
Nakhon Ratchasima
Nong Bua Lamphu
Nong Khai
Roi Et
Sakon Nakhon
Si Sa Ket
Surin
Ubon Ratchathani
Udon Thani
Yasothon
South
Chumphon
Krabi
Nakhon Si Thammarat
Narathiwat
Pattani
Phang Nga
Phatthalung
Phuket
Ranong
Satun
Songkhla
Surat Thani
Trang
Yala
NOTE: In italics [1], that province is about the Greater Bangkok sub-region; in italics [2], that province is about the West sub-region.
Economy
The economy of Thailand "is based on trade and investment in the agricultural and tourism sectors, according to media. In 2022, the country with investors that invested the most in Thailand, was Japan; Chinese investors had the second place.
Industry had a contribution to the GDP, of 43.9 percent (in 2007), and 14 percent of the workforce are in that sector (of the economy). Within that sector, manufacturing was the biggest part, and it had a contribution (to the GDP), with 34.5 (in 2004).
References
Footnotes
Further reading
The United States CIA website
Other websites
Thaigov.go.th Royal Government of Thailand
Tourism Authority of Thailand Official tourism website
Thai National Assembly Official Thai Parliament website
Mfa.go.th Thailand Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Birdwatching in Thailand
Learn Thai Culture.com
CIA - The World Factbook - Thailand
Thailand Country Fact Sheet from the Common Language Project
Longdo Map Thailand On-line Thailand map
Holidays Thailand Holidays In Thailand
Current monarchies
Monarchies of Asia
1932 establishments in Asia