seatrans: thailand country profile. a unified thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century;...
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SeaTrans: ThailandSeaTrans: Thailand
Country ProfileCountry Profile
• A unified Thai kingdom was A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th established in the mid-14th century; it was known as century; it was known as Siam until 1939. Thailand is Siam until 1939. Thailand is the only southeast Asian the only southeast Asian country never to have been country never to have been taken over by a European taken over by a European power. A bloodless power. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In constitutional monarchy. In alliance with Japan during alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand World War II, Thailand became a US ally following became a US ally following the conflict.the conflict.
CapitalCapital: : Bangkok Bangkok
BackgroundBackground
• Location: Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of BurmaSea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma
• Border countries:Border countries: Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km
• Coastline:Coastline: 3,219 km 3,219 km
• Area:Area: total: total: 514,000 sq km 514,000 sq km land: land: 511,770 sq km 511,770 sq km water: water: 2,230 sq km 2,230 sq km
BackgroundBackground
• Climate: Climate: tropical; tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon southwest monsoon (mid-May to (mid-May to September); dry, September); dry, cool northeast cool northeast monsoon (November monsoon (November to mid-March); to mid-March); southern part always southern part always hot and humid hot and humid
• Terrain: Terrain: central central plain; Khorat plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; Plateau in the east; mountains mountains elsewhere elsewhere
BackgroundBackground
• Natural resources: Natural resources: tin, rubber, natural tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable landgypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land
• Land use: Land use: arable land: arable land: 34% 34% permanent crops: permanent crops: 6% 6% permanent pastures: permanent pastures: 2% 2% forests and woodland:forests and woodland: 26% 26% other: other: 32%32%
GovernmentGovernment
• Government type:Government type: constitutional constitutional monarchy monarchy
• Administrative Administrative divisions:divisions:
76 provinces 76 provinces (changwat, (changwat, singular and singular and plural); plural);
• Flag description: Flag description: five horizontal bands five horizontal bands of red (top), white, of red (top), white, blue (double width), blue (double width), white, and red white, and red
EnvironmentEnvironment
• International agreements: International agreements: party to: party to: Climate Change, Endangered Species, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
((signed, but not ratified: signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea)Sea)
PeoplePeople
• Population: Population: 61,797,751 61,797,751
note: note: estimates for this country explicitly estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.) otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)
PeoplePeople
• PopulationPopulation growth growth rate: rate: 0.91% (2001 0.91% (2001 est.) est.)
• Life expectancy at Life expectancy at birth: birth:
total populationtotal population: : 68.86 68.86
male: male: 65.64 years 65.64 years female: female: 72.24 years72.24 years
• Ethnic groups: Ethnic groups: Thai 75%, Chinese Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11% 14%, other 11%
• Religions: Religions: Buddhism 95%, Buddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%, Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism 0.1%, Hinduism 0.1%, other 0.6%other 0.6%
EconomyEconomy
• Economy - overview: Economy - overview: After enjoying the world's After enjoying the world's highest growth rate from 1985 to 1995 - averaging highest growth rate from 1985 to 1995 - averaging almost 9% annually - increased speculative almost 9% annually - increased speculative pressure on Thailand's currency in pressure on Thailand's currency in 19971997 led to a led to a crisis that uncovered financial sector weaknesses crisis that uncovered financial sector weaknesses and forced the government to float the baht. Long and forced the government to float the baht. Long pegged at 25 to the dollar, the baht reached its pegged at 25 to the dollar, the baht reached its lowest point of 56 to the dollar in January 1998 and lowest point of 56 to the dollar in January 1998 and the economy contracted by 10.2% that same year. the economy contracted by 10.2% that same year. Thailand entered a recovery stage in 1999, Thailand entered a recovery stage in 1999, expanding 4.2% and grew about the same amount expanding 4.2% and grew about the same amount in 2000, largely due to strong exports - which in 2000, largely due to strong exports - which increased about 20% in 2000. An ailing financial increased about 20% in 2000. An ailing financial sector and the slow pace of corporate debt sector and the slow pace of corporate debt restructuring, combined with a softening of global restructuring, combined with a softening of global demand, is likely to slow growth in 2001.demand, is likely to slow growth in 2001.
EconomyEconomy
•Currency: Currency:
baht (THB) baht (THB)
• Exchange rates: Exchange rates:
US dollar - 40.12US dollar - 40.12
Euro - 40.10Euro - 40.10
• Imports:Imports:
$61.8 billion $61.8 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
• Exports:Exports:
$68.2 billion $68.2 billion
(f.o.b., 2000 est.) (f.o.b., 2000 est.)
GDPGDP
• GDP: GDP: purchasing purchasing power parity - $413 power parity - $413 billion (2000 est.) billion (2000 est.)
• GDP - real GDP - real growth rate: growth rate: 4.2% (2000 est.)4.2% (2000 est.)
• GDP - per capita: GDP - per capita: purchasing power purchasing power parity - $6,700 parity - $6,700 (2000 est.)(2000 est.)
GDPGDP
• composition by sector: composition by sector: (1999) (1999)
agriculture: agriculture: 13% 13%
industry: industry: 40% 40%
services: services: 47%47%
Economic IndicatorsEconomic Indicators
• Inflation rate Inflation rate (consumer (consumer prices): prices): 2.1% 2.1% (2000 est.) (2000 est.)
• Labor force: Labor force:
32.6 million (1997 32.6 million (1997 est.) est.)
• Unemployment Unemployment rate: rate:
3.7% (2000 est.)3.7% (2000 est.)
• Industrial Industrial production production growth rate:growth rate:
3% (2000 est.) 3% (2000 est.)
Transnational IssuesTransnational Issues
• International Dispute: International Dispute: parts of the parts of the border with Laos and Cambodia are border with Laos and Cambodia are indefinite; sporadic border hostilities indefinite; sporadic border hostilities with Burma over border alignmentwith Burma over border alignment
• Social Issue: Social Issue: illicit transit point for illicit transit point for heroin en route to the international heroin en route to the international drug market from Burma and Laos; drug market from Burma and Laos; (opium, heroin, and marijuana)(opium, heroin, and marijuana)
Macro LevelMacro Level
• Environmental issues: Environmental issues: air pollution air pollution from vehicle emissions; water from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting illegal hunting
Micro Level Micro Level (rural fishing communities) (rural fishing communities)
• Transformation from purely Transformation from purely subsistence fishing to small and subsistence fishing to small and medium scale commercial fishing.medium scale commercial fishing.
• Mangrove and beach forest have Mangrove and beach forest have been cleared for settlement and been cleared for settlement and aquaculture farms.aquaculture farms.
• More work diversification.More work diversification.
National MFA ThailandNational MFA Thailand
• Full account based on official statistics for Full account based on official statistics for the period 1990 - 2000the period 1990 - 2000
• DE from 1985 - 2000DE from 1985 - 2000• Additional estimates for grazing and for Additional estimates for grazing and for
by-products from harvest 1985 - 2000by-products from harvest 1985 - 2000• Future steps: additional estimates for Future steps: additional estimates for
subsistence production and construction subsistence production and construction mass mineralsmass minerals
• Full account from 1980Full account from 1980
DE biomassDE biomass
0.00
20,000,000.00
40,000,000.00
60,000,000.00
80,000,000.00
100,000,000.00
120,000,000.00
140,000,000.00
160,000,000.0019
85
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
tons
DE total fish catchDE TimberDE grazing and foragingDE Primary crops
DE Biomass per capitaDE Biomass per capita
0.00
0.50
1.00
1.50
2.00
2.50
3.001985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
T/cap
DE timber
DE fisheryDE grazing
DE primary crops
DE Thailand 1985-2000DE Thailand 1985-2000
0
50,000,000
100,000,000
150,000,000
200,000,000
250,000,000
300,000,000
1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
ton
s
fossils
minerals
biomass
Thailand ImportsThailand Imports
0
10,000,000
20,000,000
30,000,000
40,000,000
50,000,000
60,000,000
70,000,000
19
90
19
91
19
92
19
93
19
94
19
95
19
96
19
97
19
98
19
99
20
00
ton
s
ores
mineralsfossils
biomass
Thailand ExportsThailand Exports
0
5,000,000
10,000,000
15,000,000
20,000,000
25,000,000
30,000,000
35,000,00019
90
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
ton
s
sum oressum minerals
sum fossils sum biomass
Four Major ExportsFour Major Exports
0
2,000,000
4,000,000
6,000,000
8,000,000
10,000,000
12,000,000
14,000,000
16,000,000
18,000,000
20,000,000
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
ton
s
rubbersugarcassavarice
Thailand DE, Import - ExportThailand DE, Import - Export
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1000
t DE
Imports
exports
Thailand DMCThailand DMC
0
50,000,000
100,000,000
150,000,000
200,000,000
250,000,000
300,000,000
350,000,000
19
90
19
91
19
92
19
93
19
94
19
95
19
96
19
97
19
98
19
99
20
00
ton
s
fossils
minerals
biomass
Thailand DMI, DMC, DE per Thailand DMI, DMC, DE per capcap
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
tons/cap
year
DMI/cap DMC/cap DE/cap
Thailand Indicators per GDPThailand Indicators per GDP
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
DMI/GDP DMC/GDP Imports/GDP exports/GDP
DMI - EKC Thailand 1990-DMI - EKC Thailand 1990-19991999
y = 2.3819x - 0.0787
R2 = 0.9274
3.00
3.50
4.00
4.50
5.00
5.50
6.00
1.50 1.70 1.90 2.10 2.30 2.50GDP/cap
DM
I/cap
EKC: Environmental Kuznet Curve