Conventional Long Form Name: Kingdom of Thailand
Capital City: Bangkok
Type of Government: Constitutional Monarchy
Date of Independence: 1238 (traditional founding date it was never colonized)
National Holidays: Birthday of King Phumiphon, 5 December 1927
Chief of State: King Phumiphon Adunyadet
Head of Government: Interim Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha, Deputy Prime Ministers: Gen.Prawit Wongsuwan, Gen. Thansak Patimaprakon, Gen. Wissanu Kruea-ngam, Somkhit Chatusiphitak, Prachin Chantong, and Narong Phiphatthanasai.
Executive Branch/Powers Description: The cabinet consists of Council of Ministers who are nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the king where a Privy Council advises the king. The monarchy is herediraty which the prime minister is appointed by the monarch. This occurs with a resolution of the National Legislative Assembly.
Legislative Branch/Powers Description: 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 the middle of 2017. The Senate and House of Representatives were percent of vote by party.
Judicial Branch/Powers Description: The highest courts are the Supreme Court of Justice (which consists of court president, 6 vice-presidents, and NA judges), the Constitutional Court (which consists of court president and 8 judges), the Supreme Administrative Court (number of judges determined by Judicial Commission of the Administrative Courts). The Supreme Court judges are selected by the Judicial Commission of the Courts of Justice and approved 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.
Courts of the first instance and appeals courts within both the judicial and administrative systems.
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory
Ambassador in the United States: Phisan Manawaphat
Location of Embassy in the United States: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20007
Location of Consultants in the United States: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
United States Ambassador in Thailand: Glyn T. Davies
Location of United States Embassy in Thailand: 120-122 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330
Location of Consultants in Thailand from the United States: Chiang Mai
Representative to the United Nations: N/A
Description of the flag: 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.
National Symbols: Garuda which is a mythical half-man, half-bird figure. The elephant is also another one. The national colors are red, white, blue.
International Disputes: There exists separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Malay-Muslim southern provinces. This urges them to create prompt border closures and attempt to control with Malaysia to stem insurgent activities. Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of the avian flu. There still continues to be talks of 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.
Quantity of Refugees: 128,863
Quantity of Internally Displaced People: up to 35,000
Quantity of Stateless Persons: 506,197
Human Trafficking: Thailand is a source and destination country of women, men, and children who are forced into labor and sex trafficking. These victims most often come from neighboring countries (especially Burma) but also China, Vietnam, Russia, Uzbekistan, India, and Fiji. They migrate to Thailand in search of economic opportunities but are forced into labor in fishing, low-end garment production, factories, domestic work, street begging, or the sex trade. This remains a significant problem still.
Illicit Drugs: Thailand is a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana. Thailand is a main location for illicit heroin en route to the international drug market from Burma and Laos. It is also a drug money-laundering center and plays a minor role in methamphetamine production for regional consumption and a major consumer of methamphetamine.
Capital City: Bangkok
Type of Government: Constitutional Monarchy
Date of Independence: 1238 (traditional founding date it was never colonized)
National Holidays: Birthday of King Phumiphon, 5 December 1927
Chief of State: King Phumiphon Adunyadet
Head of Government: Interim Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha, Deputy Prime Ministers: Gen.Prawit Wongsuwan, Gen. Thansak Patimaprakon, Gen. Wissanu Kruea-ngam, Somkhit Chatusiphitak, Prachin Chantong, and Narong Phiphatthanasai.
Executive Branch/Powers Description: The cabinet consists of Council of Ministers who are nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the king where a Privy Council advises the king. The monarchy is herediraty which the prime minister is appointed by the monarch. This occurs with a resolution of the National Legislative Assembly.
Legislative Branch/Powers Description: 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 the middle of 2017. The Senate and House of Representatives were percent of vote by party.
Judicial Branch/Powers Description: The highest courts are the Supreme Court of Justice (which consists of court president, 6 vice-presidents, and NA judges), the Constitutional Court (which consists of court president and 8 judges), the Supreme Administrative Court (number of judges determined by Judicial Commission of the Administrative Courts). The Supreme Court judges are selected by the Judicial Commission of the Courts of Justice and approved 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.
Courts of the first instance and appeals courts within both the judicial and administrative systems.
Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory
Ambassador in the United States: Phisan Manawaphat
Location of Embassy in the United States: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20007
Location of Consultants in the United States: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
United States Ambassador in Thailand: Glyn T. Davies
Location of United States Embassy in Thailand: 120-122 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330
Location of Consultants in Thailand from the United States: Chiang Mai
Representative to the United Nations: N/A
Description of the flag: 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.
National Symbols: Garuda which is a mythical half-man, half-bird figure. The elephant is also another one. The national colors are red, white, blue.
International Disputes: There exists separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Malay-Muslim southern provinces. This urges them to create prompt border closures and attempt to control with Malaysia to stem insurgent activities. Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of the avian flu. There still continues to be talks of 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.
Quantity of Refugees: 128,863
Quantity of Internally Displaced People: up to 35,000
Quantity of Stateless Persons: 506,197
Human Trafficking: Thailand is a source and destination country of women, men, and children who are forced into labor and sex trafficking. These victims most often come from neighboring countries (especially Burma) but also China, Vietnam, Russia, Uzbekistan, India, and Fiji. They migrate to Thailand in search of economic opportunities but are forced into labor in fishing, low-end garment production, factories, domestic work, street begging, or the sex trade. This remains a significant problem still.
Illicit Drugs: Thailand is a minor producer of opium, heroin, and marijuana. Thailand is a main location for illicit heroin en route to the international drug market from Burma and Laos. It is also a drug money-laundering center and plays a minor role in methamphetamine production for regional consumption and a major consumer of methamphetamine.
Chief of State:
King Phumiphon Adunyadet
Head of Government:
National Flag of Thailand
Audio of National Anthem of Thailand