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| Siam/Thailand | |
|---|---|
| Conventional long name | Kingdom of Thailand |
| Common name | Thailand |
| Capital | Bangkok |
| Largest city | Bangkok |
| Official languages | Thai |
| Ethnic groups | Central Thai, Lao, Malay, Karen, Mon, Khmer, Chinese |
| Religion | Theravada Buddhism, Islam, Christianity |
| Area km2 | 513120 |
| Population estimate | 70,000,000 |
| Government type | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| Monarch | Maha Vajiralongkorn |
| Prime minister | Srettha Thavisin |
| Independence | 1238 (Sukhothai) |
| Currency | Baht (THB) |
| Calling code | +66 |
Siam/Thailand
Thailand is a country in Southeast Asia centered on the Chao Phraya River basin and the Malay Peninsula, noted for its historical kingdoms, strategic diplomacy, and cultural continuity. The polity has long-term connections to regional centers such as Ayutthaya Kingdom, Sukhothai Kingdom, Lanna Kingdom, and later interactions with British Empire, French Third Republic, and Empire of Japan. Modern Thailand combines a constitutional monarchy with institutions evolved after encounters with United Kingdom, United States, and post‑World War II multilateral frameworks.
The modern English name derives from the endonym of the Tai peoples and was adopted in 1939 and 1949, with historical exonyms including Siam used by visitors such as Marco Polo, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, and James Grant. Historical chronicles reference polities like the Ayutthaya Kingdom, Sukhothai Kingdom, and Lanna Kingdom while diplomatic treaties such as the Bowring Treaty and the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 used various appellations. Travelers, cartographers, and scholars including Gerardus Mercator, James Cook, and Francis Drake recorded names reflecting European encounters with Southeast Asian polities.
Thailand occupies part of the Indochinese Peninsula and the Malay Peninsula, bordered by Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia. Major rivers include the Chao Phraya River, Mekong River, and tributaries feeding the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. Regions encompass northern highlands adjacent to Himalayan foothills, the Khorat Plateau, and coastal ecosystems with coral reefs near Phuket, Ko Samui, and Krabi. Environmental issues involve monsoon variability influenced by the Indian Ocean Dipole and El Niño–Southern Oscillation, deforestation linked to historical logging concessions, and conservation efforts in parks such as Khao Yai National Park and Doi Inthanon National Park.
Prehistoric sites near Ban Chiang and archaeological findings link the region to Austroasiatic and Tai migrations and metallurgy. Medieval polities include the Dvaravati culture, Mon kingdoms, and later the rise of Sukhothai Kingdom under King Ram Khamhaeng leading to scripts and state formation. The Ayutthaya Kingdom engaged in trade with Portuguese Empire, Dutch East India Company, Spanish Empire, and Persian Empire until its fall to the Burmese–Siamese wars. The Thonburi Kingdom under Taksin and the subsequent Rattanakosin Kingdom under Rama I reoriented diplomacy and modernization. 19th and early 20th century reforms by monarchs such as Rama IV and Rama V negotiated treaties like the Bowring Treaty; the country avoided formal colonization during the height of the Scramble for Africa and New Imperialism through concessions with France and Britain. The 1932 Siamese revolution of 1932 transitioned to constitutional rule; later events include participation in World War II under Japan, postwar alignments with United States, the Cold War era and conflicts such as engagement against Communist Party of Thailand, multiple military coups, and the recent political crises involving People's Alliance for Democracy and United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship.
The constitutional framework centers on the Monarchy of Thailand with the current monarch Maha Vajiralongkorn and a Prime Minister of Thailand drawn from parliamentary politics; constitutional changes occurred with charters such as the 1932 constitution and later constitutions including the 1997 "People's Constitution" and the 2017 constitution promulgated following the 2014 Thai coup d'état. Political actors include parties like Palang Pracharath Party, Pheu Thai Party, and movements connected to figures such as Thaksin Shinawatra and Suthep Thaugsuban. Security institutions feature the Royal Thai Armed Forces, intelligence agencies with links to regional alliances including Association of Southeast Asian Nations and bilateral ties with United States–Thailand relations.
Thailand is a regional manufacturing and export hub with sectors linked to automotive industry, electronics industry, agriculture notable for rice exports tied to varieties like Jasmine rice traded with International Rice Research Institute partners, and tourism centered on destinations such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket. Infrastructure includes transport corridors along the Eastern Economic Corridor, airports like Suvarnabhumi Airport, rail projects connected to China–Thailand high-speed railway proposals, and ports such as Laem Chabang Port. Economic policy has been shaped by institutions like the Bank of Thailand, episodes of the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, and trade agreements with blocs like the ASEAN Free Trade Area and bilateral partners including China and United States.
Cultural life draws on Theravada traditions linked to Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho, and monastic education, royal ceremonies codified at the Grand Palace, and performing arts such as Khon and Likay. Literary and artistic figures include poets and authors associated with the Rattanakosin period and modernists interacting with global movements in Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. Cuisine—featuring dishes like pad thai, tom yum, and khao soi—reflects regional exchanges with China, India, and Malay Archipelago. Festivals such as Songkran and Loy Krathong combine folk, Buddhist, and royal elements; sports include Muay Thai and participation in Olympic Games under the National Olympic Committee of Thailand.
Population centers concentrate in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region, with significant communities of ethnic Thai Chinese, Thai Malays in Pattani, hill tribes such as Karen people, Hmong people, and Akha people. The dominant language is Thai with regional languages and dialects such as Isan language (Lao dialects), Northern Thai language, Southern Thai language, and minority languages including Malay language and various Austroasiatic languages. Religious demographics feature Theravada Buddhism as the majority faith, with substantial Islam in Thailand communities in the south and Christian minorities linked to missionary histories and institutions like Christianity in Thailand.
Category:Countries in Southeast Asia