Thailand

Thailand ( or ; , ), officially the Kingdom of Thailand (, Ratcha Anachak Thai; ), 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 (ไทย) comes from the ethnic group in the center of Thailand.

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. It has a king as a head of state, king Vajiralongkorn.

Most people there (95 percent) 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.

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 Tāksin.

The founding of Bangkok as the capital city, was the start of the Rattanakosin Kingdom (1782–1932). It was founded by King Rama I of the Chakri Dynasty.

Before 1932, Thailand was an absolute monarchy. On June 24, 1932, a group of people staged 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.

In 1951, there was a failed coup - the Manhattan Rebellion. On September 19, 2006, the army did a coup d’état and took control from Thaksin Shinawatra’s government.

In May 2014, a new military coup d’état removed another government. Thailand had 12 coup d’etats, between 1932 and 2014.

In October 2016, Rama X became the new king.

After the start of the 2025 Cambodian–Thai border crisis

By December 2025, at least ten soldiers had died when there were some attacks between the militaries of Cambodia and Thailand. The 2025 Cambodia–Thailand border conflict started in May 2025; One soldier died that month.

On July 23, a Thai soldier stepped on a landmine in a district of Ubon Ratchathani, resulting in the loss of a leg. The next day, soldiers from both countries were killing. Thai F-16 fighter jets, hit (things belonging to the Cambodian military, or) Cambodian military targets along the border. By the last week of July, dozens of people had been killed. Among the dead, are soldiers. Attacks were still happening on July 28; A ceasefire started, at the end of that day.

Provinces

Thailand is made up of 76 provinces (จังหวัด, 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

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). As of 2025’s first quarter, media said that there is “weakness […] in the manufacturing sector, especially automotive, petrochemicals and construction materials”.

Agriculture in Thailand: Rice is the country’s most important crop; Some 60 percent of Thailand’s 13 million farmers grow that, according to media (2017). Amount of crops produced: sugarcane; [c. 104 million tons] or 104.3 million tons was harvested in 2018 (4th largest producer in the world); Rice, [c. 32 million tons or] 32.1 million tons; However, as of 2025, the 3rd largest producer in the world, is Thailand. Production of Cassava, was [c. 31 million tons or] 31.6 million tons, as of 2018; The 2nd largest producer in the world, was Thailand.

“The Thai-US trade volume has been roughly 6.0% of GDP”, but on top of that significant amounts of Chinese goods are getting labels Made in Thailand, while in many cases the goods were actually Made in China, according to media. “The US was Thailand’s largest export market” in 2024; The U.S. imported things for $55 billion.

“In 2024, Thailand produced about 220,000 tons of beef while” 40,000 tons came from other countries.

“Exports to China … amount to [c. 6% or] 6.7% of GDP”, media said in 2025.

Trade tariffs between the U.S. and Thailand, have changed several times (during 2025).

About becoming a partner country in BRICS: Thailand became a partner in 2025.

The GDP growth (year 2024), was 2.5%.

In regard to the number of cars made: On average, [c. 118,000] cars were made per month during the first five months of 2025 (out of a total of 594,492 automobiles).. [C. 21% or] 21.9% of the cars made, were Toyota cars, year 2022. Other cars being made, include BMW, BYD, Deepal, Ford, GAC Aion, GWM, Haval, Honda, Isuzu, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, MG, Nissan, Ora, and Neta. Neta had been building c. one car in Thailand, for every car that they import from their factories in China.

In regard to tourism: From each of these four countries, there came one million tourists during 2025’s first six months: Malaysia, China, India and Russia.

In 2014, Credit Suisse reported that Thailand was the world’s third most unequal country, behind Russia and India. The top 10% richest held 79% of the country’s assets. The top 1% held 58% of the assets.

In regard to [buying or] consuming gold: Inside Thailand, 49 tons were bought (in 2024); Only 9 countries bought more gold during that year, according to media.

The growth rate, or economic growth, was 2.5%, in 2024.

Government

A new prime minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, has been in place since September 7, 2025. He was elected two days earlier.. However, his cabinet “began its term on October 1 under a four-month mandate”, according to media; Furthermore, there is an expectation that all the members of parliament will lose their office, in December or January or “ahead of the expected dissolution of parliament and upcoming general elections”.

The next general election is supposed to happen on February 8, 2026.

There is a new foreign minister or minister of foreign affairs, energy minister, tourism minister, commerce minister, transport minister, justice minister, and minister of digital economy and society (as of 2025’s fourth quarter). The interior minister’s (job or) post, is being held by the prime minister (as of 2025’s fourth quarter).

The Cabinet members include

acting defence minister
[Farming minister or] Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister.
minister of natural resources and environment.

Armed conflict in the provinces Narathiwat, Pattani, and Yala

The South Thailand armed rebellion has its origins from 1948; It started as an ethnic and religious separatist armed rebellion in Patani (historical region); Many Malay people live there; That region is made up of the three southernmost provinces of Thailand and parts of a fourth province (Songkhla); The conflict has become more complex and more violent since the early 2000s; Drug cartels, oil smuggling networks, and some pirate raids have much to do with the violence.

57 people died (year 2023), in the conflict.

Other information

Since 2025, using cannabis for fun, is (again) against the law. Physicians and “Thai traditional doctors, Chinese medicine practitioners and pharmacists [are some of those that] can authorise cannabis use”, according to media.

The Gini coefficient was 42.5 (as of 2009).

The Human Development Index, or HDI, is 0.682 (as of 2011).

The ISO 3166 code is, TH.

Environmental issues

Environmental issues: Industrial growth has created (much or) high levels of air pollution in Thailand. Vehicles and factories (give or) contribute to air pollution.

Measurement of PM 2.5 pollution is one of the ways of measuring air pollution; In that way, the particulates (in the atmosphere), that are smaller than 2.5 microns, get measured.

Fast facts