THE KINGDOM OF THAILAND metropolises, inviting comparison with great

European cities such as Paris.

GEOGRAPHY
THONBURI PERIOD
Thailand has an area of 198,114 square miles The
country is commonly divided into four main regions Thonburi was founded by a Thai general named
and borders Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and Phraya Taksin, who was later crowned King Taksin
Malaysia. The northern region is hilly, with much of Maharaj. After the fall of Ayutthaya to the Burmese
its population concentrated in upland valleys and in 1767, Thonburi, situated on the west bank of the
the flood plains of rivers; the dominant geographic Chao Phraya opposite what is now the City of
feature is the Khorat Plateau. The southern region Bangkok, became the new Thai capital.
is a narrow isthmus with hills running down the
RATTANAKOSIN PERIOD
center.
The Chakris were inaugurated on April 6, 1782
HISTORY
together with the coronation of Rama I or King
ORIGIN OF THAIS Buddha Yot Fa Chulalok. He moved the capital
across the Chao Phaya River from Thonburi to a
It presumed that about 4,500 years, Thais
small village known as "Bangkok" and raised up
originated in northwestern Szechuan in China and
new laws to rule the country. Under his reign,
later migrated down to Thailand along the southern
Thailand covered all areas of present day Laos and
part of China. They split into two main groups, the
parts of Burma, Cambodia and Kedah province in
Lanna and Sukothai.
Malaysia.
KHMER INFLUENCE
RELIGION
From the 9th to the 11th century, the central and
• Religion in Thailand is varied. There is no
western area of Thailand was occupied by Mon
official state religion in the Thai
civilization called Dvaravati. The Mon share the
constitution, which guarantees religious
same common lineage as the Khmers and settle in
freedom for all Thai citizens, though the king
southern Burma latter.
is required by law to be Theravada Buddhist.
LANNA PERIOD The main religions practiced in Thailand is
Buddhism. According to the latest official
Northern Thailand was once occupied by the religious demographics figures, 94.6% of
ancient Lanna Empire, which spread over Chiang Thais are Buddhists of the Theravada
Mai, Lampang, Lamphun and Phayao. Tucked tradition.
comfortably in a valley, Chiang Mai - Lamphun and
Chiang Rai - Phayao represented the two main • The other religions in Thailand are Islam,
plateaus of the empire. Hinduism, Judaism, Sikhism and
Christianity
SUKHOTHAI PERIOD
• Freedom of Religion in Thailand - The law
Sukhothai, meaning the ''Dawn of Happiness'' was provides for freedom of religion, and the
the first truly independent Thai Kingdom founded in government generally respects this right in
1238, by two Thai chieftains, Khun Bang Klang Tao practice; however, it does not register new
and Khun Pa Muang , this ending Khmer rule from religious groups that have not been
Angkor Wat. In the early 1300s, Sukhothai enjoyed accepted into one of the existing religious
rule over the Chao Phya River basin, westward to governing bodies on doctrinal or other
the bay of Bengal and the entire Peninsula. grounds. In practice, unregistered religious
AYUTTHAYA PERIOD organizations operate freely, and the
government's practice of not recognizing
For 417 years the kingdom of Ayutthaya was the any new religious groups does not restrict
dominant power in the fertile Menam or Chao the activities of unregistered religious
Phraya Basin. Its capital was Ayutthaya, an island- groups.
city situated at the confluence of three rivers, the
Chao Phraya, the Pasak, and the Lopburi, which
grew into one of Asia's most renowned
CULTURE Prime Minister serves as head of a
parliamentary government and a hereditary
• Thai culture has been shaped by many
Thai king functions as head of state.
influences, including Indian, Lao, Burmese,
Cambodian, and Chinese. MONARCHY

• The traditional Thai greeting, the wai, is • The present king of Thailand since 1946 is
generally offered first by the younger of the King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
two people meeting, with their hands
• According to Thailand’s constitution,
pressed together, fingertips pointing
although the state ‘s sovereignty is vested in
upwards as the head is bowed to touch face
the people, the King will exercise such
to fingertips, usually coinciding with the
powers through the branches of the Thai
spoken word "sawasdee khrap" for male
government.
speakers, and "sawasdee ka" for females.
The elder may then respond in the same • As the Head of State however he is given
way. some powers and has a role to play in the
machinations of government.
• Respect towards ancestors is an essential
part of Thai spiritual practice. Thais have a • According to the Constitution, the King is
strong sense of hospitality and generosity, the Head of the Armed forces, required to
but also a strong sense of social hierarchy be Buddhist as well as the defender of all
faiths in the country.
• Family is central to Thai life.
• The King also retained some traditional
• Another concept that is very important in
powers such as the power to appoint his
Thai culture is sanuk. Sanuk is a wide-
heirs, power to grant pardons and the royal
reaching idea that embodies the
assent. The King is aided in his duties by the
playfulness and sense of humor that is so
Privy Council of Thailand.
central to life in Thailand.
EXECUTIVE
EDUCATION
PRIME MINISTER
• Education in Thailand is provided mainly by
the Thai government through the Ministry of • is the Head of Government of Thailand
Education from pre-school to senior high
school. A free basic education of twelve • The Prime Minister is, in accordance with
years is guaranteed by the constitution, and the constitution, selected; first by an
a minimum of nine years' school election in the lower house then officially
attendance is mandatory. appointed by the King.

• Formal education consists of at least twelve • As head of the executive branch, is also the
years of basic education, and higher leader of the Cabinet of Thailand. The Prime
education. Minister therefore retains the prerogative to
appoint or remove any Minister he or she so
• Non-formal education is supported by the chooses.
state. Independent schools contribute
significantly to the general education CABINET
infrastructure. Administration and control of • is a council composed of 35: Ministers of
public and private universities are carried State and Deputy Ministers, who run the
out by the Office of Higher Education cabinet ministries of the Kingdom. There are
Commission, a department of the Ministry currently 20 cabinet ministries, which
of Education. comprises the main portion of state
GOVERNMENT employees.

• The Thailand government is based on a • is also responsible for the formulation and
constitutional monarchy quite similar to execution of policies of the government.
that of the United Kingdom, in which a Members of the Cabinet do not necessarily
 need to be a member of the lower house, as JUDICIARY
in other countries but most often are.
COURTS OF JUSTICE
LEGISLATIVE
• Is the largest of the court system and makes
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY up the majority of courts in the Kingdom.
The Courts as mandated in the Constitution
• Is a bi-cameral legislature and comprises
is made up of three tiers: the Court of First
two houses: the Senate and the House of
Instance, the Court of Appeals and the
Representatives.
Supreme Court of Justice of Thailand.
• The legislative branch took its current form
ADMINISTRATIVE COURTS
in 2007. The National Assembly has 630
members. Both houses of the National • is made up of two tiers: The Administrative
Assembly meet at the Parliament House of Courts of First Instance and the Supreme
Thailand. Administrative Court. The court system was
first created in 1997, the court’s main
SENATE
jurisdiction is to settle litigation between
• The current Senate has 150 members. 76 the State or an organ of state (government
members are elected, one per province ministries, departments and independent
from the 75 provinces of Thailand (Bueng agencies) and private citizens
Kan does not have an elected senator yet)
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT
and 1 from the Bangkok Metropolitan Area.
• The Constitutional Court of Thailand was
• The chamber is strictly a non-partisan
created solely as a high court to settle
chamber, and members may not be a
matters pertaining to the constitution. The
member of a partisan organization, House
court has since accumulated huge amounts
of Representatives, judiciary and the
of power and influence; gaining many
Cabinet for five years.
controversies on the way. This has become
• The Senate has little power legislative -wise, especially clear during the 2006 and 2008
but retain considerable powers of scrutiny political crises, settling political deadlocks
and appointment. As the Senate is vested and social unrest.
with the power to ‘advise’ on the
EVENTS THAT LEAD UP TO THAILAND’S CURRENT
appointment of several members of the
POLITICAL UNREST
Judiciary and independent government
agencies. The Senate sits for a set six years • September 19, 2006
non renewable term, the Senate cannot be
Thailand's prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is
dissolved. The Senate is presided by a
deposed by the army while absent at the UN
President of the Senate, who is also the
General Assembly in New York.
Vice President of the National Assembly. He
is assisted by two Vice Presidents of the • May 2007
Senate.
Mr. Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) Party
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES is banned.
• is the primary legislative house of the • August 2007
government of Thailand.
A new military-approved constitution is supported
• The House comprises 500 members. 375 of by voters in a national referendum.
the MPs are elected directly from single-
seat constituencies around the country. The • December 2007
other 125 members are selected using General election is won by the People's Power Party,
‘proportional representation’ through widely viewed as a proxy for Mr Thaksin's outlawed
party-lists. There are 8 electoral areas from Thai Rak Thai party.
which the proportionally representative
votes are taken and 375 constituencies. • February 2008
Thaksin political ally, Samak Sundaravej sworn in as The military finally storm the protesters
prime minister. encampment, ending the street campaign. More
than 90 people are killed and 1,800 injured.
• May 2008
• July 2011
Anti-government Yellow Shirt protesters occupy the
prime ministerial compound accusing Samak The pro-Thaksin Pheu Thai Party wins a landslide
Sundaravej of being Mr Thaksin's puppet. election. Mr Thaksin's sister, Yingluck Shinawatra is
appointed Thailand's first female prime minister
• August 2008
• June 2012
Mr Thaksin flees to the UK after failing to appear in
court to face corruption charges. Ms Yingluck's government attempts to pass a bill of
national reconciliation intended to end the political
• September 2008
tensions.
The Constitutional Court dismisses prime minister
• December 2012
Sundaravej, declaring that his appearance on TV
cooking shows constitutes a conflict of interest. Former prime minister Abhisit is charged with
responsibility for the death of a protester during the
• October 2008
crackdown on the May 2010 anti-government
Supreme Court convicts Mr Thaksin in absentia of protests.
corruption; he is sentenced to two years prison.
• April 2013
• November 2008
The Constitutional Court blocks bid by Ms
Anti-government Yellow Shirt protesters occupy Yingluck's government to amend the 2007
Bangkok's two major airports, paralyzing air travel constitution.
for several days.
• November 1, 2013
• December 2008
Anti-government protesters rally in Bangkok against
Yellow Shirt protesters end the airport occupation a proposed amnesty bill for political offences
after Mr Somchai resigns as prime minister, committed since 2006.
following a Constitutional Court ruling that his party
• November 24, 2013
was guilty of electoral fraud.
Anti-government protests in Bangkok draw large
• April 2009
crowds. Democrat Party opposition leader Suthep
Pro-Thaksin Red Shirt protesters rally in Bangkok Thaugsuban resigns to lead protests.
and clash with the military.
• November 24, 2013
• December 2009
Government and ministerial offices surrounded by
More than 20,000 Red Shirts rally in Bangkok in tens of thousands of protesters.
support of Mr Thaksin.
• November 30, 2013
• February 2010
Pro-Yingluck Red Shirts rally in Bangkok, and clash
The Supreme Court seizes $US1.4 billion of Mr with anti-government demonstrators, leaving four
Thaksin's assets after ruling he had abused power dead and dozens injured.
while prime minister.
• December 1 - 2, 2013
• March 2010
Street clashes continue. Anti-Yingluck protesters in
Tens of thousands of Red Shirts paralyse central Bangkok fail in their attempt to seize the prime
Bangkok demanding Mr Abhisit's resignation as minister’s office and police headquarters.
prime minister. Demonstrations continue for
• December 3, 2013
weeks.
Police withdraw from their HQ, enabling anti-
• May 2010
government protesters to make a politically
symbolic occupation of the complex and the prime Voting in re-run elections is peacefully held in five
minister's offices provinces where voting was disrupted by anti-
government protests during February's general
• December 8, 2013
election
Thailand's prime minister Mr Yingluck refuses to
• March 21, 2014
step down, announcing early elections for February
2014. Thailand's Constitutional Court rules February's
general election is invalid.
• December 21, 2013

Opposition Democrat Party announces it will

boycott the elections if not proceeded by political • March 31, 2014
reforms.
Caretaker prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra
• December 24, 2013 appears before an anti-corruption panel to defend
herself against charges that could lead to her
Violent street protests leave a police officer dead
removal from office.
and dozens injured
• April 30, 2014
• January 4, 2014
A new general election is scheduled to be held on
Thailand's Electoral Commission announces
July 20 after talks between caretaker prime minister
February elections will proceed as planned
Yingluck Shinawatra and the Election Commission.
• January 14, 2014
• May 6, 2014
Anti-government protesters occupy key locations in
Caretaker prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra
Bangkok in a bid to shut down the capital and force
appears before the Constitutional Court to answer
Ms Yingluck's resignation.
charges over an alleged abuse of power.
• January 18, 2014
May 7, 2014
• Tensions increase in Bangkok after a
The Constitutional Court delivers a guilty verdict,
suspected grenade attack on opposition
dismissing prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra and
May 8, 2014
nine of her ministers for abuse of power.
• Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra
• May 8, 2014
is found guilty of the negligence charge over
a state rice-buying scheme. Former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra is found
guilty of the negligence charge over a state rice-
• May 15, 2014
buying scheme.
• The Election Commission calls for national
• May 15, 2014
polls planned for July 20 to be postponed
because of the escalating political unrest. The Election Commission calls for national polls
planned for July 20 to be postponed because of the
• protesters leaves one dead and more than
escalating political unrest.
30 injured.
• May 20, 2014
• January 29-31, 2014
Thailand's army declares martial law in an
Anti-government protesters gather for three days of
announcement on military TV.
marches in Bangkok in a final bid to disrupt the
general election. • May 22, 2014

• February 2, 2014 Thailand's military chief General Prayuth

The general election is held amid anti-government Chan-ocha takes power in a coup d'état.
protests

• March 2, 2014
CURRENT POLITICAL SET-UP INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

• A political crisis is currently going period in • Thailand seeks to position itself as the
Thailand. Anti-government protests took gateway to mainland Southeast Asia and as
place between November 2013 and May such its foreign policy is focused on the
2014, organised by the People's Democratic immediate region
Reform Committee (PDRC), a political
• Australia and Thailand signed a Free Trade
pressure group set up and led by former
Agreement (FTA) in 2004 and New Zealand
Democrat Party MP Suthep Thaugsuban.
and Thailand signed a Closer Economic
The protests eventually resulted in the
Partnership in April 2005. In April 2007,
removal of the incumbent prime minister
Thailand signed an FTA with Japan and
Yingluck Shinawatra, a coup d'état and the
continues to pursue a number of other
establishment of a military junta.
bilateral FTAs.
ECONOMY
• Thailand's major security preoccupation
THAILAND is the world’s has traditionally been with its borders and
the internal situations in neighboring
• 17th largest manufacturer output
countries, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and
• 28rd largest exporter Malaysia.

• 24th largest economy by purchasing • Thailand has supported an open

power international trading environment through
membership of the WTO, and joined, as
• the 2nd largest economy in ASEAN founding member, of both the Cairns Group
• Thailand is the world’s leading exporter of and APEC.
rice and a major exporter of shrimp. Other
agricultural products include coconuts,
corn, rubber, soybeans, sugarcane, and
tapioca.

• Thailand is the world’s second largest

exporter of gypsum after Canada, even
though government policy limits gypsum
exports to prevent price cutting

• Gross Domestic Product: In 2006

Thailand’s GDP was US$196.6 billion,
reflecting a growth rate of 4.4 percent over
2005.

• Government Budget: In 2005 Thailand’s

central government budget was estimated
at US$35.2 billion.

• Inflation: Consumer prices increased by

4.5 percent in 2005, up from 1.8 percent the
previous year, partly as a result of global
demand for crude oil

• Thailand’s economic freedom score is 63.3,

making its economy the 72nd freest in the
2014 Index. Its score is 0.8 point worse than
last year due to continuing declines in labor
freedom, the control of government
spending, and freedom from corruption.