Political Geography
- Conventional Long Form Name: Kingdom of Thailand
- Capital City: Bangkok
- Type of Government: Constitutional Monarchy under Democracy
- Date of Independence: Didn't gain independence from another country, but was independent in 1238
- National Holidays:
- February 22: Magha Puja Day
- April 6: Chakri Memorial Day
- April 13-15: Songkran Festival
- May 1-2: Labour Day
- May 5: Coronation Day
- May 9: Royal Ploughing Ceremony
- July 19: Asalha Puja Day
- August 12: Queen's Birthday
- October 23-24: Chulalongkorn Memorial Day
- December 5: King's Birthday
- December 10: Constitution Day
- Chief of State: Bhumibol Adulyadej
- Head of Government: Niwattamrong Boonsongpaisan
- Executive Branch/Powers: Cabinet includes the council of ministers.The monarchy is hereditary and the prime minister is elected from members of the House of Representatives. Prime ministers limited to 2 four-year terms.
- Legislative Branch/Powers: Senate/Wuthispha contains 150 seats, 76 members elected by popular vote) and 74 appointed by the Senate Selection Committee. The House of Representatives contains 500 seats).
- Judicial Branch/Powers: Supreme Court of Justice is the highest court. Constitutional Court consists of president and 8 judges. Supreme Court selected by Judicial Commission of the Courts of Justice. Constitutional Court justices 3 judges from Supreme Court, 2 from Administrative Court and 4 from Selective Committee for Judges of the Constitutional Court. Serve 9 year terms.
- Suffrage: Must be 18 to vote and is universal and compulsory
- Thailand Ambassador to the US: Gerhard Kallmann
- Thailand Embassy in the US: Washington, D.C.
- Thailand Consulates in the US
- Washington, DC; Chicago, IL; California, CA; and New York, NY
- US Ambassador to Thailand: Glyn Davies
- US Embassy in Thailand: Bangkok
- US Consulate in Thailand: Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Thailand Representative to UN: Norachit Sinhaseni
- Symbols:
- Thai Kites - In Thailand, there are many different kinds of kites such as star-shaped and diamond shaped. The best time of the year to play is in March. Many people go to Sanam Luang in Bangkok to fly kites or to watch kite fighting.
- Thai Monks - Every man in Thailand has to be a monk when they come to the age of 20. Thai men believe that it is one important way to make merit for their parents. Also, it will help their parents go to the heaven after they die.
- Description of International Disputed: Separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Malay-Muslim southern provinces caused the border to close and more precautions with Malaysia. Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu and there are talks on 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;
- Refugees Inside Thailand: 5,470
- Origin of Refugees in Thailand: Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Pakistan
- Internally Displaced Persons: 33,600
- Stateless Persons: 506,200
- Human Trafficking Issues in Thailand: Migrants, ethnic minorities, and stateless people in Thailand are at a greater risk of being trafficked than Thai nationals, and experience withholding of travel documents, migrant registration cards, and work permits by employers. Thai men who migrate for low-skilled contract work and agricultural labor are subjected to conditions of forced labor and debt bondage as well. Many Thais are lured by labor recruiting agencies and are forced into involuntary servitude or sexual exploitation because of the high debt owed to the agencies.
- Illicit Drug Trafficking: A 2012 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) world drug report estimated that about 230 million people, or 5% of the world’s adult population, had used an illicit drug at least once in 2010. However, only 18% of those who needed drug treatment were estimated to have received such treatment