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Thailand
Last update: Friday 10th of September 2010
| ราชอาณาจักรไทย Ratcha Anachak Thai Kingdom of Thailand | |||||
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| Anthem: Phleng Chat Royal anthem: Phleng Sansoen Phra Barami | |||||
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| Capital | Bangkok (Krung Thep) | ||||
| Largest city | Bangkok | ||||
| Official languages | Thai | ||||
| Government | Military junta under Constitutional Monarchy | ||||
| - King | HM The King Bhumibol Adulyadej | ||||
| - Prime Minister | General Surayud Chulanont | ||||
| - President of the Council of National Security | General Sonthi Boonyaratglin | ||||
| Formation | |||||
| - Sukhothai kingdom | 1238–1368 | ||||
| - Ayutthaya kingdom | 1350–1767 | ||||
| - Thonburi kingdom | 1767 to April 7, 1782 | ||||
| - Ratanakosin kingdom | April 7, 1782 to date | ||||
| Area | |||||
| - Total | 514,000 km² (49th) 198,115 sq mi | ||||
| - Water (%) | 0.4 | ||||
| Population | |||||
| - July 2006 estimate | 64,631, 5951 (19th) | ||||
| - 2000 census | 60,916,441 | ||||
| - Density | 126 /km² (80th2) 326 /sq mi | ||||
| GDP (PPP) | 2005 estimate | ||||
| - Total | $560.7 billion (21st) | ||||
| - Per capita | $8,300 (69th) | ||||
| HDI (2004) | 0.784 (medium) (72nd) | ||||
| Currency | Baht (฿) (THB) | ||||
| Internet TLD | .th | ||||
| Calling code | +66 | ||||
| 1 Estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected. 2 Based on July 2005 figures. | |||||
The Kingdom of Thailand lies in Southeast Asia, with Laos and Cambodia to its east, the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia to its south, and the Andaman Sea and Myanmar to its west. The country's official name was Siam (Thai: สยาม; IPA: , RTGS: Sayam) until 24 June 1939. It was again called Siam between 1945 and May 11, 1949, when it was once again changed by official proclamation. The word Thai (ไทย) means "freedom" in the Thai language and is also the name of the majority ethnic group.
I have written a few times about the new cultural arts center we are building, the Warehouse Bangkok. It’s not easy managing large projects in Thailand but we are making progress and I now have some drawings to share with you. The volcano is far from erupting but we are starting to hear some rumbling and we hope to open in July.
There are two things you should not do in Thailand: insult the King in any way, and taking/dealing drug.If you do so, you'll probably end up in jail for the rest of your life!
The health minister of Thailand, Mongkol na Songkhla, has announced that the country will override international drug patents if pharmaceutical companies do not significantly lower their prices to make medications affordable to the country's poor. Specifically, he cited drugs for cancer and heart disease.
A rare vulture found near death and stranded in Thailand, will be flown back to it's native habitat in the wilderness of Mongolia, next week.
On Tuesday, Islamic radicals killed one person and injured 6 at a funeral procession in Thailand. And today... 9 Buddhists were shot dead execution style in Thailand but their Muslim bus driver was spared.Two of the bus passengers who were executed were children aged 2 and 9.