Geography

On a map Thailand vaguely resembles a kite.  Its northern bulk is wedged between Burma, Laos and Cambodia, and its southern tail is lapped by the warm waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.  The east of the country is mountainous, the west is a low-lying plain, and the center is fertile lowlands, the cultural and economic heartland of Thailand.

The climate is tropical monsoon.  Although the logging ban of 1988 came too late to save most of the country’s trees, environmental consciousness has increased.

History

Thailand traces its roots back to a northern kingdom which emerged in the 13th century, after those of modern Burma (at Bagan) and Cambodia (at Angkor).  The best remnants of these early days can be seen today at Sukhothai.  Over the ensuing centuries, dynasties rose and fell, and the capitol moved with them, eventually winding up in Bangkok in 1792.

Thailand entered into a trade treaty with the British in 1782, and Britain remained influential in Thai affairs until World War II.  But Thailand was never a colony:  capable diplomacy, combined with a program of modernizations and some good luck, preserved it from the fate of its neighbors.

Although a parliamentary democracy today, the King of Thailand remains immensely popular.  Criticism of his person is not tolerated, and The King and I is not enjoyed.

People

Population of 61 million.  79% of Thais live in rural areas, and 95% are Buddhist.

Ethnic Thais make up 80% of the population.  Substantial minorities include Muslim Malays in the south, and a well-integrated Chinese community.  There are also 600,000 hill-tribespeople in the north, many of them refugees from Burma and Laos.

The UN ranks Thailand in the 57th percentile in terms of quality of life, based on life expectancy, education and income; this is well above most Asian countries. 

Economy

Thailand is a middle-income country, with a GNP per capita of $2,200.  The diverse economy is geared to manufacturing and services.  Thailand happens to be the world's largest exporter of rice and rubber, and its chief producer of shrimp.  High-tech accounts for 31% of manufactured exports.

Development is very uneven, with most wealth, infrastructure and social services concentrated in the cities, especially Bangkok.  The hill-tribes are at the bottom rung of the socio-economic ladder.

With 7.8 million arrivals in 1998, tourism is a huge industry in Thailand.  The country is justly renowned for its beach resorts, scuba diving, temples, hill-tribes, prostitution and sex-change operations.

Sources:  World Bank (1998 data), Dorling Kindersley World Reference Atlas, UNDP Human Development Report, Lonely Planet