SeaTrans: ThailandSeaTrans: Thailand

Country ProfileCountry Profile

• A unified Thai kingdom was A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th established in the mid-14th century; it was known as century; it was known as Siam until 1939. Thailand is Siam until 1939. Thailand is the only southeast Asian the only southeast Asian country never to have been country never to have been taken over by a European taken over by a European power. A bloodless power. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In constitutional monarchy. In alliance with Japan during alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand World War II, Thailand became a US ally following became a US ally following the conflict.the conflict.

CapitalCapital: : Bangkok Bangkok

BackgroundBackground

• Location: Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of BurmaSea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma

• Border countries:Border countries:   Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 Burma 1,800 km, Cambodia 803 km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km km, Laos 1,754 km, Malaysia 506 km

• Coastline:Coastline: 3,219 km 3,219 km

• Area:Area: total: total:  514,000 sq km 514,000 sq km land: land:  511,770 sq km 511,770 sq km water: water:  2,230 sq km 2,230 sq km

BackgroundBackground

• Climate: Climate: tropical; tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon southwest monsoon (mid-May to (mid-May to September); dry, September); dry, cool northeast cool northeast monsoon (November monsoon (November to mid-March); to mid-March); southern part always southern part always hot and humid hot and humid

• Terrain: Terrain: central central plain; Khorat plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; Plateau in the east; mountains mountains elsewhere elsewhere

BackgroundBackground

• Natural resources: Natural resources: tin, rubber, natural tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable landgypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

• Land use: Land use: arable land: arable land:  34% 34% permanent crops: permanent crops:  6% 6% permanent pastures: permanent pastures:  2% 2% forests and woodland:forests and woodland: 26% 26% other: other:  32%32%

GovernmentGovernment

• Government type:Government type: constitutional constitutional monarchy monarchy

• Administrative Administrative divisions:divisions:

76 provinces 76 provinces (changwat, (changwat, singular and singular and plural); plural);

• Flag description: Flag description: five horizontal bands five horizontal bands of red (top), white, of red (top), white, blue (double width), blue (double width), white, and red white, and red

EnvironmentEnvironment

• International agreements: International agreements: party to: party to:  Climate Change, Endangered Species, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

((signed, but not ratified: signed, but not ratified:  Biodiversity, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea)Sea)

PeoplePeople

• Population: Population: 61,797,751 61,797,751

note: note:  estimates for this country explicitly estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.) otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)

PeoplePeople

• PopulationPopulation growth growth rate: rate: 0.91% (2001 0.91% (2001 est.) est.)

• Life expectancy at Life expectancy at birth: birth:

total populationtotal population: :  68.86 68.86

male: male:  65.64 years 65.64 years female: female:  72.24 years72.24 years

• Ethnic groups: Ethnic groups: Thai 75%, Chinese Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, other 11% 14%, other 11%

• Religions: Religions: Buddhism 95%, Buddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%, Muslim 3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism 0.1%, Hinduism 0.1%, other 0.6%other 0.6%

    EconomyEconomy

• Economy - overview: Economy - overview: After enjoying the world's After enjoying the world's highest growth rate from 1985 to 1995 - averaging highest growth rate from 1985 to 1995 - averaging almost 9% annually - increased speculative almost 9% annually - increased speculative pressure on Thailand's currency in pressure on Thailand's currency in 19971997 led to a led to a crisis that uncovered financial sector weaknesses crisis that uncovered financial sector weaknesses and forced the government to float the baht. Long and forced the government to float the baht. Long pegged at 25 to the dollar, the baht reached its pegged at 25 to the dollar, the baht reached its lowest point of 56 to the dollar in January 1998 and lowest point of 56 to the dollar in January 1998 and the economy contracted by 10.2% that same year. the economy contracted by 10.2% that same year. Thailand entered a recovery stage in 1999, Thailand entered a recovery stage in 1999, expanding 4.2% and grew about the same amount expanding 4.2% and grew about the same amount in 2000, largely due to strong exports - which in 2000, largely due to strong exports - which increased about 20% in 2000. An ailing financial increased about 20% in 2000. An ailing financial sector and the slow pace of corporate debt sector and the slow pace of corporate debt restructuring, combined with a softening of global restructuring, combined with a softening of global demand, is likely to slow growth in 2001.demand, is likely to slow growth in 2001.

EconomyEconomy

•Currency: Currency:

baht (THB) baht (THB)

• Exchange rates: Exchange rates:

US dollar - 40.12US dollar - 40.12

Euro - 40.10Euro - 40.10

• Imports:Imports:

$61.8 billion $61.8 billion

(f.o.b., 2000 est.) (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

• Exports:Exports:

$68.2 billion $68.2 billion

(f.o.b., 2000 est.) (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

GDPGDP

• GDP: GDP: purchasing purchasing power parity - $413 power parity - $413 billion (2000 est.) billion (2000 est.)

• GDP - real GDP - real growth rate: growth rate: 4.2% (2000 est.)4.2% (2000 est.)

• GDP - per capita: GDP - per capita: purchasing power purchasing power parity - $6,700 parity - $6,700 (2000 est.)(2000 est.)

GDPGDP

• composition by sector: composition by sector: (1999) (1999)

agriculture: agriculture:  13% 13%

industry: industry:  40% 40%

services: services:  47%47%

Economic IndicatorsEconomic Indicators

• Inflation rate Inflation rate (consumer (consumer prices): prices): 2.1% 2.1% (2000 est.) (2000 est.)

• Labor force: Labor force:

32.6 million (1997 32.6 million (1997 est.) est.)

• Unemployment Unemployment rate: rate:

3.7% (2000 est.)3.7% (2000 est.)

• Industrial Industrial production production growth rate:growth rate:

3% (2000 est.) 3% (2000 est.)

Transnational IssuesTransnational Issues

• International Dispute: International Dispute: parts of the parts of the border with Laos and Cambodia are border with Laos and Cambodia are indefinite; sporadic border hostilities indefinite; sporadic border hostilities with Burma over border alignmentwith Burma over border alignment

• Social Issue: Social Issue: illicit transit point for illicit transit point for heroin en route to the international heroin en route to the international drug market from Burma and Laos; drug market from Burma and Laos; (opium, heroin, and marijuana)(opium, heroin, and marijuana)

Macro LevelMacro Level

• Environmental issues: Environmental issues: air pollution air pollution from vehicle emissions; water from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting illegal hunting

Micro Level Micro Level (rural fishing communities) (rural fishing communities)

• Transformation from purely Transformation from purely subsistence fishing to small and subsistence fishing to small and medium scale commercial fishing.medium scale commercial fishing.

• Mangrove and beach forest have Mangrove and beach forest have been cleared for settlement and been cleared for settlement and aquaculture farms.aquaculture farms.

• More work diversification.More work diversification.

National MFA ThailandNational MFA Thailand

• Full account based on official statistics for Full account based on official statistics for the period 1990 - 2000the period 1990 - 2000

• DE from 1985 - 2000DE from 1985 - 2000• Additional estimates for grazing and for Additional estimates for grazing and for

by-products from harvest 1985 - 2000by-products from harvest 1985 - 2000• Future steps: additional estimates for Future steps: additional estimates for

subsistence production and construction subsistence production and construction mass mineralsmass minerals

• Full account from 1980Full account from 1980

DE biomassDE biomass

0.00

20,000,000.00

40,000,000.00

60,000,000.00

80,000,000.00

100,000,000.00

120,000,000.00

140,000,000.00

160,000,000.0019

85

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

tons

DE total fish catchDE TimberDE grazing and foragingDE Primary crops

DE Biomass per capitaDE Biomass per capita

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.001985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

T/cap

DE timber

DE fisheryDE grazing

DE primary crops

DE Thailand 1985-2000DE Thailand 1985-2000

0

50,000,000

100,000,000

150,000,000

200,000,000

250,000,000

300,000,000

1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

ton

s

fossils

minerals

biomass

Thailand ImportsThailand Imports

0

10,000,000

20,000,000

30,000,000

40,000,000

50,000,000

60,000,000

70,000,000

19

90

19

91

19

92

19

93

19

94

19

95

19

96

19

97

19

98

19

99

20

00

ton

s

ores

mineralsfossils

biomass

Thailand ExportsThailand Exports

0

5,000,000

10,000,000

15,000,000

20,000,000

25,000,000

30,000,000

35,000,00019

90

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

ton

s

sum oressum minerals

sum fossils sum biomass

Four Major ExportsFour Major Exports

0

2,000,000

4,000,000

6,000,000

8,000,000

10,000,000

12,000,000

14,000,000

16,000,000

18,000,000

20,000,000

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

ton

s

rubbersugarcassavarice

Thailand DE, Import - ExportThailand DE, Import - Export

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

1000

t DE

Imports

exports

Thailand DMCThailand DMC

0

50,000,000

100,000,000

150,000,000

200,000,000

250,000,000

300,000,000

350,000,000

19

90

19

91

19

92

19

93

19

94

19

95

19

96

19

97

19

98

19

99

20

00

ton

s

fossils

minerals

biomass

Thailand DMI, DMC, DE per Thailand DMI, DMC, DE per capcap

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

tons/cap

year

DMI/cap DMC/cap DE/cap

Thailand Indicators per GDPThailand Indicators per GDP

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999

DMI/GDP DMC/GDP Imports/GDP exports/GDP

DMI - EKC Thailand 1990-DMI - EKC Thailand 1990-19991999

y = 2.3819x - 0.0787

R2 = 0.9274

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

5.00

5.50

6.00

1.50 1.70 1.90 2.10 2.30 2.50GDP/cap

DM

I/cap

EKC: Environmental Kuznet Curve