THAILAND By: B. Studious and D. O. Yerwork
HISTORY - KINGDOM OF SIAM
Thai established a kingdom at Sukhothai
1238
Sukhothai was conquered by the kingdom of Ayutthaya
1438
Ayutthaya was overthrown by the Burmese
MID-1500
Burmese reestablished control over the Thai
MID-1700
Rama I founded the Chakri dynasty
18TH CENTU
RY
Rama I established Bangkok as the capital
1782
Military leaders forced the government to become a constitutional monarchy
1932
Government changed the nation’s name from Siam to Thailand, to promote a stronger sense of Thai identity
1939
HISTORY – KINGDOM OF THAILAND
Japan occupied Thailand for a short time, and Thai leaders allied with JapanWW II
Thailand allied with the United States and became an important base for U.S. military and intelligence activities in the region
1960-1970SKing Rama IX became the nation’s longest-living ruler, surpassing Rama I
MAY 2000
A coup led to riots, a violent military response, and then royal intervention1991
Political instability plagued Thailand for several years, even after elections brought General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh to office as prime minister
1996
A severe financial crisis and other issues in forced Chavalit to resign after a new constitution had been approved
1997
Billionaire businessman Thaksin Shinawatra became prime minister when his party, Thai Rak Thai, won parliamentary elections 2001
HISTORY (CONTINUED)Thai Rak Thai overwhelmingly won the next elections in, but Thaksin was criticized internationally for his hard-line approach to a Muslim insurgency in the south2005
Thaksin called a snap election to maintain control in April, but opposition parties boycotted the poll
2006
The military intervened in September, overthrowing Thaksin in a bloodless coup; a civilian government resumed control of the government a year later2006
Thousands of protesters gathered in Bangkok to demand the dissolution of the government over charges of corruption
2008
Yingluck Shinawatra, was elected as Thailand’s first female prime minister and the sixth prime minister to serve since Thaksin's removal from office2011
Ivory Trade Ban, Peace talks with separatist rebels, and mass protests
2013
CURRENT GOVERNMENT Constitutional Monarchy Current king: Bhumibol Adulyadej
Head of state Prime Minister: Yingluck Shinawatra
Head of government Leads Majority Party/coalition in House of
Representatives National Assembly
150-seat Senate 500-seat House of Representatives
Voting age is 18 Chiefs are elected in villages
PHRA CHEDI SISURIYOTHIA● Found at the original site of the
Rear Palace in the west part of the city
● Memorial to Somdet Phra Suriyothai
WAT NA PHRAMEN● Located on the bank of Khlong
Sabua opposite the Grand Plalace● Buddha temple
WAT SENA SANARAM● Ancient temple located behind
Chankasem Palace that houses two Buddha images
PHYSICAL/HUMAN GEOGRAPHY Thailand is located in Southeastern Asia and borders
the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. It’s southeast of Burma
It’s 513,120 sq km total 510, 890 sq km is land 2, 230 sq km is water Thailand is about twice the size of Wyoming It has a tropical climate. It’s rainy, warm, and in mid-
May to September has southwest monsoons. It’s dry and in November to mid-March has cool northeast monsoons. The southern isthmus is always hot and humid
Thailand
PHYSICAL/HUMAN GEOGRAPHY (CONTINUED) The birth rate is 12.66 births/1,000
population The death rate is 7.47 deaths/1,000
population The maternal mortality rate is 48
deaths/100,000 live births The lowest point in Thailand is the Gulf of
Thailand which is 0 m above sea level The highest point is Doi Inthanon which is 2,576 m above sea
level
Doi Inthanon Gulf of Thailand
PHYSICAL/HUMAN GEOGRAPHY (CONTINUED) The nationality of the people of Thailand is Thai 75% of the population is Thai, 14% are Chinese, and
the other 11% are other ethnicities The languages spoken in Thailand are Thai, English,
(which is the secondary language) and other ethnic and regional dialects
The official religion is Buddhist. 94.6% of the population is Buddhist, 4.6% are Muslim, 0.7% are Christian, and the other 0.1% are other religions
Buddhist Monks
PHYSICAL/HUMAN GEOGRAPHY (CONTINUED) The infant mortality rate is 15.41 deaths/1,000 live births 16.38 deaths are male 14.39 deaths are female The life expectancy for the total population is 74.05
years Males live 71.66 years Females live 76.58 years The total fertility rate is 1.66 children born/woman 93.5% of the total population is literate 95.6% are male 91.5% are female The birth rate is 12.66 births/1,000 population The death rate is 7.47 deaths/1,000 population The maternal mortality rate is 48 deaths/100,000 live
births
HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION Some people in Thailand are farmers
because Thailand has a largely export-based economy
Thailand has a large fishing industry and people mainly farm shrimp
Tour guides take tourists to various places
With urbanization, many people have moved to the big cities
Thailand’s Fishing Industry
TRANSNATIONAL/INTERNAL ISSUES Separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Malay-
Muslim southern provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia to stem insurgent activities
Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu
Talk continues 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
Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of boundary In 2011 Thailand and Cambodia resorted to arms in
the dispute over the location of the boundary on the precipice surmounted by Preah Vihear temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962 and part of a planned UN World Heritage site
TRANSNATIONAL/INTERNAL ISSUES Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly
constructing the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween river near the border with Burma
In 2004, international environmentalist pressure prompted China to halt construction of 13 dams on the Salween River that flows through China, Burma, and Thailand
140,000 mostly Karen refugees fleeing civil strife, political upheaval and economic stagnation in Burma live in remote camps in Thailand near the border