Thailand Country Facts

Thailand borders Myanmar and the Indian Ocean to the west, Malaysia and the Gulf of Thailand to the south and east, Cambodia to the east and Laos to the north and east. The Chaophraya flows through large parts of the Thai mainland.

Thailand primarily impresses with its fantastic beaches, which also explains why the country is one of the most popular destinations for a package tour in Asia. One of the most popular is Pattaya, Southeast Asia’s most famous seaside resort, and the less crowded Bang Saen holiday center. Cha’am and Hua Hin are located west of Bangkok. Hua Hin was a royal seaside resort in the past and is still very popular today. Numerous other resorts are located on the Indian Ocean.

The island of Phuket is connected to the southwest coast of Thailand by a dam. But you can still find lonely beaches. On site, canoe trips to the crevices and caves are also offered, with which one can visit the interior of the hongs.

The capital Bangkok was built in 182 during the Chakri Dynasti as capital founded. The population has multiplied since the end of World War II and is still growing rapidly. In slums such as Klong Toey, the inhabitants live in poor conditions. In other city regions, such as around the old city center, on the other hand, banking, entertainment and commercial districts emerged, where luxury hotels, shopping malls and office towers are crowded together. The so-called “Klongs”, Waterways where floating markets take place have been pushed back by new highways and construction projects, so some of the atmosphere of these markets has been lost. Bangkok, the starting point of almost every Thailand tour, largely presents a western-oriented cityscape, but the essence of the metropolis in Thailand is still connected to Asian traditions.

From 1960, the development of tourism in Thailand progressed rapidly. Reasons for this include that a flight to Thailand, more precisely a flight to Bangkok, is often quite cheap. Thailand also has an extensive tourist infrastructure. However, the industrialization of the country destroyed and built up valuable landscape areas. Forest regions and watercourses were affected.

Thailand Country Facts

Area: 513,120 km² (land: 510,890 km², water: 2,230 km²)

Population: 66.7 million inhabitants (July 2011, COUNTRYAAH.COM) Thai 75%, Chinese 14%, others 11%.

Population density: 130 inhabitants per km²

Population growth: 0.566% per year (2011, CIA)

Capital: Bangkok (4.9 million inhabitants, 2006)

Highest point: Doi Inthanon, 2,576 m

Lowest point: Gulf of Thailand, 0 m

Main rivers: Mekong (the border river between Thailand and Laos at approx. 850 km) and Chao Phraya (also called Menam, total length 372 km, flows through the central lowlands of Thailand)

Largest lake: Tonle Sap, in the dry season about 2,700 km², in the rainy season about 16,000 km². The Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia.

Form of government: Thailand was founded in 1238 and has been a parliamentary monarchy since 1932. The constitution has been in force since 2007. The bicameral parliament consists of the House of Representatives ( Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon ) with 480 members and the Senate ( Wuthisapha ) with 150 members.

Administrative divisions: 75 provinces(changwat): Amnat Charoen, Ang Thong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan, Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thanin, Pattani, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket, Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon Samut Songkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla, Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani,Uttaradit, Yala and Yasothon
a special administrative area (often treated as a province): Bangkok

Head of government: Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, since August 5, 2011

Head of state: King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX.), Since June 9, 1946

Language: The official language in Thailand is Thai (Siamese). English is the educational and commercial language in the country. Common languages ​​are Chinese and Malay, as well as ethnic and regional dialects.

Religion: Buddhists (94.6%), Muslims (4.6%), Christians 0.7%, others (0.1%) (2000 census).

Local time: CET + 6 h
In Thailand there is no change between summer and winter time.
The time difference to Central Europe is +6 h in winter and +5 h in summer.

International calling code: +66

Internet ID:.th

Mains voltage: 220 V, 50 Hz. Different sockets are used in the country, adapters are therefore recommended.

Geography

Thailand is bordered by Myanmar to the west and the Andaman Sea (Indian Ocean border), Malaysia to the east and south, and the Gulf of Thailand (South China Sea border) to the east of Cambodia and to the north and east of Laos.

The country covers a large part of Southeast Asia and right from the extreme southeast foothills of the Himalayas to the Malay Peninsula. The largest north-south extension is 1,770 km, the largest west-east extension is about 800 km. About 100 islands belong to the national territory.

In terms of landscape, Thailand is very diverse: Both mountain landscapes (the Tenasserim Mountains in the north or the border mountains Sankalakhiri in the south) as well as elongated beaches and rainforests are available in the country.

Here you can find a current topographic map of Thailand.

The highest peak at 2,565 m rises in the northern, mountainous third of Thailand.

The northeast (Isaan) also takes up about a third of the country’s area and is dominated by the Khorat plateau, where regular winter floods hardly allow agricultural use. The Mekong forms the border with Laos in the north and east.

The central region is characterized by the Mae Nam Chao Phraya and its tributaries, which provide the fertile land with water before it flows into the Gulf of Thailand in the south of Bangkok.

The eastern region on the Gulf of Thailand is used intensively for agriculture. Much of the tourism here is concentrated on the beaches and islands. The Eastern Coast (Eastern Seabord) and the central plain form the economic heart of Thailand.

Thailand Population by Year

Thailand climate

The climate in Thailand is tropical-monsunal, the temperatures are always above 18 °C during the year.

In northern Thailand there is tropical humid climate change. The three seasons differ largely in the amount of precipitation. From November to February, north and northeast winds bring cool and dry air into the country, from March to May (pre-monsoon) it is hot at over 35 ° C, the humid and hot southwest monsoon brings heavy rainfall from June to September. The humidity is very high during this time.

The southern and southeastern part of Thailand is tropical and always humid. The rainfall here is distributed throughout the year, and the temperature fluctuations are less than in the north of the country.