Thailand
Geography - People - Economy - Government - Communications - Transportation - Military - Transnational IssuesCountry name - conventional long form : Kingdom of Thailand
Country name - conventional short form : Thailand
Country name - local long form : Ratcha Anachak Thai
Country name - local short form : Prathet Thai
Country name - former : Siam
Government type : constitutional monarchy
Capital - name : Bangkok
Capital - time difference : UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
National holiday : Birthday of King PHUMIPHON (BHUMIBOL), 5 December (1927)
Nationality - noun : Thai (singular and plural)
Nationality - adjective : Thai
Languages : Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects
Currency (code) : baht (THB)
Currency code : THB
Major infectious diseases - degree of risk : high
Major infectious diseases - note : highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US citizens who have close contact with birds (2008)
Thailand is located Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma. The climate is tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid. The terrain is central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere.
Background
This entry usually highlights major historic events and current issues and may include a statement about one or two key future trends.Background : A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally following the conflict. Thailand is currently facing separatist violence in its southern ethnic Malay-Muslim provinces.
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