Reuters AlertNet - Thailand

Thailand

$Small country map\n© Microsoft Virtual Earth$

Capital:	Bangkok
Area size (Land only):	510890 sq. km Slightly smaller than France
Time zone:	GMT +7
Currency:	Baht
Area code:	(+) 66
Driving:	Left
Climate description:	Equatorial climate in the south, tropical monsoon climate in the centre and north, with abundant rainfall throughout the country between June and October when it is warm, humid and cloudy. The November-to-April period is much drier, and the hottest months are April and May. Hot and humid for most of the year, particularly during the monsoon season between May and October.

People

Standard of living

Economy & aid

Health

Disasters, conflict & migration

Language
The official national language is Thai or Siamese. Minority groups speak their own languages.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population

2009	67.8 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2009)
2007	64.1 million	U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006	63.5 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2005	63.0 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2004	62.6 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2003	62.1 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2002	61.7 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2001	61.2 million	U.N. DESA (2006)
2000	60.7 million	U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
73.4 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2009)

Ethnic groups
The Thai ethnic group predominates. The largest minority groups are the Malay (13 percent) in the south and the Chinese (12 percent). Other groups include Khmer, Karen, Indians and Vietnamese.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Most (94 percent) practise Buddhism. Muslims make up about 4 percent of the population and are concentrated in the south. There is also a Christian minority.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population

2007	32.9 percent	U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006	32.6 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2005	32.3 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2004	32.0 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2003	31.8 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2002	31.5 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2001	31.3 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)
2000	31.1 percent	U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
1932
Source: U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
94 (2006)
Source: UNESCO

Percentage of population under 15

2005	21.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	24.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	24.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	25.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	25.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	26.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Average life expectancy

2005	69.6 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	70.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	70.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	69.1 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	68.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	70.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male

2005	65.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	66.7 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	66.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	65.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	64.9 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	67.3 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female

2005	74.5 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	74.0 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	73.8 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	73.4 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	73.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	73.2 years	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality

2007	6 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	7 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	18 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	18 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	23 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	24 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	24 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	25 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five

2007	7 per 1,000 live births	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2006	8 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005	21 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004	21 per 1,000 live births	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003	26 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	28 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000	29 per 1,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Births attended by skilled personnel

1997-2005	99 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1996-2004	99 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003	99 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002	99 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001	85 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000	85 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Maternal mortality

2005	110 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000	44 per 100,000 live births	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)

2005	78	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	74	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	73	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	76	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	74	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	70	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)

2000-2007	9 percent	U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2009
2000-2006	9 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
1996-2005	18 percent	UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
1996-2004	No data available percent
1995-2003	No data available percent
1995-2002	No data available percent
1995-2001	19 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000	21 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of undernourished population

2003-2005	17 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2008
2002-2004average	22 percent	U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average	21 percent	FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.

Population with access to improved water

2006	98 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	99 percent	UNICEF and World Health Organisation (WHO) 2006
2002	85 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	84 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Population with access to improved sanitation

2006	96 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2008
2004	99 percent	UNICEF and WHO 2006
2002	99 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2000	96 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Literacy - average

2004	92.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	92.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	92.6 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	95.7 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	95.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male

2004	94.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	94.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	94.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	97.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	97.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female

2004	90.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	90.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002	90.5 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001	94.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000	93.9 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones

2007	110 per 1,000 people	International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2008
2006	109 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2005	110 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2004	107 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2003	105 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2002	105 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2001	98 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2000	91 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008

Cellular telephone subscribers

2007	1238 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2006	629 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2005	485 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2004	430 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2003	346 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2002	163 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2001	122 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2000	50 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008

Internet users

2007	210 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2006	176 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2005	154 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2004	109 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2003	95 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2002	77 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2001	56 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008
2000	37 per 1,000 people	ITU 2008

Transparency International corruption ranking (Scale: 1 = least corrupt, >175 = most corrupt)

2008	80 (joint)	Transparency International 2008
2007	84 (joint)	Transparency International 2007
2006	Not ranked
2005	59 (joint)	Transparency International
2004	64 (joint)	Transparency International
2003	70 (joint)	Transparency International
2002	64 (joint)	Transparency International
2001	61 (joint)	Transparency International
2000	60 (joint)	Transparency International

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
No (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
No (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

International humanitarian aid flows
Access the Financial Tracking Service, a global real-time database which records all reported humanitarian aid - including that for NGOs, the Red Cross/Crescent Movement, bilateral aid, in-kind aid and private donations - searchable by country.
Source: Financial Tracking Service, ReliefWeb

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day

1990-2005	2.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004	2.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003	<2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1990-2002	<2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2001	<2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

GNI per capita, Atlas method

2006	3050 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	2770 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	2530 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	2190 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	1960 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	1960 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	2010 current US$	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country's exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.

GDP

2007	245.4 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2006	206.7 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2005	176.4 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2004	161.3 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2003	142.6 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2002	126.9 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2001	115.5 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009
2000	122.7 current US$ billions	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2009

Annual GDP growth

2006	5.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	4.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	6.3 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	7.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	5.3 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	2.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000	4.8 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual inflation

2006	5.0 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005	4.5 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004	3.2 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003	1.3 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002	0.8 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001	2.1 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000	1.3 percent	World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
2.7 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
33.4 (latest available year)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008

Physicians

2000-2004	37 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004	37 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003	30 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002	24 per 100,000 people	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)

2007	1.4 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2006	1.4 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2005	1.5 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2004	1.5 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008
2003	1.5 percent	U.N. Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) 2008

Malaria
Risk throughout the year in rural, forested and hilly areas in the whole country. There is no risk in cities and the main tourist resorts (Bangkok, Chiangnmai, Pattaya, Phuket, Samui). P.falciparum resistant to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine reported and resistance to mefloquine and quinine reported in areas near the borders with Cambodia and Myanmar.
Source: WHO

TB cases

2007	142 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2006	142 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2005	142 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2004	142 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2003	142 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2002	142 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2001	142 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009
2000	142 per 100,000 people	WHO 2009

Chronology of natural disasters
Access EM-DAT, a database of natural disasters from 1900 to the present - death tolls and numbers of affected people - searchable by country.
Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium

Number of refugees originating here

2007	2313	UNHCR
2006	3325	Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005	424	UNHCR
2004	319	UNHCR
2003	296	UNHCR
2002	344	UNHCR
2001	94	UNHCR
2000	217	UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here

2007	125643	UNHCR
2006	133117	UNHCR
2005	117053	UNHCR
2004	121139	UNHCR
2003	119053	UNHCR
2002	112614	UNHCR
2001	110711	UNHCR
2000	104965	UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate

	No data available

No data available

Landmine casualties per year

2004	24	Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003	29	Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
Yes (1997 )
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military

2005	1.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004	1.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003	1.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005

Percentage of GDP spent on education

2002-2005	4.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2002-2004	4.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2000-2002	5.2 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1999-2001	5.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1998-2000	5.4 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health

2004	2.3 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004	2.0 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002	3.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001	2.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000	2.1 percent	UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

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