Country Profile
From The Report: Thailand 2016
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Thailand is the 20th most populous nation in the world, with a 2015 estimate of 67,959,000 inhabitants, making it the third most populous in ASEAN, after Indonesia and Vietnam. Following a period of economic decline in 2013 and 2014, estimated growth in 2015 was back at around 2.5%, with the Thai private sector driving the economy forward despite challenging conditions. Thailand is currently ruled by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), whose stated goals are to restore stability and to enact reforms. In February 2016 the council thus announced that it was in the process of drafting a new constitution, with elections scheduled for 2017. This chapter contains viewpoints from His Majesty Bhumbiol Adulyadej, King of Thailand; and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.

Articles from this Chapter

Overview

Ancient yet modern: A long history and rich culture provide continuity for this emerging regional power
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The Kingdom of Thailand, encompassing 513,120 sq km, lies within the Indochinese Peninsula of continental South-east Asia. The country is straddled by the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand to the west and east respectively, the latter of which is an arm of the South China Sea. Land borders are shared with Myanmar to the west, Laos to the north-east, Cambodia to the east and Malaysia to the south. Contained within it is a diverse physical terrain, ranging from the extensive Dawna Hills along the…

Overview

Bright prospects: Despite recent economic and political challenges, Thailand is looking ahead to a prosperous future
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With a long and distinguished history as one of the great powers of South-east Asia, Thailand today finds itself once more in a period of relative calm, under the leadership of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), led by Prayuth Chan-ocha, the prime minister. The NCPO, which has held office since 2014, represents the latest configuration of power in the country, which has lived through a succession of constitutional changes in recent years. Despite all of these developments, however,…

Viewpoint

Step by step: His Majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand, on gradual economic development and the concept of sufficiency economy
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The development of the nation must be carried out in stages, starting with the laying of a foundation by ensuring that the majority of the people have their basic necessities met through the use of economic means and equipment in accordance with theoretical principles. Once a reasonably firm foundation has been laid, higher levels of economic growth and development should be promoted. If we were to concentrate only on fast economic progress without allowing the plan of operation to harmonise with…

Viewpoint

Regional development: Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, on ASEAN cooperation and regional integration
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Given its location in the centre of ASEAN, which constitutes the immense buying power of more than 600m people, many countries are keeping an eye on Thailand. The country, which is situated in a strategic location for logistics and transport in the ASEAN region, has become a vital industrial centre, and has a manufacturing base with rapid growth in both economic size and regional importance. Thailand and the ASEAN community have the same intention, which is to enhance the potential of members and…