Thailand Political Facts:
- Conventional Long Form: Kingdom of Thailand
- Capital City(ies) (some have multiple): Bangkok
- Type of Government: Constitutional monarchy
- Date of Independence: 1238 (Founding date; never colonized)
- National Holiday(s) include date & event/celebration: Birthday of King Phumiphon (Bhunibol), 5 December (1927)
- Chief of State (official public face of government): King Phumiphon Adunyadet
- Head of Government (actual leader of government): Prime Minister NIWATTAMRONG Boonsongpaisan
- Description of Executive Branch/Powers: The monarchy is hereditary; the prime minister is elected from among members of the House of Representatives following the national elections for the House of Representatives, the leader of the party positioned to organize a majority coalition usually becomes prime minister by appointment by the king, the prime minister is limited to two-four year terms.
- Description of Legislative: Bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consisted of the Senate or wuthisapha, 74 appointed by the Senate Selection Committee; members and the House of Representatives , or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon
- Description of Judicial Branch/Powers: Supreme court judges selected by the Judicial Commission of the Courts of Justice and approved by the monarch; Judges' terms NA; Constitutional Court Justices - 3 judges drawn from the Supreme Court, 2 judges drawn from Administrative Court, and 4 judge candidates selected by the Selective Committee for judges of the Constitutional Court and confirmed by the Senate; Judges appointed by the monarch to serve singe 9-year terms; Supreme Administrative Court judges selected by the Judicial Commission of the Administrative Courts and appointed by the monarch; judge tenure NA
- Suffrage (who is allowed to vote): 18 yeas of age; universal and compulsory
- Name of THEIR Ambassador to the U.S.: Ambassador Wishawat Isarabhakdi
- Location of THEIR embassy in the U.S.: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20007
- Location(s) of THEIR consulate(s) in the U.S. (just the name/s of city/ies is fine): Chicago, Los Angeles,New York
- Name of U.S. Ambassador to THEM Location of U.S. embassy THERE Location(s) of U.S. consulate(s) THERE (just the name/s of city/ies is fine): ambasador Kristie A. Kenney
- Name of THEIR representative to UN: Norachit Sinhaseni
- Picture of their flag:
- Description of the Symbolism of flag: The colors of Thailand's flag are said to represent their stand for nation-religion-king; an unofficial motto of Thailand. Red for the land and people, white for Therevada Buddhism and blue for the monarchy, the last having been the auspicious color of Rama VI.
- Video or audio (from YouTube??) of their national anthem being played
- National Symbol(s): National symbols of Thailand include the official national emblem feautring the garuda and the national flag.
- Descriptions of International Disputes: Separatist violence in Thailand;s predominantly Malay-Muslims southern provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia to stem insurgent activities; Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveilance to check the spread of avian dlu; talks continue border committee tlks. thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border over the location of the boundary on the precipice surmounted by Preah Vihear temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 196 and part of a planned UN WorldHeritage site; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween river near the border with Burma.
- Quantity of refugees inside country AND country(ies) of origin of refugees: 7,970 (Burma) (2013)
- Quantity of Internally Displaced Persons: Up to 35,00 (2013)
- Quantity of Stateless Persons: 506,197 (2012)
- Description of current human trafficking: Thailand is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; victims; who are most often from neighboring countries, especially Burma, and also China, Vietnam, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Fiji, migrate to Thailand in search of economic opportunities but are forced, coerced, or defrauded into labor or commercial sexual exploitation.
- Description of Illicit Drug trafficking/use: A minor producer of Opium, heroin, and marijuana; transit point for illicit heroin en route to the international drug market from Burma and Laos; eradication efforts have reduced the area of cannibis cultivation and shifted some production to neighboring countries; opium poppy cultivation has been reduced by eradication efforts; also a drug-money-laundering center; minor role i methamphetamine production for regional consumption; major consumer of methamphetamine since the 1990s despite a series of government crack downs.