Thailand (formerly Siam) A country in south-east Asia bounded by Myanmar (Burma), Laos, and Cambodia, and, in the south, Malaysia.

Physical

The country extends more than halfway down the Malay Peninsula and its north-south length is over 1600 km (1000 miles). The north is hilly and covered with dense forest. In the centre is a great, low-lying plain threaded with rivers, which drain into the Gulf of Thailand. This is densely cultivated, with paddy fields, which yield fish as well as rice; further south, rubber is grown.

Economy

Thailand has experienced high economic growth in recent years, based on exports of textiles, machinery, and agricultural products. Mining and industry are replacing agriculture as the leading economic activities. Rice, once the leading export, dominates agricultural production. Rapid industrial growth concentrated around Bangkok has strained Thailand's infrastructure and Thailand suffered in the south-east Asian economic crisis of 1997–98.

History

The Thais, akin to the Shans and Lao, originated in the Yunnan province of south-west China. Their name means ‘free’. MONGOL pressure accelerated their south-ward movement from Yunnan. They set up kingdoms in Sukhotai and Chiengmai, formerly under KHMER rule, became Theravada BUDDHISTS, and adopted an Indian script. About 1350 Ayuthia became the capital of a new Thai kingdom which, after prolonged fighting, captured ANGKOR in 1431. Ayuthia ruled much of Cambodia and at times Tenasserim and nothern Malaya. Wars with Burma, whose kings coveted Ayuthia's sacred white elephants, brought no lasting loss of Thai territory.

Among Europeans who became active in Ayuthia the French were dominant. In 1684 Thai envoys presented LOUIS XIV with elephants, rhinoceroses, and a letter engraved on gold. The Burmese finally destroyed Ayuthia in 1767. Under the leadership of General Taskin, the Burmese were expelled from Siam by about 1777. His successor, General Chakri (later Rama I) founded the Chakri dynasty and established Bangkok as his capital. The Chakri dominated much of LAOS and northern Malaya and succeeded in maintaining their country's independence through a policy of conciliation, ceding their vassal state in Laos and Cambodia to France in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In the reigns of Mongkut (1851–68) and CHULALONGKORN (1868–1910) Thailand achieved substantial modernization in both the administrative and economic spheres. The middle class produced by the modernization process became intolerant of absolute royal rule, and an economic crisis in 1932 produced a bloodless coup which left the Chakri dynasty on the throne but transferred power to a constitutional government. Although technically allied to Japan during World War II, Thailand retained western friendship because of prolonged guerrilla resistance to Japanese forces. Until the early 1970s the country was largely ruled by the army, Marshal Pibul Songgram maintaining near personal rule from 1946 to 1957. Severe rioting resulted in a partial move to civilian government in 1973 and the introduction of a democratic constitution in 1974, but the threat of communist aggression, particularly on its borders with Cambodia allowed a pronounced military influence. A military coup in 1991 was followed by a new constitution and a general election in 1992. Commander-in-chief General Suchinda Kraprayoon was appointed Prime Minister, and he imposed a military crackdown. This resulted in riots, arrests, and the killing of demonstrators, before King Bhumibol (succeeded 1946) was able to restore stability by a political compromise; Suchinda resigned and civilian political parties were re-legalized. Further elections in September 1992 were won by a coalition of pro-democracy parties; the leader of the Democrat Party, Chuan Leekpai, became Prime Minister. Elections in 1996 were won by a six-party coalition; Chavalat Yong-chaiyudh, leader of the largest party, New Aspiration, became Prime Minister. He was ousted by Chuan Leekpai, following the financial crisis in 1997.