Thailand in brief, Facts and Figures

Name of country

Thailand (prathet Thai, which means “land of the free”)

Capital city

Bangkok (in Thai: Krung Thep, which means "city of angels") The full name is:

Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Pra

which makes it the longest geographical name in the world.

His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama X)

Head of state

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. Its present monarch is His Majesty Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, known as King Rama X, as he is the tenth king of the Chakri Dynasty, successing his father, king Bhumibol Adulyadej, who has been the world`s longest reigning monarch before he died in Bangkok on October 13^th, 2016.

Prime Minister

Since August 24^th, 2014, retired General Prayut Chan-o-cha holds the post of Thailands Prime Minister, following Yingluck Shinawatra.

National holiday

December 5^th (it's the former King Bhumibol Adulyadej birthday) — Might be discontinued and/or replaced.

Land area

514,000 sq km or 198,455 sq miles (including territorial waters).

Population

68.297.577 inhabitants (2017) = 132,9 inhabitants per sq km

Currency

Thai Baht (THB)
1 Baht = 100 satang (hardly used anymore)
Coins: 1, 2, 5, and 10 Baht
Notes: 10 (phased out), 20, 50, 100, 500, 1,000 Baht

Rail system

Total length of tracks: 4,346 km (2013)

Road network

Roads with solid surface: 70,812 km (2016)

The main ports

Laem Chabang, Bangkok (Klong Toey), Sattahip, Phuket, Pattani, Songkhla

Thailands busiest Airport: Bangkok Suvarnabhumi

Airports

Thailand has 38 commercial airports as of the end of 2016. The busiest ones are:

1. Suvarnabhumi Airport/Bangkok
2. Don Mueang Airport, Bangkok
3. Phuket Airport
4. Chiang Mai Airport
5. Krabi Airport

Local time

Seven hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (+7 hours GMT)

Highest mountains

• Doi Inthanon (province of Chiang-Mai) - 2,565 m
• Doi Luang (province of Chiang-Rai) - 2,175 m
• Loi Un (province of Chiang-Rai) - 2,131 m
• Phu Soi Dao (province of Uttaradit) - 2,102 m
• Khao Mokochu (province of Khampaeng Phet) - 1,960 m

The largest rivers

• Chao Phraya 372 km / 231 miles - this is the country's main waterway
• Chi 765 km / 475 miles
• Mekhong 4,880 km / 3,000 miles - a few hundred kilometres of it form the border to Burma, Laos and Cambodia
• Mun 750 km / 466 miles
• Nan 740 km / 460 miles
• Ping River 658 km / 409 miles

Because of the confluence of tributaries the lengths of the rivers are somewhat disputed.

The main islands

• Phuket (province of Phuket) - 543 sq km
• Koh Samui (province of Surat Thani) - 229 sq km
• Koh Chang (province of Trat) - 217 sq km
• Koh Lanta Yai (province of Krabi) - 180 sq km
• Koh Pha Ngan (province of Surat Thani) - 168 sq km

Electrical voltage

220 Volt

Geographical location

Thailand is a tropical country of Southeast Asia and is located between the 6° and 20` of latitude north and 98° and 105` of longitude east.