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(January 2008) ราชอาณาจักรไทย Ratcha Anachak Thai Kingdom of Thailand Flag Emblem Anthem: Phleng Chat Royal anthem: Phleng Sansoen Phra Barami Capital (and largest city) Bangkok1 13°45′N, 100°29′E Official languages Thai Demonym Thai Government Parliamentary democracy and Constitutional monarchy  -  King Bhumibol Adulyadej  -  Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej Formation  -  Sukhothai Kingdom 1238–1368   -  Ayutthaya Kingdom 1350   -  Thonburi Kingdom 1767   -  Rattanakosin Kingdom 6 April 1782   -  Constitutional Monarchy 24 June 1932  Area  -  Total 513,115 km² (49th) 198,115 sq mi   -  Water (%) 0.4 Population  -  December 2007 estimate 63,038,247 (20th)  -  2000 census 60,606,947[1]   -  Density 122/km² (80th Independence) 317/sq mi GDP (PPP) 2007 estimate  -  Total $519.9 billion[2] (21st)  -  Per capita $8,000[2] (69th) GDP (nominal) 2006 estimate  -  Total $206.338 billion (34th)  -  Per capita $3,400 (92th) Gini (2002) 42 (medium)  HDI (2005) ▼ 0.781 (medium) (78th) Currency Baht (฿) (THB) Time zone (UTC+7) Internet TLD .th Calling code +66 1 ^ Thai name: Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or Krung ThepThe full name is "Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit" 2 ^ According to the Department of Provincial Administration's official register, not taking into account unregistered citizens and immigrants. The Kingdom of Thailand (IPA: /ˈtaɪlænd/, Thai: ราชอาณาจักรไทย, IPA: [râːʧa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj]) is a country in Southeast Asia. To its east lie Laos and Cambodia; to its south, the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia; and to its west, the Andaman Sea and Myanmar. Its capital and largest city is Bangkok. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Thailand. ... Image File history File links Thai_Garuda_emblem. ... Flag ratio: 2:3 The flag of Thailand shows five horizontal stripes in the colours red, white, blue, white and red. ... Garuda as the national symbol of Thailand The National Emblem (National Symbol) of Thailand features the Garuda, a figure from both Buddhist and Hindu mythology. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a countrys government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... Phleng Chat (เพลงชาติ) is the national anthem of Thailand. ... A royal anthem is a patriotic song, much like a national anthem that recognizes the nations monarch. ... Phleng Sansoen Phra Barami (Thai เพลงสรรเสริญพระบารมี) is the royal anthem of Thailand. ... Image File history File links LocationThailand. ... Not to be confused with capitol. ... Thailands population is relatively homogeneous. ... Location within in Thailand Coordinates: , Country Settled Ayutthaya Period Founded as capital 21 April 1782 Government  - Type Special administrative area  - Governor Apirak Kosayothin Area  - City 1,568. ... An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... States currently utilizing parliamentary systems are denoted in red and orange—the former being constitutional monarchies where authority is vested in a parliament, the the latter being parliamentary republics whose parliaments are effectively supreme over a separate head of state. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A constitutional monarchy or limited monarchy is a form of government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges an elected or hereditary monarch as head of state, as opposed to an absolute monarchy, where the monarch is not... // Ayodhaya Names of Kings according to Pongsawadarnnue (Chronicle of the North) Prachao Prathumsuriyawong พระเจ้าปทุมสุริยวงศ์ Prachao Mahasamudsakorn พระเจ้ามหาสมุทรสาคร Prachao Chanraja พระเจ้าจันทรราชา Prachao Ruang พระเจ้าร่วง Prachao Lue พระเจ้าลือ Praya Kotama พระยาโคตม Praya Kotabong พระยาโคตรบอง Praya Grag พระยาแกรก Prachao Chantachoti พระเจ้าจันทรโชติ Pra Narai พระนารายณ์ (880 AD-?) Prachao Luang พระเจ้าหลวง (949 AD -?) Prachao Sainampueng พระเจ้าสายน้ำผึ้ง (1027 - 1065 AD) Praya Thamikaraj พระยาธรรมิกราช (1056 - 1107) (nearly 300 years of... Bhumibol Adulyadej (Thai: ; IPA: ; Royal Institute: Phumiphon Adunyadet;  ) (born Saturday,December 5, 1927 in the Year of the Rabbit), is the current King of Thailand. ... The following is a list of Prime Ministers of Thailand: Phraya Manopakorn Nititada, (1932-1933) General Phraya Phahol Pholphayuhasena, (1933-1938) Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram, (1938-1944) Major Khuang Abhaiwongse, (1944-1945) Tawee Boonyaket, (1945) Seni Pramoj, (1945) Major Khuang Abhaiwongse, (1946) Luang Praditmanutham, (1946) Rear Admiral Thawal Thamrong Navaswadhi... The previous theory often been proposed, the history of Thailand begins with the migration of the Thais from their ancestral home in southern China into mainland southeast asia around the 10th century AD. Prior to this Mon, Khmer and Malay kingdoms ruled the region. ... The Sukhothai kingdom was a kingdom in the north of Thailand around the city Sukhothai. ... Events In the Iberian peninsula, James I of Aragon captures the city of Valencia September 28 from the Moors; the Moors retreat to Granada. ... Events Timur ascends throne of Samarkand. ... The kingdom of Ayutthaya (Thai: ) was a Thai kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767. ... Events 29 August - An English fleet personally commanded by King Edward III defeats a Spanish fleet in the battle of Les Espagnols sur Mer. ... This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ... Year 1767 (MDCCLXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ... is the 96th day of the year (97th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1782 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The history of Thailand from 1932 to 1973 was dominated by the military dictatorship which was in power for much of the period. ... is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1932 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here surface areas between 100,000 km² and 1,000,000 km². ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... A percentage is a way of expressing a proportion, a ratio or a fraction as a whole number, by using 100 as the denominator. ... This is a list of countries ordered according to population. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/km². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ... PPP of GDP for the countries of the world (2003). ... There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year). ... Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ... This article includes two lists of countries of the world[1] sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year divided by the average population for the same year. ... Countries by nominal GDP. Source: IMF (2005) This article includes a list of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP), the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year. ... Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ... Map of countries by GDP (nominal) per capita for the year 2006. ... Graphical representation of the Gini coefficient The Gini coefficient is a measure of inequality of income distribution or inequality of wealth distribution. ... This page talks about Human Development Index, for other HDIs see HDI (disambiguation) World map indicating Human Development Index (2007). ... This talks about the countries in the Human Development Index, for information on the Human Development Index, please Click Here World map indicating Human Development Index (2007) (Colour-blind compliant map) For red-green color vision problems. ... ISO 4217 Code THB User(s) Thailand Inflation 4. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... UTC redirects here. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .th is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Thailand. ... This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E.164. ... Country Code: 66 International Call Prefix: 00 To dial a land line in Thailand all over the country, the format is Area Code + Phone Number. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... The Gulf of Thailand is a gulf located in the South China Sea (Pacific Ocean), surrounded by the countries Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. ... The Andaman Sea (Burmese: ; IPA: ) is a body of water to the southeast of the Bay of Bengal, south of Myanmar, west of Thailand and east of the Andaman Islands; it is part of the Indian Ocean. ... Anthem Kaba Ma Kyei Capital Naypyidaw Largest city Yangon Official languages Burmese Demonym Burmese Government Military junta  -  Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Than Shwe  -  Prime Minister Soe Win  -  Acting Prime Minister Thein Sein Establishment  -  Bagan 849–1287   -  Taungoo Dynasty 1486–1752   -  Konbaung Dynasty 1752–1885   -  Colonial rule... Location within in Thailand Coordinates: , Country Settled Ayutthaya Period Founded as capital 21 April 1782 Government  - Type Special administrative area  - Governor Apirak Kosayothin Area  - City 1,568. ... Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 3 Politics and government 3.1 History 3.2 1997 to 2006 3.3 After the 2006 coup 4 Education 5 Administrative divisions 5.1 Central 5.2 East 5.3 North 5.4 Northeast (Isan) 5.5 South 6 Geography 7 Economy 8 Demographics 8.1 Language 8.2 Religion 9 Culture 10 International rankings 11 See also 12 Thailand topics 13 Notes 14 External links 14.1 Official 14.2 Other [edit] Etymology The country's official name was Siam (Thai: สยาม; IPA: [saˈjaːm], RTGS: Sayam origin unknown) until 24 June 1939,[3], when it was changed to Thailand; it was renamed Siam between 1945 and 11 May 1949, after which the name Thailand was once again adopted. The word Thai (ไทย) is not, as commonly believed to be, derived from the word Tai (ไท) meaning "free" in the Thai language; it is, however, the name of an ethnic group from the central plains (the Thai people).[citation needed] A famous Thai scholar argued that Tai (ไท) simply means "people" or "human being" since his investigation shows that in some rural areas the word "Tai" was used instead of the usual Thai word "khon" (คน) for people [4]. With that in mind the locals seemed to have also accepted the alternative meaning and will verbally state that it means "Land of the free". This might be due to language barriers and the avoidance of long difficult explanations.[citation needed] Note: This page contains IPA phonetic symbols in Unicode. ... is the 175th day of the year (176th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 131st day of the year (132nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1949 (MCMXLIX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Thai (, transcription: phasa thai, transliteration: ; IPA: ), is the national and official language of Thailand and the mother tongue of the Thai people, Thailands dominant ethnic group. ... This article is about Thailands ethnic majority. ... Ratcha Anachak Thai means "Kingdom of Thailand" or "Kingdom of Thai". Etymologically, its components are: -Ratcha- (from Sanskrit raja, meaning "king, royal, realm", from Sanskrit) ; -ana- (from Pāli āṇā, "authority, command, power", itself from Sanskrit ājñā, same meaning) -chak (from Sanskrit chakra, meaning "wheel", a symbol of power and rule). For other uses, see Raja (disambiguation). ... For the town and district in Rajasthan, see Pali, Rajasthan For the Ganapati temple of pali and place in Maharastra, see Ballaleshwar Pali Pāli (Devanagari पालि) is a Middle Indo-Aryan dialect or prakrit. ... For the Naruto jutsu, see Chakra (Naruto). ... [edit] History Main article: History of Thailand See also: Peopling of Thailand The region known today as Thailand has been inhabited by humans since the paleolithic period (about 500,000 - 10,000 years ago). Prior to the fall of the Khmer Empire in the 13th century, various states thrived there, such as the various Tai, Mon, Khmer and Malay kingdoms, as seen through the numerous archaeological sites and artifacts that are scattered throughout the Siamese landscape. Prior to the 12th century however, the first Thai or Siamese state is traditionally considered to be the Buddhist kingdom of Sukhothai, which was founded in 1238, following the decline and fall of the Khmer empire in the 13th - 15th century AD. The previous theory often been proposed, the history of Thailand begins with the migration of the Thais from their ancestral home in southern China into mainland southeast asia around the 10th century AD. Prior to this Mon, Khmer and Malay kingdoms ruled the region. ... The Peopling of Thailand refers to the process by which the ethnic groups that comprise the population of present-day Thailand came to inhabit the region. ... // The Paleolithic is a prehistoric era distinguished by the development of stone tools. ... Map of Asia and Europe circa 1200 C.E. and the golden age of Khmer Empire. ... Tai peoples include: the Lao of Laos and Northeast Thailand the Northern Thai (Lanna or Thai Yuan) of Thailand the Thai of Thailand the Shan (Thai Yai) of Burma the Thai Lue of Laos and China (also called Dai) the Nung of China, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam the Black Tai (Tai... The Mon are an ethnic group in Southeast Asia. ... The Khmer people are the predominant ethnic group in Cambodia, accounting for approximately 90% of the 13. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Archaeology or sometimes in American English archeology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ... A replica of an ancient statue found among the ruins of a temple at Sarnath Buddhism is a philosophy based on the teachings of the Buddha, Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince of the Shakyas, whose lifetime is traditionally given as 566 to 486 BCE. It had subsequently been accepted by... The Sukhothai kingdom was a kingdom in the north of Thailand around the city Sukhothai. ... A century later, Sukhothai's power was overshadowed by the larger Siamese kingdom of Ayutthaya, established in the mid-14th century. The kingdom of Ayutthaya (Thai: ) was a Thai kingdom that existed from 1350 to 1767. ... After Ayutthaya fell in 1767 to the Burmese, Thonburi was the capital of Thailand for a brief period under King Taksin the Great. The current (Rattanakosin) era of Thai history began in 1782 following the establishment of Bangkok as capital of the Chakri dynasty under King Rama I the Great. Thon Buri (ธนบุรี) was capital of Thailand for a short time during the reign of King Taksin, after the previous capital Ayutthaya was sacked by the Burmese. ... This article is about a Siamese king. ... Location within in Thailand Coordinates: , Country Settled Ayutthaya Period Founded as capital 21 April 1782 Government  - Type Special administrative area  - Governor Apirak Kosayothin Area  - City 1,568. ... The Chakri dynasty has ruled Thailand since the founding of the Ratthanakosin era in 1782 after king Taksin of Thonburi was executed and the capital of Siam shifted to Bangkok. ... His Majesty King Rama I of Siam (portrait in the National History Museum, Bangkok) Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke or Rama I the Great, was king of Thailand from 1782 to 1809. ... European powers began traveling to Thailand in the 16th century. Despite European pressure, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian nation never to have been colonised by a European country. Two main reasons for this were that Thailand had a long succession of very able rulers in the 1800s and that it was able to exploit the rivalry and tension between the French and the British. As a result, the country remained as a buffer state between parts of Southeast Asia that were colonised by the two colonial powers. Despite this, Western influence led to many reforms in the 19th century and major concessions, most notably being the loss of large territory on the east side of the Mekong to the French and the step by step absorption by Britain of the Shan (Thai Yai) States (now in Myanmar) and the Malay Peninsula. The loss initially included Penang and Tumasik and eventually culminated in the loss of three predominantly ethnic-Malay southern provinces, which later became Malaysia's three northern states, under the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909. For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... The British Empire in 1897, marked in pink, the traditional colour for Imperial British dominions on maps. ... A buffer state is a country lying between two rival or potentially hostile greater powers, which by its sheer existence is thought to prevent conflict between them. ... The Mekong is one of the world’s major rivers. ... Anthem Kaba Ma Kyei Capital Naypyidaw Largest city Yangon Official languages Burmese Demonym Burmese Government Military junta  -  Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Than Shwe  -  Prime Minister Soe Win  -  Acting Prime Minister Thein Sein Establishment  -  Bagan 849–1287   -  Taungoo Dynasty 1486–1752   -  Konbaung Dynasty 1752–1885   -  Colonial rule... The Malay Peninsula (Malay: Semenanjung Tanah Melayu) is a major peninsula located in Southeast Asia. ... The Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 or Bangkok Treaty of 1909 was a treaty between the United Kingdom and Thailand signed on March 10, 1909 in Bangkok. ... In 1932, a bloodless revolution resulted in a new constitutional monarchy. During World War II, following an invasion and brief resistance, Thailand became an ally of Japan while at the same time maintaining an active anti-Japanese resistance movement known as the Seri Thai. After the war, Thailand emerged as an ally of the United States. As with many of the developing nations during the Cold War, Thailand then went through decades of political transgression characterised by coups d'état as one military regime replaced another, but eventually progressed towards a stable prosperity and democracy in the 1980s. Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A constitutional monarchy or limited monarchy is a form of government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges an elected or hereditary monarch as head of state, as opposed to an absolute monarchy, where the monarch is not... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The Free Thai Movement or Khabuankan Seri Thai (Thai ขบวนการเสรีไทย) was a secret underground movement of a group of Thai people against Japan during World War II. This movement was one of the important sources to the Allies for intelligence in this region. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... Coup redirects here. ... In 1997, Thailand was hit with the Asian financial crisis and the Thai baht for a short time peaked at 56 baht to the U.S. dollar compared to about 25 baht to the dollar before 1997. Since then, the baht has regained most of its strength and as of 23 May 2007, is valued at 33 baht to the US dollar. The Asian financial crisis was a financial crisis that started in July 1997 in Thailand and affected currencies, stock markets, and other asset prices in several Asian countries, many considered East Asian Tigers. ... Thai banknotes and coins. ... The official calendar in Thailand is based on Eastern version of the Buddhist Era, which is 543 years ahead of the Gregorian (western) calendar. For example, the year AD 2008 is called 2551 BE in Thailand. The Thai solar, or Suriyakati (สุริยคติ), calendar is used in traditional and official contexts in Thailand, although the Western calendar is sometimes used in business. ... The Buddhist calendar is used on mainland southeast Asia in the countries of Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar (formerly Burma) in several related forms. ... For the calendar of religious holidays and periods, see liturgical year. ... [edit] Politics and government Main article: Politics of Thailand See also: Constitutions of Thailand Click here to visit Thailand The politics of Thailand currently takes place in a framework of a constitutional monarchy, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government and a hereditary monarch is head of state. ... The Democracy Monument: a representation of the 1932 Constitution sits on top of two golden offering bowls above a turret, in a traffic circle in the center of Bangkok. ... [edit] History Since the political reform of the absolute monarchy in 1932, Thailand has had 17 constitutions and charters.[5][6] Throughout this time, the form of government has ranged from military dictatorship to electoral democracy, but all governments have acknowledged a hereditary monarch as the head of state.[7][8] This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      Absolute monarchy is a monarchical form of government where the monarch has the power to rule his or her land or country and its citizens freely, with no laws or legally-organized direct opposition in force. ... The Democracy Monument: a representation of the 1932 Constitution sits on top of two golden offering bowls above a turret, in a traffic circle in the center of Bangkok. ... // Ayodhaya Names of Kings according to Pongsawadarnnue (Chronicle of the North) Prachao Prathumsuriyawong พระเจ้าปทุมสุริยวงศ์ Prachao Mahasamudsakorn พระเจ้ามหาสมุทรสาคร Prachao Chanraja พระเจ้าจันทรราชา Prachao Ruang พระเจ้าร่วง Prachao Lue พระเจ้าลือ Praya Kotama พระยาโคตม Praya Kotabong พระยาโคตรบอง Praya Grag พระยาแกรก Prachao Chantachoti พระเจ้าจันทรโชติ Pra Narai พระนารายณ์ (880 AD-?) Prachao Luang พระเจ้าหลวง (949 AD -?) Prachao Sainampueng พระเจ้าสายน้ำผึ้ง (1027 - 1065 AD) Praya Thamikaraj พระยาธรรมิกราช (1056 - 1107) (nearly 300 years of... [edit] 1997 to 2006 See also: 1997 Constitution of Thailand The 1997 Constitution was the first constitution to be drafted by popularly-elected Constitutional Drafting Assembly, and was popularly called the "People's Constitution".[9] For legal and historical context, see the Constitutions of Thailand article Bangkoks Democracy Monument: a representation of the 1932 Constitution sits on top of two golden offering bowls above a turret. ... The 1997 Constitution created a bicameral legislature consisting of a 500-seat House of Representatives (สภาผู้แทนราษฎร, sapha phutan ratsadon) and a 200-seat Senate (วุฒิสภา, wuthisapha). For the first time in Thai history, both houses were directly elected. Many human rights are explicitly acknowledged, and measures were established to increase the stability of elected governments. The House was elected by the first-past-the-post system, where only one candidate with a simple majority could be elected in one constituency. The Senate was elected based on the province system, where one province can return more than one Senator depending on its population size. Members of the House of Representatives served four-year terms, while Senators served six-year terms. In government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. ... For the band, see Senate (band). ... This article is about the political process. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... The court system (ศาล, saan) included a constitutional court with jurisdiction over the constitutionality of parliamentary acts, royal decrees, and political matters. The Constitutional Court of Thailand (Thai: ศาลรัฐธรรมนูญ) is an independent Thai court established under the 1997 Constitution with jurisdiction over the constitutionality of parliamentary acts, royal decrees, draft legislation, as well as the appointment and removal of public officials and issues regarding political parties. ... The January 2001 general election, the first elections under the 1997 Constitution, were called the most open, corruption-free election in Thai history.[10] The subsequent government was the first in Thai history to complete a 4-year term. The 2005 election had the highest voter turnout in Thai history and was noted for a marked reduction in vote-buying compared to previous elections.[11][12][13] This article needs cleanup. ... Legislative elections were held in Thailand on 6 February 2005. ... In early 2006, significant pressure from corruption allegations led Thaksin Shinawatra to call for a snap election. The opposition boycotted the elections and Thaksin was re-elected. Pressure continued to build, leading to a military coup on 19 September 2006. “Thaksin” redirects here. ... is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... [edit] After the 2006 coup See also: 2006 Thai coup d'état Without meeting much resistance, a military junta overthrew the elected government of Thaksin Shinawatra on 19 September 2006. The junta abrogated the constitution, dissolved Parliament and the Constitutional Court, detained and later removed several members of the government, declared martial law, and appointed one of the King's Privy Councillors, General Surayud Chulanont, as Prime Minister. The junta later wrote a highly abbreviated interim constitution and appointed a panel to draft a permanent constitution. The junta also appointed a 250-member legislature, called by some critics a "chamber of generals" and others claimed that it lacks representatives from the poor majority.[14][15] In this interim constitution draft, the head of the junta was allowed to remove the Prime Minister at any time. The legislature was not allowed to hold a vote of confidence against the Cabinet and the public was not allowed to file comments on bills.[16] This interim constitution was later surpassed by the permanent constitution on 24 August 2007. Wikinews has news related to: Category:2006 Thailand coup The 2006 Thailand coup détat took place on Tuesday 19 September 2006, when the Royal Thai Army staged a coup against the government of caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. ... A military junta is government by a committee of military leaders. ... Wikinews has news related to: Category:2006 Thailand coup The 2006 Thailand coup détat took place on Tuesday 19 September 2006, when the Royal Thai Army staged a coup against the government of caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. ... is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... General (ret. ... The 2006 Interim Charter of Thailand was drafted by the Council for Democratic Reform (CDR) after it seized power from the government of Thaksin Shinawatra in the 2006 Thailand coup. ... A permanent constitution for the Kingdom of Thailand is currently being drafted by a committee established by the military junta that abrogated the previous 1997 Constitution. ... Final version of the draft constitution, distributed to the public prior to the August 2007 referendum. ... is the 236th day of the year (237th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... Martial law was partially revoked in January 2007. The ban on political activities was lifted in July 2007,[17] following the 30 May dissolution of the Thai Rak Thai party. The new constitution has been approved by a referendum on 19 August, which led to a return to democratic elections on 23 December 2007. Party dissolution charges are a series of events and scandals that eventually led to the dissolution of Thai Rak Thai Party, the biggest political party in Thailand at the time, and a few small parties following a general election in April, 2006. ... Thai Rak Thai Logo Thai Rak Thai (Thai: , lit. ... A permanent constitution for the Kingdom of Thailand is currently being drafted by a committee established by the military junta that abrogated the previous 1997 Constitution. ... General elections are expected to be held again in Thailand before the end of 2007 after the military assumed power in the 2006 Thai coup détat on 19 September 2006. ... Thailand remains an active member of the regional Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Hymn The ASEAN Hymn Jakarta, Indonesia Membership 10 Southeast Asian states Leaders  -  Secretary General Ong Keng Yong Area  -  Total 4,497,4931 km²  Expression error: Unrecognised punctuation character , sq mi  Population  -   estimate 566. ... [edit] Education Main article: Education in Thailand Thailand enjoys a high level of literacy and education is provided by a well organized school system of kindergarten, primary, lower secondary and upper secondary schools, numerous vocational colleges, and universities. The private sector of education is well developed and significantly contributes to the overall provision of education which the government would not be able to meet through its own establishments. Education is compulsory up to and including Grade 9, and the government provides free education through to Grade 12. Educational oversight Minister Thai Ministry of Education Chaturon Chaisang National education budget ([[]]) Primary language(s) of education Thai system Literacy (2005)  â€¢ Men  â€¢ Women 92. ... Thailand has never been colonized, and has therefore not benefited from the influence of countries with centuries of educational tradition. Education in a modern sense is relatively recent and still needs to overcome some major cultural hurdles in order to ensure further development and improvement to its standards, which in some respects have fallen to the lowest levels in southeast Asia. The establishment of reliable and coherent curricula for its primary and secondary schools is subject to such rapid changes that schools and their teachers are not always sure what they are supposed to be teaching, and authors and publishers of textbooks are unable to write and print new editions quickly enough to keep up with the volatile situation. The issue concerning university entrance has therefore also been in constant upheaval for a number of years. Nevertheless, education has seen its greatest progress in the years since 2001, most of the present generation of pupils and students is computer literate, and knowledge of English is on the increase at least in quantity if not in quality. See the main article for a complete treatment of Education in Thailand. Educational oversight Minister Thai Ministry of Education Chaturon Chaisang National education budget ([[]]) Primary language(s) of education Thai system Literacy (2005)  â€¢ Men  â€¢ Women 92. ... [edit] Administrative divisions Map of Thailand Main article: Subdivisions of Thailand Thailand is divided into 75 provinces (จังหวัด, changwat) , which are gathered into 5 groups of provinces by location. There are also 2 special governed districts: the capital Bangkok (Krung Thep Maha Nakhon) and Pattaya, of which Bangkok is at provincial level and thus often counted as a 76th province. Download high resolution version (331x708, 19 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (331x708, 19 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Thailand is divided into 75 provinces (จังหวัด, changwat), and one municipality - the capital Bangkok (Krung Thep Maha Nakhon in Thai). ... Thailand is divided into 75 provinces (Thai: , changwat, singular and plural), which are grouped into 5 groups of provinces - sometimes the East and Central are grouped together. ... Districts are a form of local government in several countries. ... Location within in Thailand Coordinates: , Country Settled Ayutthaya Period Founded as capital 21 April 1782 Government  - Type Special administrative area  - Governor Apirak Kosayothin Area  - City 1,568. ... Beach Pattaya along the beach Pattaya (Thai: , RTGS: Phatthaya) is a city in Thailand, located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand ( ), about 165 km southeast of Bangkok located within but not part of Amphoe Bang Lamung in the province of Chon Buri. ... Each province is divided into districts and the districts are further divided into sub-districts (tambons). As of 2006 there are 877 districts (อำเภอ, amphoe) and the 50 districts of Bangkok (เขต, khet). Some parts of the provinces bordering Bangkok are also referred to as Greater Bangkok (ปริมณฑล, pari monthon). These provinces include Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan, Nakhon Pathom and Samut Sakhon. The name of each province's capital city (เมือง, mueang) is the same as that of the province: for example, the capital of Chiang Mai province (changwat Chiang Mai) is Mueang Chiang Mai or Chiang Mai. The 75 provinces are as follows: A amphoe (sometimes also amphur, Thai: อำเภอ) is the second level administrative subdivision of Thailand. ... Bangkok is subdivided into 50 districts (khet เขต, also sometimes called amphoe as in the other provinces), which are further subdivided into 154 kwaeng (แขวง), roughly equivalent to tambon in the other provinces. ... The Bangkok Metropolitan Area (Thai: ) is the urban area of Bangkok, Thailand and its surrounding provinces. ... Nonthaburi (Thai นนทบุรี) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Pathum Thani (Thai ปทุมธานี) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Samut Prakan (Thai  ) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Nakhon Pathom (Thai นครปฐม) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Samut Sakhon (Thai สมุทรสาคร) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Thailand is divided into 75 provinces (Thai: , changwat, singular and plural), which are grouped into 5 groups of provinces - sometimes the East and Central are grouped together. ... [edit] Central Ang Thong Bangkok (Krung Thep Maha Nakhon), Special Governed District of [1] Chai Nat Kanchanaburi [2] Lop Buri Nakhon Nayok Nakhon Pathom [1] Nonthaburi [1] Pathum Thani [1] Phetchaburi [2] Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Prachuap Khiri Khan [2] Ratchaburi [2] Samut Prakan [1] Samut Sakhon [1] Samut Songkhram [2] Saraburi Sing Buri Suphan Buri Central Thailand is a region of Thailand, covering the broad alluvial plain of the Chao Phraya River. ... Ang Thong (Thai อ่างทอง) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Location within in Thailand Coordinates: , Country Settled Ayutthaya Period Founded as capital 21 April 1782 Government  - Type Special administrative area  - Governor Apirak Kosayothin Area  - City 1,568. ... Chai Nat (Thai ชัยนาท) is one of the central provinces (jangwat) of Thailand. ... Kanchanaburi (Thai กาญจนบุรี) is the largest of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Lop Buri (Thai ลพบุรี) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Nakhon Nayok (Thai นครนายก) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Nakhon Pathom (Thai นครปฐม) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Nonthaburi (Thai นนทบุรี) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Pathum Thani (Thai ปทุมธานี) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Phetchaburi (often short Phetburi, Thai เพชรบุรี) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Ayutthaya (full name Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Thai พระนครศรีอยุธยา, pronounced eye-you-TEE-a) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Prachuap Khiri Khan (Thai ประจวบคีรีขันธ์) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Ratchaburi (often short Ratburi, Thai ราชบุรี) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Samut Prakan (Thai  ) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Samut Sakhon (Thai สมุทรสาคร) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Samut Songkhram (Thai สมุทรสงคราม) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Saraburi (Thai สระบุรี) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Sing Buri (Thai สิงห์บุรี) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... Suphan Buri (Thai สุพรรณบุรี) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... [edit] East Chachoengsao Chanthaburi Chonburi Prachinburi Rayong Sa Kaeo Trat Phra That Chae Haeng, Nan Province Thailand is divided into 76 provinces ( Thai: จังหวัด, changwat, singular and plural), which are grouped into 5 groups of provinces - sometimes the East and Central are grouped together. ... Chachoengsao (Thai ฉะเชิงเทรา) is a province (changwat) of Thailand. ... Chanthaburi (Thai จันทบุรี) is a province (changwat) of Thailand. ... Chon Buri (Thai ชลบุรี) is a province (changwat) of Thailand. ... Prachin Buri (Thai ปราจีนบุรี) is a province (changwat) of Thailand. ... Rayong province (Thai spelling ระยอง) is a province (changwat) of Thailand. ... Sa Kaeo (Thai สระแก้ว) is a province (changwat) of Thailand. ... Trat (Thai ตราด) is a province (changwat) of Thailand. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2736 × 3648 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2736 × 3648 pixel, file size: 1. ... Nan (Thai น่าน) is one of the northern provinces (changwat) of Thailand. ... [edit] North Chiang Mai Chiang Rai Kamphaeng Phet Lampang Lamphun Mae Hong Son Nakhon Sawan Nan