THB to HKD Live Rate

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

15 00 N, 100 00 E

22 15 N, 114 10 E

Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia

total: 513,120 sq km

land: 510,890 sq km

water: 2,230 sq km

country comparison to the world: 52

total: 1,108 sq km

land: 1,073 sq km

water: 35 sq km

country comparison to the world: 184

total: 5,673 km

border countries (4): Burma 2,416 km, Cambodia 817 km, Laos 1,845 km, Malaysia 595 km

total: 33 km

regional border(s) (1): China 33 km

3,219 km

733 km

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

territorial sea: 12 nm

tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid

subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere

hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

mean elevation: 287 m

elevation extremes: lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m

highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,565 m

mean elevation: NA

elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land

outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

agricultural land: 41.2%

arable land 30.8%; permanent crops 8.8%; permanent pasture 1.6%

forest: 37.2%

other: 21.6% (2011 est.)

agricultural land: 5%

arable land 3.2%; permanent crops 0.9%; permanent pasture 0.9%

forest: 0%

other: 95% (2011 est.)

64,150 sq km (2012)

10 sq km (2012)

highest population density is found in and around Bangkok; significant population clusters found throughout large parts of the country, particularly north and northeast of Bangkok and in the extreme southern region of the country

population fairly evenly distributed

land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the depletion of the water table; droughts

occasional typhoons

air pollution from vehicle emissions; water pollution from organic and factory wastes; deforestation; soil erosion; wildlife populations threatened by illegal hunting

air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea

party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)

controls only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore; ideas for the construction of a canal across the Kra Isthmus that would create a bypass to the Strait of Malacca and shorten shipping times around Asia continue to be discussed

consists of a mainland area (the New Territories) and more than 200 islands

six times the size of Washington, DC

68,414,135

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 20

7,191,503 (July 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 100

noun: Thai (singular and plural)

adjective: Thai

noun: Chinese/Hong Konger

adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong

Thai 97.5%, Burmese 1.3%, other 1.1%, unspecified <.1% (2015 est.)

Chinese 92%, Filipino 2.5%, Indonesian 2.1%, other 3.4% (2016 est.)

Thai (official) 90.7%, Burmese 1.3%, other 8%

note: English is a secondary language of the elite (2010 est.)

Cantonese (official) 88.9%, English (official) 4.3%, Mandarin (official) 1.9%, other Chinese dialects 3.1%, other 1.9% (2016 est.)

Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.3%, Christian 1%, other <.1%, none <.1% (2015 est.)

Buddhist or Taoist 27.9%, Protestant 6.7%, Roman Catholic 5.3%, Muslim 4.2%, Hindu 1.4%, Sikh 0.2%, other or none 54.3%

note: many people practice Confucianism, regardless of their religion or not having a religious affiliation (2016 est.)

total dependency ratio: 40

youth dependency ratio: 25.2

elderly dependency ratio: 14.8

potential support ratio: 6.8 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio: 35.9

youth dependency ratio: 15.2

elderly dependency ratio: 20.7

potential support ratio: 4.8 (2015 est.)

total: 37.7 years

male: 36.6 years

female: 38.7 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 65

total: 44.4 years

male: 43.5 years

female: 45 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 8

0.3% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 171

0.32% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 166

11 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 179

8.9 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 208

8 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 91

7.4 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 117

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 98

1.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 51

highest population density is found in and around Bangkok; significant population clusters found througout large parts of the country, particularly north and northeast of Bangkok and in the extreme southern region of the country

population fairly evenly distributed

urban population: 52.7% of total population (2017)

rate of urbanization: 2.2% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population: 100% of total population (2017)

rate of urbanization: 0.64% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

BANGKOK (capital) 9.27 million; Samut Prakan 1.814 million (2015)

Hong Kong 7.26 million (2014)

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.98 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female

total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.12 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.74 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

23.3 years (2009 est.)

29.8 years (2008 est.)

20 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 129

total: 9.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 10.1 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 8.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 146

total: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 3 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 216

total population: 74.9 years

male: 71.7 years

female: 78.3 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 116

total population: 83 years

male: 80.4 years

female: 85.9 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 7

1.52 children born/woman (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 194

1.19 children born/woman (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 221

79.3% (2012)

74.8% (2012)

6.5% of GDP (2014)

country comparison to the world: 92

0.47 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

1.91 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

2.1 beds/1,000 population (2010)

5.33 beds/1,000 population (2016)

improved:

urban: 97.6% of population

rural: 98% of population

total: 97.8% of population

unimproved:

urban: 2.4% of population

rural: 2% of population

total: 2.2% of population (2015 est.)

improved:

urban: 89.9% of population

rural: 96.1% of population

total: 93% of population

unimproved:

urban: 10.1% of population

rural: 3.9% of population

total: 7% of population (2015 est.)

1.1% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 40

450,000 (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 16

NA

16,000 (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 16

NA

degree of risk: very high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, and malaria (2016)

10% (2016)

country comparison to the world: 140

9.2% (2012)

country comparison to the world: 71

4.1% of GDP (2013)

country comparison to the world: 47

3.3% of GDP (2017)

country comparison to the world: 124

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 92.9%

male: 94.7%

female: 91.2% (2015 est.)

total: 16 years

male: 16 years

female: 16 years (2015)

total: 16 years

male: 16 years

female: 16 years (2014)

total: 0.9%

male: 0.8%

female: 1.1% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 159

total: 9.9%

male: 10.9%

female: 8.5% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 129

conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand

conventional short form: Thailand

local long form: Ratcha Anachak Thai

local short form: Prathet Thai

former: Siam

etymology: "Land of the Tai [People]"; the meaning of "tai" is uncertain, but may originally have meant "human beings," "people," or "free people"

conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

conventional short form: Hong Kong

local long form: Heung Kong Takpit Hangching Ku (Eitel/Dyer-Ball); Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu (Hanyu Pinyin)

local short form: Heung Kong (Eitel/Dyer-Ball); Xianggang (Hanyu Pinyin)

abbreviation: HK

etymology: probably an imprecise phonetic rendering of the Cantonese name meaning "fragrant harbor"

constitutional monarchy; note - interim military-affiliated government since May 2014

presidential limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

name: Bangkok

geographic coordinates: 13 45 N, 100 31 E

time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural) and 1 municipality* (maha nakhon); Amnat Charoen, Ang Thong, Bueng Kan, Buri Ram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep* (Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan, Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket, Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Saraburi, Satun, Sing Buri, Si Sa Ket, Songkhla, Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon

none (special administrative region of the People's Republic of China)

1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)

none (special administrative region of China)

Birthday of King WACHIRALONGKON, 28 July (1952)

National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July (1997) is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

history: many previous; latest completed 29 March 2016, approved by referendum 7 August 2016, signed into law by the king 6 April 2017

amendments: proposed as a joint resolution by the Council of Ministers and the National Council for Peace and Order (the junta that has ruled Thailand since the 2014 coup) and submitted as a draft to the National Legislative Assembly; passage requires majority vote of the existing Assembly members and presentation to the monarch for assent and countersignature by the prime minister (2017)

history: several previous (governance documents while under British authority); latest drafted April 1988 to February 1989, approved March 1990, effective 1 July 1997 (Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China serves as the constitution); note - since 1990, China's National People's Congress has interpreted specific articles of the Basic Law

amendments: proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the People’s Republic of China State Council, and the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong; submittal of proposals to the NPC requires two-thirds majority vote by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, approval by two-thirds of Hong Kong’s deputies to the NPC, and approval by the Hong Kong chief executive; final passage requires approval by the NPC

civil law system with common law influences

mixed legal system of common law based on the English model and Chinese customary law (in matters of family and land tenure)

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Thailand

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

see China

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

18 years of age in direct elections for half of the Legislative Council seats and all of the seats in 18 district councils; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past 7 years; note - in indirect elections, suffrage is limited to about 220,000 members of functional constituencies for the other half of the legislature and a 1,200-member election committee for the chief executive drawn from broad sectoral groupings, central government bodies, municipal organizations, and elected Hong Kong officials

chief of state: King WACHIRALONGKON Bodinthrathepphayawarangkun, also spelled Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun (since 1 December 2016); note - King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet, also spelled BHUMIBOL Adulyadej (since 9 June 1946) died 13 October 2016

head of government: Interim Prime Minister Gen. PRAYUT Chan-ocha (since 25 August 2014); Deputy Prime Ministers PRAWIT Wongsuwan, Gen. (since 31 August 2014), WISSANU Kruea-ngam (since 31 August 2014), SOMKHIT Chatusiphithak (since 20 August 2015), PRACHIN Chantong, Air Chief Mar. (since 20 August 2015), CHATCHAI Sarikan, Gen. (since 23 November 2017)

cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the king; a Privy Council advises the king

elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; the House of Representatives approves a person for Prime Minister who must then be appointed by the King (as stated in the transitory provision of the 2017 constitution); the office of prime minister can be held for up to a total of 8 years

note: Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha was appointed interim prime minister in August 2014, three months after he staged the coup that removed the previously elected government of Prime Minister YINGLAK Chinnawat

chief of state: President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013)

head of government: Chief Executive Carrie LAM (since 1 July 2017)

cabinet: Executive Council or ExCo appointed by the chief executive

elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 5-17 March 2013 (next to be held in March 2018); chief executive indirectly elected by the Election Committee and appointed by the PRC Government for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 26 March 2017 (next to be held in 2022)

election results: Carrie LAM elected chief executive; Election Committee vote - Carrie LAM 777, John TSANG 365, WOO Kwok-hing 21, invalid 23

note: the Legislative Council voted in June 2010 to expand the Election Committee to 1,200 members

description: in transition; following the May 2014 military coup, a junta-appointed National Legislative Assembly or Sapha Nitibanyat Haeng Chat of no more than 220 members replaced the bicameral National Assembly; expanded to 250 members in September 2016; elections for a permanent legislative body were announced for November 2018; the 2017 constitution calls for a 250-member military-appointed Senate with 5-year terms and a 500-member elected House of Representatives with 4-year terms

elections: Senate - last held on 30 March 2014 but invalidated by the coup (in future, members will be appointed); House of Representatives - last held on 2 February 2014 but later declared invalid by the Constitutional Court (next to be held no later than February 2019)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

description: unicameral Legislative Council or LegCo (70 seats; 35 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote; 30 members indirectly elected by the approximately 220,000 members of various functional constituencies based on a variety of methods; five at large “super-seat” members directly elected by all of Hong Kong’s eligible voters who do not participate in a functional constituency; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held on 4 September 2016; (next to be held in September 2020); note - by-election to be held on 11 March 2018 to fill 4 seats left vacant after 4 legislators were removed from office

election results: percent of vote by block - pro-democracy 36.0%; pro-Beijing 40.2%, localist 19.0%, other 4.8%; seats by block/party - pro-Beijing 40 (DAB 12, BPA 7, FTU 5, Liberal Party 4, NPP 3, other 9); pro-democracy 23 (Democratic Party 7, Civic Party 6, PP-LSD 2, Professional Commons 2, Labor 1, NWSC 1, PTU 1, other democrats 3), localists 6 (ALLin HK 2, CP-PPI-HKRO 1, Demosisto 1, Democracy Groundwork 1, other localist 1), non-aligned independent 1; note - 2 localists were barred from taking office in November 2016 and 4 pro-democracy legislators were removed in July 2017

highest court(s): Supreme Court of Justice (consists of court president, 6 vice-presidents, and 60-70 judges, and organized into 10 divisions); Constitutional Court (consists of court president and 8 judges); Supreme Administrative Court (number of judges determined by Judicial Commission of the Administrative Courts)

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges selected by the Judicial Commission of the Courts of Justice and approved by the monarch; judge term determined by the monarch; Constitutional Court justices - 3 judges drawn from the Supreme Court, 2 judges drawn from the 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 single 9-year terms; Supreme Administrative Court judges selected by the Judicial Commission of the Administrative Courts and appointed by the monarch; judges appointed for life

subordinate courts: courts of first instance and appeals courts within both the judicial and administrative systems; military courts

highest court(s): Court of Final Appeal (consists of the chief justice, 3 permanent judges, and 20 non-permanent judges); note - a sitting bench consists of the chief justice and 3 permanent judges and 1 non-permanent judge

judge selection and term of office: all judges appointed by the Hong Kong Chief Executive upon the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission, an independent body consisting of the Secretary for Justice, other judges, and judicial and legal professionals; permanent judges appointed until normal retirement at age 65, but can be extended; non-permanent judges appointed for renewable 3-year terms without age limit

subordinate courts: High Court (consists of the Court of Appeal and Court of First Instance); District Courts (includes Family and Land Courts); magistrates' courts; specialized tribunals

note: as of 5 April 2018, 98 new parties applied to be registered with the Election Commission, in accordance with the provisions of the new organic law on political parties

Chat Thai Phatthana Party or CTP (Thai Nation Development Party)

Phumchai (Bhumjai) Thai Party or PJT (Thai Pride) [ANUTHIN Chanwirakun]

Puea Thai Party (For Thais Party) or PTP [acting leader WIROT Paoin]

Prachathipat Party or DP (Democrat Party) [ABHISIT Wechachiwa, also spelled ABHISIT Vejjajiva]

parties:

ALLinHK (alliance of 6 localist groups)

Business and Professional Alliance or BPA [LO Wai-kwok]

Civic Party [Alvin YEUNG]

Civic Passion or CP [CHENG Chung-tai] (part of Civic Passion-Proletariat Political Institute-Hong Kong Resurgence Order alliance or CP-PPI-HKRO that dissolved after the 2016 election)

Democracy Groundwork [LAU Siu-lai]

Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [Starry LEE Wai-king]

Democratic Party [WU Chi-wai]

Demosisto [Nathan LAW]

Federation of Trade Unions or FTU [Stanley NG Chau-pei]

Labor Party [Steven Kwok Wing-kin]

League of Social Democrats or LSD [Avery NG Man-yuen]

Liberal Party [Felix CHUNG Kwok-pan]

Neighborhood and Workers Service Center or NWSC [LEUNG Yui-chung]

New People's Party or NPP [Regina IP Lau Su-yee]

People Power or PP [Raymond CHAN]

Youngspiration [Sixtus "Baggio" LEUNG Chung-hang]

others:

Professional Commons (think tank) [Charles Peter MOK]

Professional Teachers Union or PTU

note: political blocks include: pro-democracy - Civic Party, Democratic Party, Labor Party, LSD, NWSC, PP, Professional Commons, PTU; pro-Beijing - DAB, FTU, Liberal Party, NPP, BPA; localist - ALLinHK, CP, Democracy Groundwork, Demosisto; there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies

Democracy Restoration Group (formerly the New Democracy Movement)

People's Democratic Reform Committee or PDRC

United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship or UDD

Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China)

Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong

Civic Act-up (pro-democracy)

Federation of Hong Kong Industries

Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China [Albert HO] (pro-China)

Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council or HKTUC (pro-democracy)

Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce or HKGCC

Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union or HKPTU [FUNG Wai-wah]

ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, BIS, CD, CICA, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

ADB, APEC, BIS, FATF, ICC (national committees), IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITUC (NGOs), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires PHATTHARAWAN Wetchasat (since 27 October 2017)

chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600

FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York

none (Special Administrative Region of China); Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) carries out normal liaison activities and communication with the US Government and other US entities

commissioner: Clement C.M. LEUNG

office: 1520 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] 202 331-8947

FAX: [1] 202 331-8958

HKETO offices: New York, San Francisco

chief of mission: Ambassador Glyn T. DAVIES (since 28 November 2015)

embassy: 95 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330

mailing address: APO AP 96546

telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000

FAX: [66] (2) 254-2990, 205-4131

consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai

chief of mission: Consul General Kurt W. TONG (since 27 August 2016); note - also accredited to Macau

consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong

mailing address: Unit 8000, Box 1, DPO AP 96521-0006

telephone: [852] 2523-9011

FAX: [852] 2845-1598

five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red; the red color symbolizes the nation and the blood of life; white represents religion and the purity of Buddhism; blue stands for the monarchy

note: similar to the flag of Costa Rica but with the blue and red colors reversed

red with a stylized, white, five-petal Bauhinia flower in the center; each petal contains a small, red, five-pointed star in its middle; the red color is the same as that on the Chinese flag and represents the motherland; the fragrant Bauhinia - developed in Hong Kong the late 19th century - has come to symbolize the region; the five stars echo those on the flag of China

garuda (mythical half-man, half-bird figure), elephant; national colors: red, white, blue

orchid tree flower; national colors: red, white

name: "Phleng Chat Thai" (National Anthem of Thailand)

lyrics/music: Luang SARANUPRAPAN/Phra JENDURIYANG

note: music adopted 1932, lyrics adopted 1939; by law, people are required to stand for the national anthem at 0800 and 1800 every day; the anthem is played in schools, offices, theaters, and on television and radio during this time; "Phleng Sanlasoen Phra Barami" (A Salute to the Monarch) serves as the royal anthem and is played in the presence of the royal family and during certain state ceremonies

note: as a Special Administrative Region of China, "Yiyongjun Jinxingqu" is the official anthem (see China)

special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

With a relatively well-developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy, and generally pro-investment policies, Thailand is highly dependent on international trade, with exports accounting for about two-thirds of GDP. Thailand’s exports include electronics, agricultural commodities, automobiles and parts, and processed foods. The industry and service sectors produce about 90% of GDP. The agricultural sector, comprised mostly of small-scale farms, contributes only 10% of GDP but employs about one-third of the labor force. Thailand has attracted an estimated 3.0-4.5 million migrant workers, mostly from neighboring countries.

Over the last few decades, Thailand has reduced poverty substantially. In 2013, the Thai Government implemented a nationwide 300 baht (roughly $10) per day minimum wage policy and deployed new tax reforms designed to lower rates on middle-income earners.

Thailand’s economy is recovering from slow growth during the years since the 2014 coup. Thailand’s economic fundamentals are sound, with low inflation, low unemployment, and reasonable public and external debt levels. Tourism and government spending - mostly on infrastructure and short-term stimulus measures – have helped to boost the economy, and The Bank of Thailand has been supportive, with several interest rate reductions.

Over the longer-term, household debt levels, political uncertainty, and an aging population pose risks to growth.

Hong Kong has a free market economy, highly dependent on international trade and finance - the value of goods and services trade, including the sizable share of reexports, is about four times GDP. Hong Kong has no tariffs on imported goods, and it levies excise duties on only four commodities, whether imported or produced locally: hard alcohol, tobacco, hydrocarbon oil, and methyl alcohol. There are no quotas or dumping laws. Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely to the US dollar, maintaining an arrangement established in 1983.

Excess liquidity, low interest rates and a tight housing supply have caused Hong Kong property prices to rise rapidly. The lower and middle-income segments of the population increasingly find housing unaffordable.

Hong Kong's open economy has left it exposed to the global economic situation. Its continued reliance on foreign trade and investment makes it vulnerable to renewed global financial market volatility or a slowdown in the global economy.

The mainland has long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner, accounting for about half of Hong Kong's total trade by value. Hong Kong's natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. As a result of China's easing of travel restrictions, the number of mainland tourists to the territory surged from 4.5 million in 2001 to 47.3 million in 2014, outnumbering visitors from all other countries combined. After peaking in 2014, overall tourist arrivals dropped 2.5% in 2015 and 4.5% in 2016. The tourism sector rebounded in 2017, with visitor arrivals rising 3.2% to 58.47 million. Travelers from Mainland China totaled 44.45 million, accounting for 76% of the total.

The Hong Kong Government is promoting the Special Administrative Region (SAR) as the preferred business hub for renminbi (RMB) internationalization. Hong Kong residents are allowed to establish RMB-denominated savings accounts, RMB-denominated corporate and Chinese government bonds have been issued in Hong Kong, RMB trade settlement is allowed, and investment schemes such as the Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (RQFII) Program was first launched in Hong Kong. Offshore RMB activities experienced a setback, however, after the People’s Bank of China changed the way it set the central parity rate in August 2015. RMB deposits in Hong Kong fell from 1.0 trillion RMB at the end of 2014 to 559 billion RMB at the end of 2017, while RMB trade settlement handled by banks in Hong Kong also shrank from 6.8 trillion RMB in 2015 to 3.9 trillion RMB in 2017.

Hong Kong has also established itself as the premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad. In 2015, mainland Chinese companies constituted about 50% of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and accounted for about 66% of the exchange's market capitalization.

During the past decade, as Hong Kong's manufacturing industry moved to the mainland, its service industry has grown rapidly. In 2014, Hong Kong and China signed a new agreement on achieving basic liberalization of trade in services in Guangdong Province under the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), adopted in 2003 to forge closer ties between Hong Kong and the mainland. The new measures, which took effect in March 2015, cover a negative list and a most-favored treatment provision. On the basis of the Guangdong Agreement, the Agreement on Trade in Services signed in November 2015 further enhanced liberalization, including extending the implementation of the majority of Guangdong pilot liberalization measures to the whole Mainland, reducing the restrictive measures in the negative list, and adding measures in the positive lists for cross-border services as well as cultural and telecommunications services. In June 2017, the Investment Agreement and the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation (Ecotech Agreement) were signed under the framework of CEPA.

Hong Kong’s economic integration with the mainland continues to be most evident in the banking and finance sector. Initiatives like the Hong Kong-Shanghai Stock Connect, the Hong Kong- Shenzhen Stock Connect the Mutual Recognition of Funds, and the Bond Connect scheme are all important steps towards opening up the Mainland’s capital markets and have reinforced Hong Kong’s role as China’s leading offshore RMB market. Additional connect schemes such as ETF Connect (for exchange-traded fund products) are also under exploration by Hong Kong authorities. In 2017, Chief Executive Carrie LAM announced plans to increase government spending on research and development, education, and technological innovation with the aim of spurring continued economic growth through greater sector diversification.

$1.229 trillion (2017 est.)

$1.185 trillion (2016 est.)

$1.148 trillion (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 21

$453 billion (2017 est.)

$437.5 billion (2016 est.)

$428.8 billion (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 44

$437.8 billion (2017 est.)

$334.1 billion (2017 est.)

3.7% (2017 est.)

3.2% (2016 est.)

2.9% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 84

3.5% (2017 est.)

2% (2016 est.)

2.4% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 89

$17,800 (2017 est.)

$17,200 (2016 est.)

$16,700 (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 97

$61,000 (2017 est.)

$59,400 (2016 est.)

$58,700 (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 18

32.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

33.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

30.3% of GDP (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 19

24.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

26.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

24.9% of GDP (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 52

household consumption: 50.1%

government consumption: 17%

investment in fixed capital: 24.2%

investment in inventories: -7%

exports of goods and services: 70.4%

imports of goods and services: -54.7% (2017 est.)

household consumption: 66.6%

government consumption: 10%

investment in fixed capital: 22.3%

investment in inventories: 0.7%

exports of goods and services: 191.9%

imports of goods and services: -191.3% (2017 est.)

agriculture: 8.2%

industry: 36.2%

services: 55.6% (2017 est.)

agriculture: 0.1%

industry: 7.2%

services: 92.7% (2017 est.)

rice, cassava (manioc, tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, palm oil, pineapple, livestock, fish products

fresh vegetables and fruit; poultry, pork; fish

tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry and electric appliances, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics, automobiles and automotive parts, agricultural machinery, air conditioning and refrigeration, ceramics, aluminum, chemical, environmental management, glass, granite and marble, leather, machinery and metal work, petrochemical, petroleum refining, pharmaceuticals, printing, pulp and paper, rubber, sugar, rice, fishing, cassava, world's second-largest tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer

trading and logistics, financial services, professional services, tourism, cultural and creative, clothing and textiles, shipping, electronics, toys, clocks and watches

3.6% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 79

3% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 103

38.37 million (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 17

3.965 million (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 95

agriculture: 31.8%

industry: 16.7%

services: 51.5% (2015 est.)

manufacturing: 3.8%

construction: 2.8%

wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels: 53.3%

financing, insurance, and real estate: 12.5%

transport and communications: 10.1%

community and social services: 17.1%

note: above data exclude public sector (2013 est.)

0.7% (2017 est.)

0.8% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

2.6% (2017 est.)

2.7% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 24

7.2% (2015 est.)

19.6% (2012 est.)

lowest 10%: 2.8%

highest 10%: 31.5% (2009 est.)

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

44.5 (2015 est.)

48.4 (2011 est.)

country comparison to the world: 44

53.7 (2011 est.)

53.3 (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 9

revenues: $79.6 billion

expenditures: $90.56 billion (2017 est.)

revenues: $66.19 billion

expenditures: $62.86 billion (2017 est.)

18.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 166

19.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 155

-2.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 99

1% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 15

44.1% of GDP (2017 est.)

41.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

note: data cover general government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are sold at public auctions

country comparison to the world: 121

43.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

44.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 122

1 October - 30 September

1 April - 31 March

0.6% (2017 est.)

0.2% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 21

2% (2017 est.)

2.6% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 93

1.5% (31 December 2016 est.)

1.5% (31 December 2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 121

0.5% (31 December 2013 est.)

0.5% (31 December 2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 133

6.2% (31 December 2017 est.)

6.31% (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 125

5.1% (31 December 2017 est.)

5% (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 144

$56.36 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$52.03 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 51

$310.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$285.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 17

$546.1 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$510.4 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 22

$1.736 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.613 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 10

$537.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$507.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 26

$719.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$676.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 22

$348.8 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$430.4 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

$354.4 billion (31 December 2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 28

$3.185 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

$3.233 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)

$3.101 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

$44 billion (2017 est.)

$46.83 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 11

$10.06 billion (2017 est.)

$14.88 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 21

$228.2 billion (2017 est.)

$214.3 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 23

$540 billion (2017 est.)

$502.5 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 8

automobiles and parts, computer and parts, jewelry and precious stones, polymers of ethylene in primary forms, refine fuels, electronic integrated circuits, chemical products, rice, fish products, rubber products, sugar, cassava, poultry, machinery and parts, iron and steel and their products

electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, watches and clocks, toys, "jewelry, goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares, and other articles of precious or semi-precious materials"; Hong Kong plays an important role as entrep?t to the Chinese mainland; in 2017, 58% of Hong Kong’s re-exports originated in mainland China, and 54% were destined for the Chinese mainland

US 11.4%, China 11.1%, Japan 9.6%, Hong Kong 5.3%, Australia 4.8%, Malaysia 4.5%, Vietnam 4.4% (2016)

China 54.3%, US 8.5%, India 4.1% (2016)

$190 billion (2017 est.)

$177.7 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 26

$561.4 billion (2017 est.)

$520.1 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 8

machinery and parts, crude oil, electrical machinery and parts, chemicals, iron & steel and product, electronic integrated circuit, automobile’s parts, jewelry including silver bars and gold, computers and parts, electrical household appliances, soybean, soybean meal, wheat, cotton, dairy products

raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is reexported)

China 21.6%, Japan 15.8%, US 6.2%, Malaysia 5.6% (2016)

China 45.5%, Taiwan 9.8%, South Korea 6.7%, Japan 6.3%, US 4.4% (2016)

$193.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$171.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 13

$398.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$386.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 9

$135.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$130.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 44

$494.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$505.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 23

$205.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$193.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 30

$1.901 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.786 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

$112.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$96.27 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 34

$1.806 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.723 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

baht per US dollar -

34.34 (2017 est.)

35.3 (2016 est.)

35.3 (2015 est.)

34.25 (2014 est.)

32.48 (2013 est.)

Hong Kong dollars (HKD) per US dollar -

7.8 (2017 est.)

7.76 (2016 est.)

7.76 (2015 est.)

7.75 (2014 est.)

7.75 (2013 est.)

population without electricity: 700,000

electrification - total population: 99%

electrification - urban areas: 99.7%

electrification - rural areas: 98.3% (2013)

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

167.9 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 24

35.75 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 61

168.3 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 23

41.74 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

2.267 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 43

1.205 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

14.41 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 16

11.62 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 23

40.97 million kW (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 24

12.63 million kW (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

76.7% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 94

100% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 9

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 188

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 107

8.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 121

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 180

14.2% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 51

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 187

257,500 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 34

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 148

12,200 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 57

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 136

830,500 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 14

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 139

396.4 million bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 52

0 bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 147

1.213 million bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 18

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 156

1.272 million bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 19

388,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 39

238,800 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 31

9,625 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 84

162,800 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 42

332,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 25

39.82 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 22

0 cu m (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 148

114.8 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 11

4.49 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 69

0 cu m (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 190

0 cu m (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 120

13.33 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 23

3.243 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 42

206.8 billion cu m (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 44

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 151

301 million Mt (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 21

90 million Mt (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 43

total subscriptions: 4.706 million

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 32

total subscriptions: 4,318,346

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 60 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 36

total: 119.669 million

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 175 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 13

total: 17,584,969

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 245 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 62

general assessment: high quality system, especially in urban areas like Bangkok

domestic: fixed-line system provided by both a government-owned and commercial provider; wireless service expanding rapidly

international: country code - 66; connected to major submarine cable systems providing links throughout Asia, Australia, Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean, 1 Pacific Ocean) (2016)

general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services

domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network

international: country code - 852; multiple international submarine cables provide connections to Asia, US, Australia, the Middle East, and Western Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China (2015)

26 digital TV stations in Bangkok broadcast nationally, 6 terrestrial TV stations in Bangkok broadcast nationally via relay stations - 2 of the stations are owned by the military, the other 4 are government-owned or controlled, leased to private enterprise, and all are required to broadcast government-produced news programs twice a day; multi-channel satellite and cable TV subscription services are available; radio frequencies have been allotted for more than 500 government and commercial radio stations; many small community radio stations operate with low-power transmitters (2017)

4 commercial terrestrial TV networks each with multiple stations; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems available; 3 licensed broadcasters of terrestrial radio, one of which is government funded, operate about 12 radio stations; note - 4 digital radio broadcasters operated in Hong Kong from 2010 to 2017, but all digital radio services were terminated in September 2017 due to weak market demand (2018)

.th

.hk

total: 32,398,778

percent of population: 47.5% (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 22

total: 6.066 million

percent of population: 85% (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 69

number of registered air carriers: 19

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 276

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 54,259,629

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 2,134,149,001 mt-km (2015)

number of registered air carriers: 7 (registered in China)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 253 (registered in China)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 41,867,157

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 11.294 billion mt-km (2015)

HS (2016)

B-H (2016)

101 (2013)

country comparison to the world: 56

2 (2013)

country comparison to the world: 201

total: 63

over 3,047 m: 8

2,438 to 3,047 m: 12

1,524 to 2,437 m: 23

914 to 1,523 m: 14

under 914 m: 6 (2013)

total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017)

total: 38

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 10

under 914 m: 26 (2013)

7 (2013)

9 (2013)

condensate 2 km; gas 5,900 km; liquid petroleum gas 85 km; oil 1 km; refined products 1,097 km (2013)

total: 4,127 km

standard gauge: 84 km 1.435-m gauge (84 km electrified)

narrow gauge: 4,043 km 1.000-m gauge (2017)

country comparison to the world: 45

total: 180,053 km (includes 450 km of expressways) (2006)

country comparison to the world: 30

total: 2,100 km

paved: 2,100 km (2015)

country comparison to the world: 174

4,000 km (3,701 km navigable by boats with drafts up to 0.9 m) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 26

total: 781

by type: bulk carrier 25, container ship 23, general cargo 94, oil tanker 240, other 399 (2017)

country comparison to the world: 27

total: 2,576

by type: bulk carrier 1,142, container ship 471, general cargo 226, oil tanker 346, other 391 (2017)

country comparison to the world: 9

major seaport(s): Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Map Ta Phut, Prachuap Port, Si Racha

container port(s) (TEUs): Bangkok (1,559,000), Laem Chabang (6,780,000) (2015)

LNG terminal(s) (import): Map Ta Phut

major seaport(s): Hong Kong

1.5% of GDP (2017)

1.45% of GDP (2016)

1.44% of GDP (2015)

1.41% of GDP (2014)

1.4% of GDP (2013)

country comparison to the world: 73

Royal Thai Armed Forces (Kongthap Thai, RTARF): Royal Thai Army (Kongthap Bok Thai, RTA), Royal Thai Navy (Kongthap Ruea Thai, RTN, includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force (Kongthap Agard Thai, RTAF) (2017)

no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the PLA Army, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Southern Command (2016)

21 years of age for compulsory military service; 18 years of age for voluntary military service; males register at 18 years of age; 2-year conscript service obligation (2012)

defense is the responsibility of China

separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Malay-Muslim southern provinces prompt border closures and controls with Malaysia to stem insurgent activities; Southeast Asian states have enhanced border surveillance to check the spread of avian flu; talks continue on completion of demarcation with Laos but disputes remain over several islands in the Mekong River; despite continuing border committee talks, Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities; Cambodia and Thailand dispute sections of boundary; in 2011, Thailand and Cambodia resorted to arms in the dispute over the location of the boundary on the precipice surmounted by Preah Vihear temple ruins, awarded to Cambodia by ICJ decision in 1962 and part of a planned UN World Heritage site; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween river near the border with Burma; in 2004, international environmentalist pressure prompted China to halt construction of 13 dams on the Salween River that flows through China, Burma, and Thailand; approximately 105,000 mostly Karen refugees fleeing civil strife, political upheaval and economic stagnation in Burma live in remote camps in Thailand near the border

Hong Kong plans to reduce its 2,800-hectare Frontier Closed Area (FCA) to 400 hectares by 2015; the FCA was established in 1951 as a buffer zone between Hong Kong and mainland China to prevent illegal migration from and the smuggling of goods

refugees (country of origin): 102,633 (Burma) (2016)

IDPs: 41,000 (resurgence in ethno-nationalist violence in south of country since 2004) (2017)

stateless persons: 487,741 (2016); note - about half of Thailand's northern hill tribe people do not have citizenship and make up the bulk of Thailand's stateless population; most lack documentation showing they or one of their parents were born in Thailand; children born to Burmese refugees are not eligible for Burmese or Thai citizenship and are stateless; most Chao Lay, maritime nomadic peoples, who travel from island to island in the Andaman Sea west of Thailand are also stateless; stateless Rohingya refugees from Burma are considered illegal migrants by Thai authorities and are detained in inhumane conditions or expelled; stateless persons are denied access to voting, property, education, employment, healthcare, and driving

note: Thai nationality was granted to more than 18,000 stateless persons in the last 3 years (2015)

current situation: Thailand is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking; victims from Burma, Cambodia, Laos, China, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, and India, migrate to Thailand in search of jobs but are forced, coerced, or defrauded into labor in commercial fishing, fishing-related industries, factories, domestic work, street begging, or the sex trade; some Thai, Burmese, Cambodian, and Indonesian men forced to work on fishing boats are kept at sea for years; sex trafficking of adults and children from Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Burma remains a significant problem; Thailand is a transit country for victims from China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Burma subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Russia, South Korea, the US, and countries in Western Europe; Thai victims are also trafficked in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East

tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Thailand does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, and is not making significant efforts to do so; in 2014, authorities investigated, prosecuted, and convicted fewer traffickers and identified fewer victims; some cases of official complicity were investigated and prosecuted, but trafficking-related corruption continues to hinder progress in combatting trafficking; authorities’ efforts to screen for victims among vulnerable populations remained inadequate due to a poor understanding of trafficking indicators, a failure to recognize non-physical forms of coercion, and a shortage of language interpreters; the government passed new labor laws increasing the minimum age in the fishing industry to 18 years old, guaranteeing the minimum wage, and requiring work contracts, but weak law enforcement and poor coordination among regulatory agencies enabled exploitive labor practices to continue; the government increased efforts to raise public awareness to the dangers of human trafficking and to deny entry to foreign sex tourists (2015)

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 cannabis 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 in methamphetamine production for regional consumption; major consumer of methamphetamine since the 1990s despite a series of government crackdowns

despite strenuous law enforcement efforts, faces difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people