Thailand

Thailand ( or  ; ประเทศไทย, ), officially the Kingdom of Thailand (ราชอาณาจักรไทย, ; ), is a country in Southeast Asia. Its neighbours are Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Myanmar. The country's name was Siam until June 24 1939. It was again called Siam between 1945 and May 11 1949, when it changed back to Thailand. The word Thai (ไทย) comes from the ethnic group in the center of Thailand. The capital city is Bangkok. Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia that was not ruled by Western countries as it served as a buffer zone between English and French colonies.

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. It has a King as a head of state. The current monarch is Vajiralongkorn.

Most of the people of Thailand (95%) follow the philosophy called Buddhism. However, a small number, mostly in the southern part of the country, follow the religion Islam. Other religions in Thailand are Christianity, Hinduism, and Sikhism. Now, some of the Muslims in the south have begun fighting the government of Thailand, because they want to be more independent (free of the control of another country).

History
Many people believe that the first Thai state was the Buddhist kingdom named Sukhothai founded in 1238. Sukhothai achieved independence from the kingdom of Cambodia.

A century later, a bigger Thai kingdom named Ayuthaya appeared in the South of Sukhothai. Later Sukhothai became a part of Ayuthaya. Ayuthaya existed for more than 400 years before its fall by the attack of a Burmese kingdom.

A Thai soldier of Chinese origin then founded a new capital city at Thonburi, and became King Tāksin. Thonburi was the capital for a short period.

The current era, Rattanakosin, started on the foundation of Bangkok as the capital city by King Rama I of Chakri Dynasty.

Before 1932, Thailand was an absolute monarchy, meaning the King had total power in the country. On June 24, 1932, a group of people staged a coup and changed Thailand to a constitutional monarchy. It was not until 1973 that Thai people voted for a Prime Minister in an election. There were coups both before and after this year.

In 1951, there was a failed coup - the Manhattan Rebellion. On September 19, 2006, the army staged a coup d'état and took control from Thaksin Shinawatra's government.

In May 2014, a new military coup d'état removed another government.

In October 2016, Rama X become the new king.

Between 1932 and 2014, Thailand had 12 coup d'état.

Provinces
Thailand is divided into 76 provinces (จังหวัด, changwat), which make up 5 groups of provinces. There are also 2 special governed districts: the capital Bangkok (Krung Thep Maha Nakhon) and Pattaya. Bangkok is often wrongly counted as a province. The 76 provinces including Bangkok are as follows:



Central

 * 1) Ang Thong
 * 2) Bangkok (Krung Thep Maha Nakhon), Special Governed District of
 * 3) Chai Nat
 * 4) Kanchanaburi
 * 5) Lopburi
 * 6) Nakhon Nayok
 * 7) Nakhon Pathom
 * 8) Nonthaburi
 * 9) Pathum Thani
 * 10) Phetchaburi
 * 11) Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
 * 12) Prachuap Khiri Khan
 * 13) Ratchaburi
 * 14) Samut Prakan
 * 15) Samut Sakhon
 * 16) Samut Songkhram
 * 17) Saraburi
 * 18) Sing Buri
 * 19) Suphan Buri

East

 * 1) Chachoengsao
 * 2) Chanthaburi
 * 3) Chonburi
 * 4) Prachinburi
 * 5) Rayong
 * 6) Sa Kaeo
 * 7) Trat

North

 * 1) Chiang Mai
 * 2) Chiang Rai
 * 3) Kamphaeng Phet
 * 4) Lampang
 * 5) Lamphun
 * 6) Mae Hong Son
 * 7) Nakhon Sawan
 * 8) Nan
 * 9) Phayao
 * 10) Phetchabun
 * 11) Phichit
 * 12) Phitsanulok
 * 13) Phrae
 * 14) Sukhothai
 * 15) Tak
 * 16) Uthai Thani
 * 17) Uttaradit



Northeast (Isan)

 * 1) Amnat Charoen
 * 2) Bueng Kan
 * 3) Buri Ram
 * 4) Chaiyaphum
 * 5) Kalasin
 * 6) Khon Kaen
 * 7) Loei
 * 8) Maha Sarakham
 * 9) Mukdahan
 * 10) Nakhon Phanom
 * 11) Nakhon Ratchasima
 * 12) Nong Bua Lamphu
 * 13) Nong Khai
 * 14) Roi Et
 * 15) Sakon Nakhon
 * 16) Si Sa Ket
 * 17) Surin
 * 18) Ubon Ratchathani Phra That Nakhon.jpg Thailand ]]
 * 19) Udon Thani
 * 20) Yasothon

South

 * 1) Chumphon
 * 2) Krabi
 * 3) Nakhon Si Thammarat
 * 4) Narathiwat
 * 5) Pattani
 * 6) Phang Nga
 * 7) Phatthalung
 * 8) Phuket
 * 9) Ranong
 * 10) Satun
 * 11) Songkhla
 * 12) Surat Thani
 * 13) Trang
 * 14) Yala

NOTE: In italics [1], that province represents the Greater Bangkok sub-region; in italics [2], that province represents the West sub-region.

Other websites

 * Thaigov.go.th Royal Government of Thailand
 * Tourism Authority of Thailand Official tourism website
 * Thai National Assembly Official Thai Parliament website
 * Mfa.go.th Thailand Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 * Birdwatching in Thailand
 * Learn Thai Culture.com
 * CIA - The World Factbook - Thailand
 * Thailand Country Fact Sheet from the Common Language Project
 * Longdo Map Thailand On-line Thailand map
 * Holidays Thailand Holidays In Thailand