Thailand nation profile – BBC Information

Thailand is the one nation in Southeast Asia to flee colonial rule. The Buddhist faith, the monarchy and the navy have formed the nation's society and politics.

The navy has dominated for many of the interval since 1947, with a couple of breaks through which the nation had a democratically elected authorities.

Since 2001, Thai politics has been marked by deep divisions between supporters and critics of Thaksin Shinawatra, who served as prime minister till his ouster by the navy in 2006.

In 2023, Thailand's opposition events secured by far essentially the most votes in nationwide elections as voters delivered a robust rebuke to the military-backed authorities that had dominated for the reason that 2014 coup.

Head of State: King Maha Vajiralongkorn

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. Maha Vajiralongkorn, the 10th Thai monarch of the Chakri Dynasty, was proclaimed king in December 2016.

He succeeded his father King Bhumibol Adulyadej, then the world's longest-reigning monarch, who died in October of the identical 12 months.

Prime Minister: Srettha Thavisin

Srettha Thavisin of the populist Pheu Thai get together received the help of parliament and have become Thailand's subsequent prime minister in August 2023. In doing so, it paved the way in which for a brand new coalition authorities and ended the political deadlock that adopted the nation's Might elections.

The vote got here simply hours after the historic homecoming of the Pheu Thai Occasion's billionaire figurehead, Thaksin Shinawatra, after years in self-imposed exile as a refugee.

The progressive Transfer Ahead Occasion, which received essentially the most votes, was blocked from taking energy by conservative senators – all appointed by the military after the 2014 coup. Thavisin's appointment as prime minister consolidates his get together's coalition with its former navy rivals.

Below Thailand's structure, drawn up underneath navy rule after the coup, each homes of parliament should vote to elect a brand new prime minister.

The Thai navy has seized energy 12 instances for the reason that finish of absolutely the monarchy in 1932.

The federal government and navy management nearly all the nation's terrestrial tv networks and function a lot of Thailand's radio stations.

The media is free to criticize authorities insurance policies and report instances of corruption and human rights violations.

Nonetheless, a strict lese majeste regulation prohibits the media in Thailand from reporting on something that could possibly be seen as important of the royal household, and journalists are inclined to self-censor on the navy, judiciary and different delicate subjects.

Some necessary dates in Thailand's historical past:

20,00zero BC BC – Proof of steady human settlement in present-day Thailand from this date.

C. 2000 B.C.E – Beginnings of rice cultivation.

C. 1250-1000 BC – Ban Chiang in northeastern Thailand, presently the earliest recognized middle of copper and bronze manufacturing in Southeast Asia

500 B.C. BC – Iron consumption happens.

68-550 AD – The Kingdom of Funan, primarily based within the Mekong Delta, turns into the area's first recognized regional energy.

802-1431 – The Khmer Empire, primarily based at Angkor Wat in Cambodia, encompasses a lot of recent Thailand.

1238-1438 – Kingdom of Sukhothai. Pho Khun Bang Klang Hao, an area Tai ruler, turns into the primary ruler of the dominion primarily based close to Sukhothai in north-central Thailand after rallying resistance to Khmer rule. In 1438 it got here underneath the affect of neighboring Ayutthaya.

1351-1767 – The Kingdom of Ayutthaya, centered on the southern metropolis of Ayutthaya, turns into a significant energy in Asia and is taken into account the forerunner of recent Thailand.

1569-1584 – Ayutthaya quickly turns into a vassal state of Taungoo Burma.

1656-1688 – Below Narai the Nice, Ayutthaya maintained business and diplomatic relations with nations within the Center East and the West. It developed shut diplomatic relations with Louis XIV in France. There may be intense rivalry within the kingdom between competing Dutch, French and English buying and selling firms.

1759-1760 And 1765-1767 – Burma's Konbaung dynasty invades Ayutthaya.

1767 – Ayutthaya is captured and destroyed by Burmese forces.

1767-1782 – Kingdom of Thonburi. The seat of energy strikes south to Thonburi, now a district in present-day Bangkok. Based by Taksin the Nice, who reunited the nation after the collapse of the Ayutthaya Kingdom.

1782 – Institution of the Rattanakosin Kingdom. Military commander Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok Maharaj overthrows Taksin and turns into Rama I, the primary monarch of the ruling Chakri dynasty of Siam, now Thailand. Rattanakosin, at present's Bangkok, turns into the brand new capital of the reunified kingdom.

1896 – Rival colonial powers Britain and France comply with make Thailand's central Chao Phraya Valley a buffer state between their territories in India and Burma (now Myanmar) and France's occupation of Indochina.

1932 – Absolutely the monarchy offers technique to the constitutional monarchy with parliamentary authorities.

1939 – Decree modifications the identify of the nation from “Siam” to “Thailand”.

1940-41 – After the autumn of France in World Struggle II, Thailand fights a short battle with colonial Vichy France, which leads to Thailand conquering some Laotian and Cambodian territories.

1941 – Japan assaults the US fleet at Pearl Harbor and invades the Dutch East Indies. Japanese armies cross Thailand to invade Malaya and Burma. Thailand allies with Japan.

1947 – First navy coup after 1945. The navy retained energy uninterrupted till 1973.

1954 – Thailand joins the Southeast Asia Treaty Group (Seato) to turn into an energetic ally of the US.

1961 – After rising US involvement within the Vietnam Struggle, the US secretly agrees to guard Thailand. Starting within the mid-1960s, the US used Thai air bases to bomb North Vietnam.

1965-83 – Communist Insurgency: Combating is primarily between the Communist Occasion of Thailand (CPT) and Thai authorities forces. Combating ceased after 1980 following the announcement of an amnesty. Greater than 7,00zero troopers, authorities officers, insurgents and civilians are killed within the preventing.

1975 – Finish of the Vietnam Struggle: South Vietnam collapses after the US withdraws navy help, North Vietnamese forces march south and occupy Saigon.

1997 – The Asian monetary disaster ends Thailand's 40 years of financial progress.

2001 – Populist Thaksin Shinawatra turns into prime minister for the primary time.

2006 – Army leaders stage a cold coup.

2011 – The professional-Thaksin Pheu Thai get together wins a landslide election victory and his youthful sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, turns into prime minister.

2014 – The navy junta led by Common Prayut Chan-ocha takes energy. The junta binds future governments to a “roadmap” it units for a 20-year nationwide technique, successfully tying the nation to a military-run democracy.

2016 – King Bhumibol Adulyadej dies after 70 years on the throne and is succeeded by his son Maha Vajiralongkorn.

2023 – Thailand's charismatic former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra can be jailed upon his return to the nation after 15 years in self-imposed exile, though many consider he made a deal which means he’ll solely serve a short while in jail.