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Where is Thailand located?
Thailand has about the same land area as Spain or France and consists of a main section in the north and a peninsular extension in the south. The main part of the country is bordered to the west by Myanmar, to the north and east by Laos, to the southeast by Cambodia, and to the south by the Gulf of Thailand. Peninsular Thailand goes south from the country's southwest corner along the Malay Peninsula's eastern edge. Thailand occupies the entire peninsula until it reaches Malaysia to the south. Bangkok is the capital of Thailand.
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What is the capital city of Thailand?
The capital of Thailand is Bangkok. Known to locals as Krung Thep, Bangkok became the capital in 1782, when the ruling Chakkri dynasty's founder, Rama I, moved the court to the Chao Phraya River's east bank. Today, Bangkok is Thailand's cultural and commercial center, known for its temples, nightlife, and historical landmarks.
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What kind of climate does Thailand have?
Thailand's climate is influenced by its location in the tropical monsoon zone of mainland Southeast Asia. From May to September, the southwest monsoon brings warm, humid air from the Indian Ocean, resulting in substantial rainfall. September is the rainiest month. From November to February, the northeast monsoon brings cooler, drier air, lowering temperatures. March and April feature a hot and dry intermonsoonal period.
Temperatures remain fairly consistent year-round, averaging 77–84 °F (25–29 °C). The north experiences the greatest temperature variations, with occasional frost at higher elevations in December. Maritime influences moderate the climate in the south.
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What religions are practiced by most people in Thailand?
In Thailand, the vast majority of people adhere to Buddhism, specifically the Theravada tradition, which came from Sri Lanka. Almost every settlement has a temple-monastery (wat) where monks reside and communal rituals occur.
Thai religion also incorporates beliefs and practices from local religions and Hinduism. Although there are only a small number of Hindus in Thailand, largely the descendants of immigrants from India, Hindu religious elements are common.
Besides Buddhism, a minority of Muslims live primarily in southern Thailand and around Bangkok. Christian missionaries came to the country in the 16th century; however, only a tiny fraction of Thai have converted to Roman Catholicism or Protestantism.
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What are some traditional foods from Thailand?
Thai cuisine is known for blending spicy, mild, sweet, and sour flavors. A typical Thai meal includes curries made with coconut milk, shrimp paste, garlic, chili peppers, and seasonings such as coriander, lemongrass, galangal, and Kaffir lime leaves. Fish sauce is a basic ingredient, similar to how the Chinese use soy sauce. While rice is a staple, the Thai have adopted foods like noodles from Chinese cuisine.
People in northern Thailand prefer glutinous rice, while som tam, a salad made from green papayas, is a popular Lao food commonly found in Thai restaurants. Pad Thai is a well-known Thai dish consisting of rice noodles stir-fried with bean sprouts, peanuts, and shrimp.
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How do festivals and holidays reflect Thailand's culture?
Thailand's festivals and holidays reflect its culture through a blend of religious observance, royal traditions, and community celebration. Many festivals have their roots in ancient practices connected to the royal court and Buddhist temples.
Key holidays include Visakha Puja, which celebrates the birth, enlightenment, and death of Buddha, and Songkran, a New Year festival involving merit-making, family blessings, and public water fights symbolizing cleansing and renewal. The monarchy also plays a vital role in preserving Thailand’s heritage through participation in state ceremonies, royal functions, and popular festivals, often incorporating Buddhist rites.
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News •
Thailand, country located in the centre of mainland Southeast Asia. Located wholly within the tropics, Thailand encompasses diverse ecosystems, including the hilly forested areas of the northern frontier, the fertile rice fields of the central plains, the broad plateau of the northeast, and the rugged coasts along the narrow southern peninsula.
Until the second half of the 20th century, Thailand was primarily an agricultural country, but since the 1960s increasing numbers of people have moved to Bangkok, the capital, and to other cities. Although the greater Bangkok metropolitan area remains the preeminent urban centre in the country, there are other sizable cities, such as Chiang Mai in the north, Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat), Khon Kaen, and Udon Thani in the northeast, Pattaya in the southeast, and Hat Yai in the far south.
- Head Of Government:
- Prime Minister: Anutin Charnvirakul
- Capital:
- Bangkok
- Population:
- (2026 est.) 66,272,000
- Currency Exchange Rate:
- 1 USD equals 33.780 Thai baht
- Head Of State:
- King Vajiralongkorn
- Form Of Government:
- constitutional monarchy with two legislative houses (Senate [200]; House of Representatives [500])
- Official Language:
- Thai
- Official Religion:
- none
- Official Name:
- Ratcha Anachak Thai (Kingdom of Thailand)
- Total Area (Sq Km):
- 513,140
- Total Area (Sq Mi):
- 198,124
- Monetary Unit:
- baht (THB)
- Population Rank:
- (2026) 23
- Population Projection 2030:
- 65,578,000
- Density: Persons Per Sq Mi:
- (2026) 334.5
- Density: Persons Per Sq Km:
- (2026) 129.1
- Urban-Rural Population:
- Urban: (2024) 54.3%
- Rural: (2024) 45.7%
- Life Expectancy At Birth:
- Male: (2024) 71.9 years
- Female: (2025) 80 years
- Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000):
- (2024) 508,954
- Gni Per Capita (U.S.$):
- (2024) 7,100
Siam, as Thailand was officially called until 1939, was never brought under European colonial domination. Independent Siam was ruled by an absolute monarchy until a revolution there in 1932. Since that time, Thailand has been a constitutional monarchy, and all subsequent constitutions have provided for an elected parliament. Political authority, however, has often been held by the military, which has taken power through coups. During the last two decades of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st, parliamentary democracy steadily gained wider popular support. Although a crisis emerged in 2006, when the military, aligned with the monarchy, overthrew an elected government, new parliamentary elections were held—as promised by the interim government—in 2007.