Background to Thailand #1: Country

Thailand covers an area of 517,000 sq km, with neighbouring countries Myanmar (Burma) to its northwest, Laos and Cambodia to its east, and Malaysia to its south. It is made up of seventy seven provinces (jangwat), and has a population of sixty two million people. The country is still primarily rural, although just over a third of all Thai people now live in the urban areas.

Bangkok is the major metropolis of the country with between six - eight million Thai people working or living within its center and in the adjoining provinces. Thailand is a major exporter of agricultural produce (such as coconuts, sugar, maize, pineapple, palm oil), and is the world leader in rice and natural rubber exports. Canned shrimps and tuna are also major export products. When it comes to tourism Thailand is the most popular destination in South East Asia for holiday makers. Up to 40 million visitors come to Thailand each year, almost half of them repeat visitors.