Modern Thailand

Modern Thailand is as much attuned to the microchip as to its traditional Buddhist culture. Gas wells in the in the Thai Gulf provide invaluable energy; refineries process Middle East and Thai oil; cement, mining, textiles, electronics and food processing number among major industries; the modern Thai executive uses a personal computer instead of traditing an astrologer; but tradition prevails in villages where some 80% of all Thais live and are connected in some way with agriculture.

Thailand's economy is one of Asia's strongest, with figures from the Federation of Thai Industries showing between 6.5 to 8.5% growth in the GNP for the last few years. Traditionally agrarian, it has evolved to the stage where diverse manufacturing industries employ sophisticated technology while the agricultural sector provides national self sufficiency and makes the kingdom one of the world's largest food exporters, indeed the sole net food exporter in Asia.

Thailand's economic strength is complemented by regional alliances and relationships, the most important of which is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which is dedicated to A economic and cultural development between member countries (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, singapore, the Philippines,Thailand and Vietnam) and corollary social and diplomatic harmony.


Internationally, Thailand enjoys diplomatic relations with every major government and is represented abroad by 54 embassies, 2 permanent missions to the United Nations, l5 consulates and 6 trade centres.Thailand is also a member of World Trade Organization (WTO) which counts 112 countries as members. Over the past several decades, Thailand has built perhaps the most modern network of highways. and feeder roads to be found inany Southeast Asian country.Some indication of the magnitude 2 of this achievement can he seen in the fact that the total roadl system grew from 26,000 kilometres 9 in 1971 to approximately 176,259 kilometres in 1992.