A Country Study: Thailand

• Thailand
• Foreward
• Acknowledgments
• Preface
• Country Profile - Visit new updated Profile (PDF)
  • Country
  • Geography
  • Society
  • Economy
  • Transportation and Communications
  • Government and Politics
  • National Security
• Introduction

• Chapter 1 - Historical Setting (Donald M. Seekins)
  • Early History
    • The Mon and the Khmer
    • The Tai People: Origins and Migrations
    • Sukhothai
  • The Ayutthaya Era, 1350-1767
    • Thai Kingship
    • Social and Political Development
    • Economic Development
    • Contacts with the West
    • Ayutthaya: The Final Phase
  • The Bangkok Period, 1767-1932
    • The Chakkri Dynasty
    • Mongkut's Opening to the West
    • Chulalongkorn's Reforms
    • The Crisis of 1893
  • Beginning of the Consitutional Era
    • 1932 Coup
    • Phibun and the Nationalist Regime
    • World War II
    • Pridi and the Civilian Regime, 1944-47
  • Return of Phibun and the Military
    • November 1947 Coup
    • November 1951 Coup
    • Phibun's Experiment with "Democracy"
  • Sarit and Thanom
    • Sarit's Return
    • Thai Politics and Foreign Policy, 1963-71
    • November 1971 Coup
  • Thailand in Transition
  • Military Rule and Limited Parliamentary Government, 1976- 83
    • Prem in Power
    • Foreign Relations, 1977-83

• Chapter 2 - The Society and Its Environment (William P. Tuchrello)
  • Physical Setting
    • Boundaries
    • Topography and Drainage
      • Regions
      • Climate
  • Population
  • Ethnicity, Regionalism, and Language
    • The Thai and Other Tai-Speaking Peoples
    • The Non-Tai Minorities
      • The Highland, or Hill, Peoples
      • The Khmer
      • The Mon
      • The Vietnamese
      • The Chinese
      • The South Asians
    • Ethnic and Regional Relations
  • The Social System
    • Rural Social Patterns
    • National and Urban Structures: Class and Status
      • Class Consciousness
      • Social Mobility
  • Religion
    • Historical Background
    • Buddhist Doctrine and Popular Religion
    • The Sangha
    • Buddhism, Politics, and Values
    • Religious Minorities
  • Education and the Arts
  • Health and Welfare
  • The Indochinese Refugee Question

• Chapter 3 - The Economy (Andrew Cao)
  • Economic and Financial Development
    • Public Finance
    • Money and Banking
      • Financial Institutions
      • Money and Capital Markets
      • Rural Finance
      • Industrial Finance
      • Monetary Policies
    • Employment and Wages
  • International Trade and Finance
    • International Trade
    • External Debt
  • Industry
    • Manufacturing
    • Industrial Policy
  • AGRICULTURE
    • Land Use and Soils
    • Land Tenure
    • Tenancy and Land Reform
    • Irrigation
    • Crops
      • Rice
      • Rubber
      • Maize
      • Cassava
      • Other Crops
    • Livestock and Poultry
  • Fisheries
  • Forestry
  • Mining
  • Transportation
    • Inland Waterways
    • Railroads
    • Roads
    • Ports and Shipping
    • Civil Aviation
  • Energy
    • Electric Power
    • Petroleum and Natural Gas
  • Telecommunications

• Chapter 4 - Government and Politics (Rinn-Sup Shinn)
  • The Constitutional Framework
  • The Central Government
    • The King
    • National Assembly
    • Council of Ministers
    • Judiciary
  • Local Government
  • Civil Service
  • The Media
  • Political Developments, 1980-87
  • Political Parties
  • Foreign Affairs
    • Background
    • Foreign Relations since 1980

• Chapter 5 - National Security (John B. Haseman)
  • State of National Security
    • Insurgency
    • Potential External Threats
  • The Armed Forces
    • General Development
    • Place in National Life
      • The Military Roles
      • Manpower: Sources and Quality
      • Defense Spending
      • Domestic Defense Industry
    • Foreign Security Assistance
    • Military Structure
      • Royal Thai Army
      • Royal Thai Navy
      • Royal Thai Air Force
    • Training
    • Uniforms, Ranks, and Insignia
  • Internal Security System
    • Police and Paramilitary Forces
      • Provincial Police
      • Border Patrol Police
      • Metropolitan Police
      • Central Investigation Bureau
      • Education Bureau
    • Criminal Justice
      • Criminal Code
      • Procedures in Criminal Law
      • Penal System
    • Criminal Activity and the Narcotics Trade

• Appendix. Tables
• Bibliography
• Glossary