The Kingdom of Thailand, founded in 1238, is in Southeast Asia and is bordered by Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea. Its 2008 estimated population according to the United Nations is just over 64 million. In size, the country is slightly smaller than the state of Texas. The capital is Bangkok.
In September, 2006 the military carried out a bloodless coup against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra while he was at the UN General Assembly. An interim prime minister was appointed until a new constitution was adopted in 2007, and elections were held. As a constitutional monarchy, the King is the chief of state and the Prime Minister is the head of the government.
Thailand's climate is tropical monsoon. The great majority of Thai are Buddhists, with Muslims comprising the second largest religious group. Thailand’s unit of currency is the baht. Although modernization has improved living conditions for many Thai, it has also created greater gaps between rich and poor. Drug abuse is a serious problem and has contributed to a high incidence of AIDS. In 2004 more than 5,300 Thai lost their lives as a result of the tsunami that devastated the region.
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