Portal:Thailand

Kingdom of Thailand
ราชอาณาจักรไทย (Thai)
*Ratcha-anachak Thai*
Kingdom of Thailand ราชอาณาจักรไทย (Thai); Ratcha-anachak Thai;
	Flag Coat of arms
ISO 3166 code	TH

Welcome to the Thailand Portal / สถานีย่อยประเทศไทย

Thailand is a country in Southeast Asia, located on the Indochinese Peninsula. It is officially known as the Kingdom of Thailand and historically Siam until 1939. With a population of almost 66 million, it spans 513,115 square kilometres (198,115 sq mi). Thailand is bordered to the northwest by Myanmar, to the northeast and east by Laos, to the southeast by Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the southwest by the Andaman Sea; it also shares maritime borders with Vietnam to the southeast and Indonesia and India to the southwest. Bangkok is the state capital and largest city.

Apart from a brief period of parliamentary democracy in the mid-1970s and 1990s, Thailand has periodically alternated between democracy and military rule. Since the 2000s, the country has been in continual political conflict between supporters and opponents of twice-elected Prime Minister of Thailand Thaksin Shinawatra, which resulted in two coups (in 2006 and 2014), along with the establishment of its current constitution, a nominally democratic government after the 2019 Thai general election, and large pro-democracy protests in 2020–2021, which included unprecedented demands to reform the monarchy. Since 2019, it has been nominally a parliamentary constitutional monarchy; in practice, however, structural advantages in the constitution have ensured the military's continued influence in politics.

Thailand is a middle power in global affairs and a founding member of ASEAN. It has the second-largest economy in Southeast Asia and the 23rd-largest in the world by PPP, and it ranks 29th by nominal GDP. Thailand is classified as a newly industrialised economy, with manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism as leading sectors. (Full article...)

Selected articles -

Image 1

Passenger terminal and airport traffic control tower

Suvarnabhumi Airport (IATA: BKK, ICAO: VTBS) is the main international airport serving Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand. It is one of two airports serving Bangkok, the other being Don Mueang International Airport (DMK). Located mostly in Racha Thewa commune, Bang Phli district, Samut Prakan province, it covers an area of 3,520 ha (35.2 km²; 8,700 acres), making it one of the biggest international airports in Southeast Asia, tenth biggest in the world and a regional hub for aviation. It has an Airport Rail Link, an Automated People Mover as well as being located close to Motorway 7.

Formerly named as Nong Nguhao (lit. 'Cobra Swamp') and later changed to the name of a legendary land, Suvarnabhumi is the busiest in the country, ninth busiest airport in Asia, and 20th busiest airport in the world, handling 62,234,693 passengers in 2024. As of 2025, it is served by the most airlines in the world, with 113 airlines operating from the airport. (Full article...)
Image 2

Luang Por Dattajivo (Thai: ทตฺตชีโว, RTGS: Thattachiwo; Pali: Dattajīvo; born 21 December 1940), also known by his birth name Phadet Phongsawat (Thai: เผด็จ ผ่องสวัสดิ์) and former ecclesiastical title Phrarajbhavanajahn (Thai: พระราชภาวนาจารย์, RTGS: Phra Rat Phawanachan), is a Thai Buddhist monk. He is the former deputy-abbot of Wat Phra Dhammakaya and the vice-president of the Dhammakaya Foundation, and was the observing abbot of the temple from 1999 until 2006, and again from 2011 until 2016. As of December 2016, he was still widely considered the de facto abbot. He met Mae chi (nun) Chandra Khonnokyoong and Luang Por Dhammajayo in his student years, and they have been his teachers throughout his life.

Luang Por Dattajivo was ordained in 1971, and quickly became a prolific author. He also took on a significant role in managing Wat Phra Dhammakaya. It was for this position that he was charged by the Thai military junta in 2017, when he refused to deliver Luang Por Dhammajayo to the authorities. This happened during the lockdown by the Thai junta, when abbot Luang Por Dhammajayo was sought for charges of receiving ill-gotten gains, charges which have been widely described as politically motivated. (Full article...)
Image 3

Phra Pathommachedi

Phra Pathommachedi or Phra Pathom Chedi (Thai: พระปฐมเจดีย์) is a Buddhist stupa in Thailand. The stupa is located in the Wat Phra Pathommachedi Ratcha Wora Maha Wihan (Thai: วัดพระปฐมเจดีย์ราชวรมหาวิหาร), a temple in the town center of Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Pathom Province, Thailand. Phra Pathommachedi is the second tallest stupa in the world. The top of its spire reaches 120.45 meters, with the base circumference of 235.50 meters.

The name Phra Pathommachedi means the first holy stupa, given by king Mongkut. Modern Historians believe that the stupa was one of the principal stupas of ancient Nakhon Pathom, the largest city of the Mon kingdom of Dvaravati in Nakhon Pathom area together with the nearby Phra Prathon Chedi (Thai: พระประโทณเจดีย์) during the 6th to the 8th centuries. (Full article...)
Image 4

Location of Thailand (dark green)

In Thailand, cannabis, known by the name Ganja (Thai: กัญชา; RTGS: kancha), is currently (as of 25 June 2025) a controlled substance and criminalized. However, cannabis extracts and products are officially limited to 0.2% THC content. Only medicinal use is legal, but in practice there is wide recreational usage. Legislation has been proposed which provides for fines for non-permitted uses and fines and jail time for unauthorized sale.

Import and export of cannabis are still highly regulated. (Full article...)
Image 5

View from the Outer Court of the Grand Palace

Wat Phra Kaew (Thai: วัดพระแก้ว, RTGS: Wat Phra Kaeo, pronounced [wát pʰráʔ kɛ̂ːw] ), commonly known in English as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and officially as Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram, is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. The complex consists of a number of buildings within the precincts of the Grand Palace in the historical centre of Bangkok. It houses the statue of the Emerald Buddha, which is venerated as the country's palladium.

Construction of the temple began in 1783 under the orders of Rama I, the first king of the Chakri dynasty. Since then, each successive king has been personally involved in adding, restoring and embellishing the temple during their reigns as a way of making religious merit and glorifying the dynasty. Many important state and royal ceremonies are held within the temple each year, presided by the king in person and attended by government officials. This makes the temple the nation's preeminent place of worship and a national shrine for the monarchy and the state. Throughout the years, each king has donated sacred and valuable objects to the temple, making it a treasury as well. (Full article...)
Image 6

Street stall pad thai from Chiang Mai in northern Thailand

Pad Thai (/ˌpɑːd ˈtaɪ/ or /ˌpæd ˈtaɪ/; Thai: ผัดไทย, RTGS: phat thai, ISO: p̄hạd thịy, pronounced [pʰàt̚ tʰāj] ), also spelled phat Thai or phad Thai, is a stir-fried rice noodle dish commonly served as a street food in Thailand as part of the country's cuisine. It is typically made with rice noodles, shrimp, peanuts, scrambled egg, sugar and bean sprouts. The ingredients are fried in a wok. (Full article...)
Image 7
Elephants in Ayutthaya

The elephant has been a contributor to Thai society and its icon for many centuries. The elephant has had a considerable impact on Thai culture. The Thai elephant (Thai: ช้างไทย, chang Thai) is the official national animal of Thailand. The elephant found in Thailand is the Indian elephant (Elephas maximus indicus), a subspecies of the Asian elephant. In the early-20th century there were an estimated 100,000 captive elephants in Thailand. In mid-2007 there were an estimated 3,456 captive elephants left in Thailand and roughly a thousand wild elephants. By 2017, the number of captive elephants had risen to an estimated 3,783. The elephant became an endangered species in Thailand in 1986. (Full article...)
Image 8

Aerial view of Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai, sometimes written as Chiengmai or Chiangmai, is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second largest city in Thailand. It is 700 km (435 mi) north of Bangkok in a mountainous region called the Thai highlands and has a population of approximately 127,000 within the city municipality, as of 2023.

The heart of the city is commonly defined by a square area about 1.6 km x 1.6 km. It is bordered by ancient red brick walls (now only remnants), and has a moat surrounding it. (Full article...)
Image 9

Portrait at the Grand Palace, Bangkok

Phutthayotfa Chulalok (born Thongduang; 20 March 1737 – 7 September 1809), also known by his regnal name Rama I, was the founder of the Rattanakosin Kingdom (now Thailand) and the first King of Siam from the reigning Chakri dynasty. He ascended the throne in 1782, following the deposition of King Taksin of Thonburi. He was also celebrated as the founder of Rattanakosin (now Bangkok) as the new capital of the reunited kingdom.

Rama I, whose given name was Thongduang, was born from a Mon male line descent family, great-grandson of Kosa Pan. His father served in the royal court of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. Thongduang and his younger brother Boonma served King Taksin in wars against the Burmese Konbaung dynasty and helped him in the reunification of Siam. During this time he emerged as Siam's most powerful military leader. Thongduang was the first Somdet Chao Phraya, the highest rank the nobility could attain, equaled to that of royalty. In 1782, he took control of Siam and crowned himself as the monarch. The most famous event in his reign was the Burmese–Siamese War (1785–1786), which was the last major Burmese assault on Siam. (Full article...)
Image 10

Location of the Gulf of Thailand

The Gulf of Thailand (Thai: อ่าวไทย), historically known as the Gulf of Siam (Thai: อ่าวสยาม), is a shallow inlet adjacent to the southwestern South China Sea, bounded between the southwestern shores of the Indochinese Peninsula and the northern half of the Malay Peninsula. It is around 800 km (500 mi) in length and up to 560 km (350 mi) in width, and has a surface area of 320,000 km² (120,000 sq mi). The gulf is surrounded on the north, west and southwest by the coastlines of Thailand (hence the name), on the northeast by Cambodia and the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam, and opens to the South China Sea in the southeast. (Full article...)

General images

The following are images from various Thailand-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Siamese administrative division in 1893 (Rama V) (from History of Thailand)
Image 2A Buddha from Wat Kukkut, Lamphun (from History of Thailand)
Image 3Traditional Thai desserts (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 4The Khmer temple of Wat Phra Prang Sam Yod, Lopburi. (from History of Thailand)
Image 5The ruins of Ayutthaya city was completely buried beneath a mass of jungle vegetation in 1930. (from History of Thailand)
Image 6Mural painting of the epic Ramakien depicts the Hanuman enlarging his body to rescue Phra Ram. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 7Siam in 1900 (from History of Thailand)
Image 8Funeral pyre of Chan Kusalo, the patriarch-abbot of northern Thailand. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 9Map showing linguistic family tree overlaid on a geographic distribution map of Tai-Kadai family. This map only shows general pattern of the migration of Tai-speaking tribes, not specific routes, which would have snaked along the rivers and over the lower passes. (from History of Thailand)
Image 10Schoolgirls and boys playing khrueang sai in front of a temple (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 11Siamese Expeditionary Forces in Paris Victory Parade, 1919. (from History of Thailand)
Image 12The Democracy Monument in Bangkok, built in 1940 to commemorate the end of the absolute monarchy in 1932, was the scene of massive demonstrations in 1973, 1976, 1992 and 2010. (from History of Thailand)
Image 13Siamese administrative division in 1890 (Rama V) (from History of Thailand)
Image 14Mural painting in Wat Borom Niwat by Khrua In Khong. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 15Buakaw Banchamek, a famous Muay Thai fighter (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 16Thai administrative division in 1945 (Rama VIII) (from History of Thailand)
Image 1715th-century Kalong ware glazed stoneware dish (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 18Siamese administrative division in 1932 (Rama VII) (from History of Thailand)
Image 19Thai soldiers at the Chang Phueak Gate in Chiang Mai. (from History of Thailand)
Image 20Thai women wearing Isan modified sinh dress for Boon Bang Fai festival in Roi Et (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 21Siamese administrative division in 1900 (Rama V) (from History of Thailand)
Image 22A 14-year-old Vietnamese contaminated with Agent Orange. (from History of Thailand)
Image 23Siamese in Laos, canoe racing, 1866 (from History of Thailand)
Image 24A traditional wedding in Thailand. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 25Siamese monthon division in 1900 (Rama V) (from History of Thailand)
Image 26General Prayut Chan-o-cha, the coup leader (from History of Thailand)
Image 27Thai administrative division in 1941 (Rama VIII) (from History of Thailand)
Image 28Thai greeting, the smile is an important symbol of refinement in Thai culture. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 29Buddhist novices receiving joss sticks. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 30Rattanakosin administrative division in 1882 (Rama V) (from History of Thailand)
Image 31United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship, Red Shirts, protest on Ratchaprasong intersection in 2010. (from History of Thailand)
Image 32King Chulalongkorn (from History of Thailand)
Image 33Sukhothai administrative division in 1293 (Ramkhamhaeng) (from History of Thailand)
Image 34Five states of Siam that emerged from the dissolution of the Ayutthaya Kingdom in 1767 (from History of Thailand)
Image 35Siamese administrative division in 1906 (Rama V) (from History of Thailand)
Image 36A group of traditional Thai houses at King Rama II Memorial Park in Amphawa, Samut Songkhram. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 37Wat Arun, the most prominent temple of the Thonburi period, derives its name from the Hindu god Aruṇa. Its main prang was constructed later in the Rattanakosin period. (from History of Thailand)
Image 38Mural painting at Phra Thi Nang Phutthaisawan dates back to the early Rattanakosin period. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 39Display of respect of the younger towards the elder is a cornerstone value in Thailand. A family during the Buddhist ceremony for young men who are to be ordained as monks. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 40The image depicts Khon, a traditional dance drama that has been recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2018. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 41Muay Thai match in Bangkok, Thailand (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 42Siamese administrative division in 1916 (Rama VI) (from History of Thailand)
Image 43King Vajiralongkorn, the current monarch of Thailand (from History of Thailand)
Image 44Walking Street, Pattaya (from History of Thailand)
Image 45People's Alliance for Democracy, Yellow Shirts, rally on Sukhumvit Road in 2008. (from History of Thailand)
Image 46Protesters mobilising, 1 December 2013 (from History of Thailand)
Image 47Phibun welcomes students of Chulalongkorn University, at Bangkok's Grand Palace – 8 October 1940. (from History of Thailand)
Image 48Map of the Kingdom of Siam with Tributary States, 1869 (from History of Thailand)
Image 49Mural painting in Wat Amphawan Chetiyaram showing the royal cremation ceremony (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 50Wat Phra Kaew, an example of early Rattanakosin period architecture located in Bangkok's historic Rattanakosin Island. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 51Rattanakosin administrative division in 1800 (Rama I) (from History of Thailand)
Image 52Thai women wearing sabai, Jim Thompson House (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 5315th-16th century Sawankhalok stoneware with brown underglaze and pale blue glaze (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 54Thai administrative division in 2023 (Rama X) (from History of Thailand)
Image 55Ayutthaya administrative division in 1767 (Borommaracha III) (from History of Thailand)
Image 56Yi Peng, floating lantern festival in Northern Thailand, observed around the same time as Loy Krathong. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 57The roads along the old moat of Chiang Mai are full of vehicles during the Songkran water splashing festival. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 58Rattanakosin administrative division in 1837 (Rama III) (from History of Thailand)
Image 59Siamese administrative division in 1908 (Rama V) (from History of Thailand)
Image 60Painted pottery bowls from the Ban Chiang archaeological site. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 61Wat Arun (from History of Thailand)
Image 62Indochina political map, 960 AD (from History of Thailand)
Image 63A wedding ceremony in Thailand. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 64Rattanakosin administrative division in 1805 (Rama I) (from History of Thailand)
Image 65Thaksin Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand, 2001–2006. (from History of Thailand)
Image 66Thonburi administrative division in 1780 (Borommaracha IV) (from History of Thailand)
Image 67Thai administrative division in 1973 (Rama IX) (from History of Thailand)
Image 68A group of Kalae houses, traditional northern Thai house located at Thawan Duchanee's house in Chiang Rai. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 69Ayutthaya administrative division in 1468 (Borommatrailokkanat) (from History of Thailand)
Image 70Rattanakosin administrative division in 1824 (Rama II) (from History of Thailand)
Image 71Thai administrative division in 1950 (Rama IX) (from History of Thailand)
Image 72Gurkhas guide disarmed Japanese soldiers from Bangkok to prisoner of war camps outside the city, September 1945 (from History of Thailand)
Image 73King Bhumibol in his birthday ceremony in 2007, celebrating his longest-reigning in Thai history. (from History of Thailand)
Image 74Khaosan Road, Bangkok (from History of Thailand)
Image 75People floating krathong rafts during the Loi Krathong festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 76King Prajadhipok signing the Permanent Constitution of Siam on 10 December 1932 (from History of Thailand)
Image 77Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall, the royal reception hall built in European architectural style. Construction was started by Rama V, but was completed in 1915. (from History of Thailand)
Image 7817th-19th century Benjarong style ceramics from Ayutthaya. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 79Rattanakosin administrative division in 1850 (Rama III) (from History of Thailand)

List articles

More Thailand-related lists

Good article -

This is a Good article, an article that meets a core set of high editorial standards.

Naem may refer to: (Full article...)

List of Good articles

Did you know (auto-generated) -

... that a restaurant in a Thai hotel serves "Chicken Volcano", a dish containing whiskey?
... that the performers in the Thai drag show Calypso Cabaret impressed Lady Gaga with their ability to be open about their identities?
... that So Sethaputra compiled his authoritative English–Thai dictionary while in prison, with the manuscripts smuggled out for publication?
... that the packaging of one Thai throat lozenge features five centipedes?
... that during Siam Niramit, a Bangkok cultural show, the forestage was transformed into a 50-metre-long (160 ft) river?
... that the first Thai typewriter left out two letters, which eventually became obsolete?
... that Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was minutes away from boarding an aircraft that exploded?
... that in Thailand and Cambodia, cats are used in a procession to ask for rain?

Selected fare or cuisine -

Mango sticky rice

Mango sticky rice is a traditional Southeast Asian and South Asian dessert made with glutinous rice, fresh mango and coconut milk. (Full article...)

List of fare/cuisine articles
Thai cuisine Tom yum Street food of Thailand Beer in Thailand Chim chum Pad thai Thai salads Thai curry Nine auspicious Thai desserts Miang kham Khao tom Thai fried rice Phuket cuisine Naem Khao kha mu Pla ra Kaeng som

Selected picture -

Credit: Photo by User:Tevaprapas

Buddhist monks at Phutthamonthon.

More did you know -

... that the Church of Christ in Thailand is the largest Protestant Christian denomination in Thailand?

Thailand topics

History:	Ayutthaya Kingdom, Chakri dynasty, Constitution of Thailand, Early history of Thailand, Effect of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake on Thailand, Hariphunchai, History of Thailand (1768–1932), History of Thailand (1932–1973), History of Thailand (1973-2001), History of Thailand since 2001, Lan Na, Nakhon Si Thammarat Kingdom, Pattani Kingdom, Plaek Pibulsonggram, Pridi Phanomyong, Sarit Dhanarajata, Siamese coup d'état of 1932, South Thailand insurgency, Srivijaya
Politics:	1997 Constitution of Thailand, 2006 interim constitution of Thailand, Administrative divisions of Thailand, Cabinet of Thailand, Constitution of Thailand, Constitutional Court of Thailand, Foreign relations of Thailand, Government of Thailand, National Assembly of Thailand, People's Alliance for Democracy, Sonthi Boonyaratglin, South Thailand insurgency, Pridiyathorn Devakula, Prem Tinsulanonda, Surayud Chulanont, 2006 Thai coup d'état, Thai 2006 interim civilian government, Thai Rak Thai, Thaksin Shinawatra, Samak Sundaravej
Economy:	Agriculture in Thailand, Baht, Bank of Thailand, List of banks in Thailand Bureau of the Crown Property, Stock Exchange of Thailand, Suvarnabhumi Airport, Thai Airways, Thaksinomics, Tourism in Thailand, Transport in Thailand, US-Thailand Free Trade Agreement, Rail transport in Thailand, Thai motorway network
Geography:	Bangkok Metropolitan Area, Chao Phraya River, Demographics of Thailand, Doi Inthanon, Gulf of Thailand, Khao Lak, Khao Yai National Park, Khorat Plateau, Ko Chang, Ko Samet, Ko Samui, Kra Isthmus, Kwai river, Mekong, Patong Beach, Phi Phi Islands, Three Pagodas Pass
Provinces:	Bangkok, Chiang Mai Province, Chiang Rai Province, Chonburi Province, Kanchanaburi Province, Khon Kaen Province, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Narathiwat Province, Pattani Province, Phuket Province, Songkhla Province, Ubon Ratchathani Province, Udon Thani Province, Yala Province
Culture:	Thai art, Buddhism in Thailand, Buddhist temples in Thailand, Cinema of Thailand, Cuisine of Thailand, Dance in Thailand, Education in Thailand, Farang, Flag of Thailand, Kathoey, Lakorn, Literature in Thailand, Thai language, Loi Krathong, Media of Thailand, Muay Thai, Music of Thailand, List of television stations in Thailand, Thai names, National Museum, Thai New Year, Public holidays in Thailand, Ramakien, Royal Flags of Thailand, Royal Flora Ratchaphruek, Thai greeting, Thai-style dresses, Traditional Thai musical instruments
Others:	Pridi Banomyong, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Communications in Thailand, Elephant Nature Park, Environmental issues in Thailand, Grand Palace, Bangkok, Prostitution in Thailand, Queen Sirikit, Military of Thailand, Thai royal and noble titles, List of shopping malls in Thailand, Thai studies

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