Thailand: general information

The Kingdom of Thailand is located in Southeast Asia, namely in the north of the Malacca Peninsula and in the southwestern part of the Indochinese Peninsula. The capital of Thailand is the city of Bangkok.

Thailand borders four countries:

• with Malaysia in the south;
• with Myanmar to the west;
• with Laos and Cambodia to the east.

The total area of ​​the country is 514 thousand km. km., where about 66.2 million people live. The average population density is 128.77 people/sq.km.

The population of Thailand is formed mainly by Laotians and ethnic Thais. In total, they account for about 80% of the population. There is also a significant ethnic Chinese community (about 10% of the population).

Note 1

The country's territory is divided into 77 provinces. The state religion is Buddhism. The currency is the Thai baht.

As for the political system, the form of government in Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. The country is led by a king. The bicameral parliament takes an active part in the political life of the state.

Economy of the country

Currently, Thailand is considered one of the most developed countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Industry and the service sector are characterized by particularly high rates of economic growth.

The tourism industry is of particular importance for the country; in fact, it is one of the main sources of her income. Due to its geographical location and favorable climate, Thailand occupies a leading position in the export of fruits, rice and rubber. The main crops grown are rice, cotton and sugarcane. Those employed in agriculture account for about 60% of the country's population. It is also the basis of the national economy, bringing in more than half of the gross domestic product (GDP). In addition, Thailand is characterized by a developed automotive industry, woodworking industry, electronics and jewelry production. The mining industry plays a significant role in the country's economy.

Today Thailand is a developing country of agrarian-industrial type. Its economy is heavily dependent on foreign capital. Its main advantages and disadvantages are presented in the figure below:

Figure 1. Advantages and disadvantages of the Thai economy. Author24 - online exchange of student work

Note 2

In general, we can say that the Thai economy is characterized by uneven development. The most economically developed regions are the central and southern regions of the country; Development of the northeastern region is hampered by economic and geographical factors such as poor soils, arid climate and monetary resources. At the same time, among countries with an average level of development, Thailand occupies a leading position.

Features of the development of the industrial sector

Industry, along with handicraft production, is one of the most developed sectors of the national economy. A special role is given to the mining industry, which is based on the extraction of natural gas, tungsten and tin. In addition, precious stones are still mined, albeit in small volumes.

Despite the fact that the mining industry accounts for less than 2% of GDP, it serves as one of the main sources of export revenues to the country's economy.

About 60% of all industry is represented by rice cleaning, food, textile and sawmill enterprises. In the textile segment, the main focus is on silk export and cotton production. Moreover, this segment accounts for about half of the country’s entire light industry.

The most developed branches of the manufacturing industry are: petrochemical, electronics, jewelry, and automobile manufacturing. The majority of the manufacturing industry is represented by small firms.

Most of the country's automobile factories are located offshore. Cars of Japanese, American and European brands, as well as motorbikes, are subject to assembly here. In addition to the car assembly itself, the production of component parts is carried out. Today, the Thai automotive industry is considered to be one of the largest in Southeast Asia.

Thailand is not lagging behind in the production of electronics and household appliances. Computer components, hard drives, cameras, refrigerators, washing machines, etc. are assembled here.

In the food industry, the emphasis is on the export of fish and seafood; in particular, the annual export of canned fish to the world market is about 4 million tons.

As for jewelry production, Thailand is one of the world leaders in terms of precious stones. In particular, the country is famous for its so-called “transparent” precious stones – sapphires and rubies. The center of their production is the province of Chanthaburi. Thailand is one of the largest importers of energy resources, in particular oil. The main raw material of the petrochemical industry is natural gas, produced mainly in the Gulf of Thailand and offshore zones. In general, the chemical industry plays an important role in the country's GDP. Its main focus is the production of chemical products and polymers, which are subsequently exported.

For the most part, all industry in Thailand is concentrated in four cities:

• Bangkok;
• Nakhon Srithamarath;
• Korat;
• Chieng Mai.

Thus, Thai industry is characterized by a fairly high degree of centralization and concentration. One way or another, Thai industry acts as one of the pillars of the state's national economy. In total, it accounts for about 44% of the country's gross domestic product.

Note 3

In the foreseeable future, the development of industry in Thailand will be inextricably linked with the development of infrastructure and the creation of industrial parks. Their main goal will be the development of export-oriented industries and import substitution. At the same time, in conditions of limited domestic demand, the situation on international markets will have a significant impact on the country’s industry and investments in its development.

The Kingdom of Thailand does not live only on tourism, as many visitors are accustomed to thinking. The tourism industry accounts for only 10% of GDP in the country's economy, while there is also a powerful energy-industrial complex, automotive industry and metallurgy. It is about the population and economy of Thailand that will be discussed further. After all, who else, if not the inhabitants of the kingdom themselves, can support the economy and industry.

General population data

As of 2016, Thailand's population is 68 million. Most of them live in large cities. More than 5.5 million people live permanently in Bangkok alone, the capital of the kingdom, which is approximately 8% of the country's total population.

Since the seventies of the last century, the population growth rate of Thailand has been gradually falling, but not below a negative mark. The population continues to increase: from 27.4 million in the 60s to 47.3 million in the 80s and 62.9 million in 2000.

More than two-thirds of Thais are of working age. Pensioners account for 8.5% of the population, children make up 21%. In general, the population is quite young. The number of able-bodied citizens is more than twice as large as the number of dependent people (elderly people and children), which creates a relatively low social burden.

The Thais themselves are a large ethnic group, which includes many small nationalities. Each of these subgroups has its own accent, culture and traditions, region of residence. The ethnic composition of the population of Thailand is dominated by the central group, located in the valley of the Chao Phray River.

The mountainous regions in the north of the kingdom are inhabited by semi-nomadic peoples, who are also divided into several minorities. Here you can meet representatives of the Karen, Lahu, Mien, Akha, and Fox tribes. All these small nationalities once emigrated from neighboring Myanmar, Tibet, and China.

Religious affiliation

The king in Thailand is not only a ceremonial and representative position, he is also the protector and patron of all religions. Respect and devotion to the royal family among the population of the country is almost religious in nature. The well-being of the people and the prosperity of all subjects are all attributed to the king, although he intervenes in political affairs only when there is a risk of bloodshed.

The vast majority (about 94%) of the Thai population professes Buddhism. The temples are similar to ordinary Burmese, Lao, and Cambodian ones. Another 4% are adherents of Islam, most of them ethnic Malays.

Christianity began to be spread in the kingdom by European missionaries in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Today, Catholicism or Orthodoxy is practiced by Europeans who permanently reside in Thailand, and by a few national minorities (only 0.7% of the population).

General information about the economy

Thailand's economy is heavily dependent on exports, which account for two-thirds of GDP. According to 2016 data, GDP per capita in Thailand is 5.9 thousand US dollars. In the list of countries by GDP per capita, the kingdom is in 74th place, between Montenegro and Barbados.

The economy is represented by the industrial sector (about 39% of GDP), agriculture (8%), trade, transport and communications (13.5% and 9.6% of GDP, respectively). Other sectors of the economy (education, tourism, financial organizations) contribute another 25% of GDP. What has a positive effect on the Thai economy is that trade and services are developing most actively in those places where there is industrial decline.

Agriculture

Agriculture in Thailand is a competitive and differentiated area of ​​the economy. The Kingdom is one of the main exporters of rice (rice crops occupy a third of the cultivated land); seafood and fish, wheat, sugar, tapioca, pineapples, frozen shrimp, coffee, and canned tuna are also exported.

Agriculture employs more than half of Thailand's population.

Good climate and favorable geographical location provide Thailand with high yields, but due to global changes in the world climate, local farmers have to make more and more efforts to preserve their crops.

Industry

The mining industry provides a significant portion of exports for light tin and tungsten. Natural gas is also being extracted. The manufacturing industry boomed in the nineties, but the Pacific economic crisis in 1997 worsened the situation. Today, the petrochemical industry, jewelry, electronics, automobile assembly, food and textile industries are developed.

Gradually, the kingdom of Thailand is becoming the center of automotive manufacturing in the Southeast Asian market. Car production reached 930 thousand units by 2004. The main manufacturers are Toyota and Ford, which have located their factories here.

Electronics competes quite well with Singapore and Malaysia, and the textile industry competes with Vietnam and China.

The population of Thailand today is, according to preliminary data, seventy million people, and 14% of Thais of working age are employed in the industrial sector.

Service sector

The service sector accounted for 44% of GDP in 2007 and provided permanent employment to 37% of the population. Tourism is particularly prominent here, contributing more to the economy than any other Asian country. Tourists relax on the coasts, but recently many have been traveling to Bangkok. By the way, it is precisely in connection with the outflow of tourists from other Asian countries and the increasing number of visitors to Thailand that the country’s national currency, the baht, has strengthened its position.

Energy complex

Thailand consumes about 0.7% of the world's energy consumption. The kingdom is currently considering creating several oil refining and transport hubs in the regions to meet the needs of the central and southern parts of China. At the same time, the consumption of electricity and heat by residents is reduced in Thailand itself - due to unfavorable tariffs for individuals. The kingdom's electricity and oil companies are in the process of restructuring, so it is possible that this problem will be resolved soon.

Standard of living and income of the population

Average salaries in Thailand are much lower than in Russia. The minimum wage is about seven thousand baht (12 thousand rubles), the average is nine thousand (15 thousand rubles). At the same time, the minimum wage level is not always observed, so many Thais work for pennies, and the government turns a blind eye to the arbitrariness of employers.

But low wages do not equal a low standard of living. Most Thais have their own land on which they grow vegetables and even raise livestock. You can easily live on five thousand baht (about 9 thousand rubles) a month, and in the provinces - even on two thousand (about 3.5 thousand rubles). Of course, if you don’t rent housing in the city center, but have your own.

In terms of GDP per capita, Thailand remains one of the less developed countries. However, the structure of Thailand's GDP resembles that of developed countries with a strong predominance of the service sector (45% of GDP) and industry (45% of GDP). The developing nature of the Thai economy still shows a disproportionate share of employment in the agricultural sector. Although agriculture accounts for only 11% of GDP, it employs almost 43% of the total Thai workforce. The rapid development of Thailand's economy over the past twenty years has been made possible by the rapid development of export-oriented industries. The export base has gradually increased from textiles and clothing to automobile, computer, electronics and other high value-added industries. Despite the 1997 crisis, Thailand was one of the so-called Asian Tigers, and the global economic crisis of 2008, growth rates in recent years are still very high.

Economy of Thailand

GDP (growth) 3.6%
GDP (per capita) 8,500, - USD
GDP by economic sector:
- Agriculture - 11.4%
- Industry - 44.5%
- Service sector - 44.1%
Labor force, total - 37,780,000
- Of which 42.6% are Agriculture
- Including industry 20.2%
- Including service 37.1%
Inflation 5.5%
Unemployment rate 1.2%
External debt 64.80 billion.

Rapid growth in living standards

Rapid industrial growth contributed to rising household incomes and the creation of a strong domestic consumption circle, which helped further develop the service sector (especially the distribution and sale of goods).

Export orientation

Thailand's economy remains primarily export-oriented. Although a decade ago Thailand exported mainly textiles and agricultural products, it is now one of the largest exporters of automobiles and their parts (the world's largest exporter of pickup trucks), computer equipment and consumer electronics. Thailand is the world's largest exporter of rice. It also occupies an important place in the international trade of fish products, shrimp and chicken.

Industry

The most important industries in Thailand are: textiles, clothing, food and canning, electronics and electrical products including IT, automobiles, building materials, jewelry. Successful industries focused on domestic demand include the production of iron and steel, motorcycles, cement and building materials.

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Agriculture - characteristics

Souhrnná teritoriální informace - extensive material on Thailand from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (PDF)

Thailand is a developing agro-industrial country whose economy is heavily dependent on foreign capital. The basis of the economy is agriculture (providing about 60% of the gross national product) and a relatively developed mining industry.

Thailand leads by a wide margin in economic power among the countries of Indochina and is slightly behind Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia and, if we take the entire Southeast Asian region as a whole. The country is firmly on its feet and occupies a position in the world comparable to Russia, in the list of leading countries with an average level of development.

The country's capital, if not completely glamorous like Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, is very, very keen to match. Thailand is the Asian dragon of the so-called “second wave”. The first were Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong in the 60s and 70s. In the 80s and 90s they were followed by Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. Prem Tinsulanon's reforms were based on low taxes and attracting investment. Therefore, under him, the production of electronics, clothing and shoes under the brand name of famous Japanese and Korean brands flourished.

As well as the completion of the complete electrification of the country, the construction of highways, ports and the terminal of Don Mueang International Airport. Thailand's GDP is $150 billion. This is 33rd in the world, this is about a third of Russia's GDP. GDP per capita - $2309, GDP according to PPP - $7580. The growth rate of the Thai economy slowed down in 2005, but still averages 3-4% per year. But, as is usually characteristic of countries with an average level of development, wealth is distributed very unevenly: there are beggars and there are “new Thais”. On the other hand, there are very few beggars (less than 10%). The minimum wage in the country is 150B per day (about $3).

The monetary unit of Thailand is the baht (THB), divided into 100 satangs. $1 = 45 V, but for convenience you can round up to 50. There are different bahts: 20.50, 100, 500 and 1000. There are coins of 1, 5 and 10 baht. The most popular banknotes are 100 V (red) and 50 V (blue). All tourist places love cash dollars, but old, shabby ones are not accepted. ATMs are everywhere, but cash is preferred over credit cards. There are many exchangers, the best rates are in large shopping centers and airports.

The central region of the country is richer and more powerful than other regions. Most industrial enterprises, banks, trading firms and transport facilities are concentrated in Bangkok and its environs. The most fertile lands of Thailand are confined to the Central Plain. Rice, sugar cane, corn, and cassava are grown here. This area generates a disproportionate share of national income.

Economic development in the Northeast is hampered by poor soils, a relatively dry climate, and a lack of financial resources. Despite the implementation of government programs for road construction, improving the water supply system and strengthening social services, the region’s backwardness cannot be overcome, and it is the poorest in the country.

In northern Thailand, farming can only be done in the valleys. Timber has long been the main commodity here, but due to the spread of agriculture and excessive logging, the forested area has decreased. Industrial logging is currently prohibited on public lands.

The south of the country, which occupies only 1/7 of its territory, has a wider front facing the sea than all other regions combined. Therefore, there are many small fishing harbors here. Foreign trade operations are conducted through the main local ports of Songkhla and Phuket. The main products of this area are rubber and tin.

Industry of Thailand

The mining industry's share of GDP is only approx. 1.6%, but this industry remains a significant source of export foreign exchange earnings. Thailand is one of the leading suppliers of tin and tungsten to the world market. Some other minerals are also mined in small quantities, including precious stones such as rubies and sapphires. In the 1980s, natural gas development began in coastal waters.

The manufacturing industry developed rapidly in the 1990s and became the most important sector of the economy, accounting for almost 30% of GDP in 1996. Such industries as electronics, petrochemicals, car assembly, and jewelry are developed.

In the 1960s and 1970s, enterprises in the textile and food industries emerged (including the production of soft drinks, freezing shrimp and canned seafood). The production of tobacco products, plastics, cement, plywood, and car tires continues to grow. The population of Thailand is engaged in traditional handicrafts - wood carving, production of silk fabrics and lacquerware.

Industry currently accounts for 44% of Thailand's GDP. Technological industries are at the forefront: assembling computers, other electronics, assembling cars. Car factories are located in special offshore zones. The domestic market is dominated by the Toyota and Isuzu concerns. The country's achievements in the chemical industry (petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals) and the traditionally strong textile industry (Thailand is the largest silk exporter) are significant. We must not forget about tourism (6% of GDP). This industry is aimed at extracting maximum money from visiting farangs. At the provincial level, a variety of crafts are very developed. Prime Minister Thaksin even put forward the slogan: “One village, one product,” implying centralized specialization of local industry. Thai subsoil is primarily tungsten and tin (3rd place in the world in terms of reserves), which are famous for their purity and absence of impurities. As already noted, the forests are worthless, but they cut it too intensively (27 million cubic meters annually) and in the end they decided not to cut it anymore, but to buy it from Burma and other neighboring countries. There is also a lot of fish in Thailand (or rather, in the seas surrounding it). And here Thailand does not miss out, constantly building up its “fishing muscles” - about 4 million tons are caught per year, canned fish are distributed all over the world, including to Russia. There is also such a thing as precious stones, for which Thailand, together with its neighbor Burma, is one of the world leaders.

Agriculture in Thailand

Since the mid-1970s, the role of agriculture has been decreasing, in which in 1996 only 10% of national income was created versus 34% in 1973. Nevertheless, the industry satisfies domestic demand for food.

Approximately a third of the country's entire territory is occupied by cultivated land, half of which is devoted to rice crops. Peasant farms suffer from land shortages, but in the period after the Second World War they were able to achieve a gradual increase in grain harvests. Since the early 1980s, Thailand has become the world's largest exporter of rice, and at the end of the 1990s it ranked 6th in the world in terms of gross rice harvest (22 million tons).

Government efforts to diversify the sectoral structure of agricultural production in the 1970s contributed to higher yields and increased foreign sales of a number of agricultural commodities, including cassava, sugarcane, corn, and pineapples. A rise, albeit slow, was observed in the rubber industry. All this allowed the Thai economy to react less painfully to fluctuations in world rice prices. Cotton and jute are also grown in significant quantities.

Animal husbandry plays a subordinate role. Buffaloes are kept for plowing fields, which are gradually being replaced by relatively inexpensive means of small-scale mechanization. Most peasants raise pigs and chickens for meat, and commercial poultry farming grew especially rapidly in the 1970s and 1980s. In the Northeast, raising cattle for sale has long been an important source of income for local residents.

In the Thai diet, fish is the main source of protein. For rural residents, freshwater fish and crustaceans are especially important, which are caught and even bred in flooded rice fields, canals and reservoirs. Since the 1960s, marine fishing has become one of the leading sectors of the national economy. Since the late 1980s, shrimp farming on aqua farms has gained great importance. At the end of the 1990s, Thailand ranked 9th in the world in terms of seafood catch (approx. 2.9 million tons).

Thailand's forests contain many valuable hardwood tree species, including teak. The export of teak abroad was banned in 1978, and at the same time the contribution of the recently important industry to the creation of national income decreased to 1.6%. However, the volume of logging did not decrease much, which forced urgent legislative measures to be taken in 1989 to almost completely limit it. Nevertheless, illegal logging continues, including for the purpose of expanding agricultural land and settlements. Back in the late 1980s, approx. 5 million people.

Foreign trade of Thailand

In the period from 1952 to 1997, Thailand experienced a constant foreign trade deficit, which had to be covered by income from foreign tourism and external loans. After the end of the Cold War, loans began to come primarily from foreign private banks and investors. Until 1997, Thailand was considered a reliable and attractive country for investment, but then this reputation was undermined as a result of the crisis, which was caused by accumulated debt obligations, as well as a decline in exports.

Thanks to the development of export industries in the 1990s, Thailand is now less dependent on the supply of its agricultural products to the world market, which forms approx. 25%. Main export items - computers and components, integrated circuits, electrical transformers, jewelry, ready-made garments, textiles, various plastic products, tin, fluorspar, zinc ore, agricultural products (rice, rubber, tapioca, sorghum, kenaf, jute) , seafood. Imports consist mainly of machinery and equipment, consumer goods, oil and petroleum products.

Exports are directed primarily to the United States, with Japan in second place. The latter is the main supplier of goods for the domestic market of Thailand. The bulk of investment comes from the USA and Japan.

Thailand's exports are based on two pillars: electronics - computers produced under licenses from worldwide monsters, and traditional rice. Among the counterparties, the USA (22%), Japan (14%), and other Asian countries predominate; among Europeans, the UK, the Netherlands and Germany (4% each) are dominant. Thailand's main imports are fuel and heavy equipment. Fuel comes from Brunei and Indonesia, equipment from the USA and Japan. Thailand has a large external debt ($50 billion), but there is a tendency to reduce it. In absolute figures, Thailand's export-import ranges between $110-120 billion per year. The Thai army numbers 300 thousand people, the supreme commander is the king. The army has not waged serious wars for a very long time, since the time of the Burmese invasion (late 18th century), and the principle of the country’s foreign policy is to avoid all conflicts that are possible. The functions of the army are directed more towards the interior of the country: the suppression of all partisans on the borders and maximum participation in the division of the political-economic pie. Becoming a military man in Thailand means in 90% of cases providing for your family economically. But there is not enough for everyone, so there are very often clashes, both military and civilian, and between military. In terms of weapons and joint maneuvers, Thailand continues to focus on the United States.

Transport of Thailand

Thailand's railways are approx. 4 thousand km and connects Bangkok with the main cities in the north and northeast of the country, as well as with Malaysia and Singapore. A developed highway system (over 70 thousand km in length) allows you to reach any corner of Thailand. River water transport is of great importance for internal communications, providing approx. 60% of transportation. Through the international airport in Bangkok, Thailand is connected to many countries in Europe, Asia, America and Australia with daily regular flights. There are regular flights to many cities in the country. The main seaports are Bangkok, Sattahip, Phuket, Songkhla, Kangthang. Most imports and exports pass through the port of Bangkok.

Despite numerous misconceptions, tourism is not Thailand's main source of income. According to various statistics, tourism brings only 2-5% of income to the treasury.

The country's economy largely depends on exports - it accounts for about 2/3 of GDP. Thailand is characterized as the second most economically developed country in Southeast Asia.

In terms of mineral wealth and industrial development, it ranks 4th in the region. But, according to Thai law, all oil fields are the country's untouchable reserves. Thailand is actively developing deposits of natural gas and precious stones (the so-called “ruby belt” passes through the territory of the kingdom; there are also large deposits of sapphires and let’s not forget about pearls).

Thailand has always been one of the main suppliers of tin, but today its main export natural resource is gypsum, and Thailand is the second largest exporter of gypsum in the world market. Among the minerals mined in Thailand, the main ones are fluorite, lead, tin, silver, tantalum, tungsten and brown coal. In total, Thailand produces more than 40 types of minerals; since 2003, the government has taken a more loyal approach to attracting foreign investment in this area: it has relaxed the rules for foreign companies and reduced contributions to the state.

Receipts to the state treasury from fishing today account for about 10% of all export products, and specifically in foreign currency. Therefore, the authorities pay great attention to the development of fishing and maintaining the cleanliness of waters and ocean flora and fauna. Thus, with the introduction of industrial fishing using the trawl method, the sea catch began to amount to 1 million tons versus 146,000 from low-tech fishing. Today, this allows Thailand to rank third in the world among suppliers of ocean and sea fish varieties.

Traditionally, seafood and fish are the basis of Thai national cuisine, as is rice. Naturally, fishing has gained the greatest development in coastal cities, as well as the production of shrimp sold for export. The largest suppliers of ocean fish today remain the coasts of the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea (Phuket and nearby islands).

Thailand is the world's leading exporter of shrimp, coconuts, corn, soybeans and sugarcane. Despite the substantial profits from trade in nature's gifts, the country's government adopted a law according to which 25% of the forests in the country are subject to protection, and only 15% to timber production. State-protected forests are declared national parks or recreation areas, and those available for logging are actively used in the wood processing industry. Teak furniture, rattan wicker furniture, cutlery made of bamboo or pressed coconut, a huge selection of souvenirs from various types of trees - this is only a small part of the production, but a noticeable component of tourist souvenir shops.

In the south of the country, the cultivation of Brazilian Hevea trees flourishes; the sap of this tree provides Thailand with 1st place in the export of rubber and latex. Also, part of the income is provided by agriculture (65% of the population is still involved in this area). Thailand is a leading supplier of rice to the world market.

But the lion's share of revenue comes from the automotive industry and electronics manufacturing. Thailand's industry accounts for about 43% of gross domestic product, although it employs only 14.5% of the workforce. The expansion of automobile production also has a positive impact on other industries - for example, it has led to a sharp increase in steel production. Today, Thailand ranks third after Japan and South Korea in Asia in automobile production. And in the production of pickup trucks based on jeeps, Thailand ranks second in the world (after the USA). Almost every car on the roads in Thailand is assembled (and very often completely manufactured) in this country. Car exports reach 200 thousand per year.

Other industries are facing stiff competition from manufacturers in similar segments - Thailand's electronics industry faces stiff competition from Malaysia and Singapore, but still, Thailand is firmly ranked 3rd in the world in hard drive and chip manufacturing.

And returning to tourism, this is mainly the income of residents of tourist areas. The government is actively developing this area of ​​the economy; according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, about 20 million foreign tourists visited Thailand in 2011, which is 19.84 percent more than in 2010. The Russian tourist is far from the leader in these statistics, but occupies a confident 4th place after Malaysia, China and Japan.

Tourists from Asia are primarily attracted by the historical, cultural and natural attractions in Bangkok and its surroundings, while residents of Western countries prefer the southern part of Thailand (Phuket, Samui) with its beaches and islands.

A feature of tourism in Thailand is the ever-increasing number of people coming from northern latitudes for long-term “wintering.” They usually stay in Thailand from November to April, which is the most climatically favorable time of the year.