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, officially the Kingdom of Thailand, and formerly known as Siam until 1939, is a country located in mainland Southeast Asia. It shares land borders with Myanmar to the west and northwest, Laos to the east and northeast, Cambodia to the southeast, and Malaysia to the south. Its maritime boundaries include the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, as well as maritime borders with Vietnam, Indonesia, and India. Thailand has a population of nearly 66 million people and covers an area of approximately 513,115 km² (198,115 sq mi). The country's capital and largest city is Bangkok.

After the fall of Ayutthaya, King Taksin reunified the kingdom and established the Thonburi Kingdom, which lasted only 15 years before he was overthrown by Phutthayotfa Chulalok (Rama I), the founder of the Chakri dynasty. King Rama I established the Rattanakosin Kingdom and moved the capital to Bangkok in 1782. During the era of Western imperialism, Siam remained the only country in Southeast Asia to avoid colonisation by European powers, although it ceded territory, trade rights, and legal privileges through several unequal treaties. The governance system evolved into an absolute monarchy centralised under the rule of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). Siam adapted to international relations during the imperialist era and joined World War I on the side of the Allies, a political decision aimed at revising the effects of unequal treaties and enhancing Siam's international status.

Following the Siamese revolution of 1932 by the Khana Ratsadon (lit. 'People's Party'), Siam transitioned from an absolute monarchy to a parliamentary constitutional monarchy and was officially renamed Thailand. During World War II, the country was under the military dictatorship of Plaek Phibunsongkhram and allied with the Empire of Japan as part of the Axis powers, but Thailand did not become a defeated nation due to the underground Free Thai Movement's "Declaration of Peace", which was recognised by the Allies. During the Cold War, Thailand became a key major non-NATO ally of the United States and played a major role in countering communism in the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and other proxy wars. Thailand also joined the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO). Despite brief periods of liberal democracy in the 1970s and 1990s, Thailand alternated between liberal democracy and military dictatorship. (Full article...)

Selected articles -

Image 1

Statue of King Ramkhamhaeng the Great, Sukhothai Historical Park, Sukhothai Province, Thailand

Ramkhamhaeng (Thai: รามคำแหง, pronounced [rāːm kʰām hɛ̌ːŋ] ), commonly known as Pho Khun Ramkhamhaeng the Great (Thai: พ่อขุนรามคำแหงมหาราช, pronounced [pʰɔ̂ː kʰǔn raːm kʰam hɛ̌ːŋ má hǎː râːt] ), was the third king of the Phra Ruang dynasty, ruling the Sukhothai Kingdom—a historical polity in what is now Thailand—from 1279 to 1298, during its most prosperous era.

He is credited with the creation of the Thai alphabet and with firmly establishing Theravada Buddhism as the state religion of the kingdom. (Full article...)
Image 2

General elections were held in Thailand on 3 July 2011 to elect the 24th House of Representatives.

The protestors of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) or "Red Shirts" who occupied downtown Bangkok in April and May 2010 had demanded new elections. The government's counter-proposal to hold elections on 14 November 2010 was rejected by them and was followed by a violent crackdown when the protestors refused to disperse. Elections were finally announced in May 2011. (Full article...)
Image 3

In Thailand, protests began in early 2020 with demonstrations against the government of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha. They later expanded to include the unprecedented demands for reform of the Thai monarchy. The protests were initially triggered by the dissolution of the Future Forward Party (FFP) in late February 2020 which was critical of Prayut, the changes to the Thai constitution in 2017, and the country's political landscape that it gave rise to.

This first wave of protests was held exclusively on academic campuses and was brought to a halt by the COVID-19 pandemic. Protests resumed on 18 July 2020 with a large demonstration organised under the Free Youth umbrella at the Democracy Monument in Bangkok. Three demands were presented to the Government of Thailand: the dissolution of parliament, ending intimidation of the people, and the drafting of a new constitution. The July protests were triggered by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and enforcement of the lockdown Emergency Decree and spread nationwide. The protesters were mostly students and young people without an overall leader. (Full article...)
Image 4

Skyline of Pattaya Beach

Pattaya is a city in Eastern Thailand, the second-largest city in Chonburi province and the eighth-largest city in Thailand. It is on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand, about 100 kilometres (62 mi) southeast of Bangkok, and has a population of 351,391 as of 2025.

Pattaya City (Thai: เมืองพัทยา, RTGS: Mueang Phatthaya, pronounced [mɯ̄a̯ŋ pʰát.tʰā.jāː]) is a special local government organization area within Bang Lamung district and has a population of 119,532. It covers the tambons of Nong Prue and Na Klua and parts of Huai Yai and Nong Pla Lai. Pattaya City has grown into all adjacent sub-districts and accounts for the largest population percentage in the district, making it de facto a part of the "Pattaya-Bang Lamung-Jomtien" area, otherwise known as "Greater Pattaya". (Full article...)
Image 5

General elections were held in Thailand on 24 March 2019. They were the first elections since the 2014 Thai coup d'état that installed coup leader General Prayut Chan-o-cha as prime minister, and the first held in accordance with the 2017 constitution, which was drafted under the ruling military junta. The elections selected the five hundred members of the new House of Representatives, the previous House having been dissolved by the coup.

Seventy-seven parties contested the elections, including the two major parties, Pheu Thai (which supported former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and held a majority of seats prior to the coup) and the Democrat Party (the main opposition party prior to the coup). They were joined by several new parties, which mostly campaigned on a pro- or anti-junta stance. The former included the Prayut-aligned Palang Pracharath Party, while the latter included the Future Forward Party, which catered to young voters, as well as several Pheu Thai–aligned parties. (Full article...)
Image 6

Thai Airways International plc is the flag carrier airline of Thailand. Formed in 1961 as a joint venture between SAS and Thai Airways Company, the airline has its corporate headquarters in Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Chatuchak district, Bangkok, and primarily operates from Suvarnabhumi Airport. THAI is a founding member of the Star Alliance. The airline is the second-largest shareholder of the low-cost carrier Nok Air with a 8.91 percent stake (2021), and it launched a regional carrier under the name Thai Smile in the middle of 2012 using new Airbus A320 aircraft. In 2023, it was announced that Thai Smile would be merged back into Thai Airways.

Operating from its primary hub at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, Thai currently serves 51 international and 9 domestic destinations using a fleet of 80 aircraft consisting of wide-body and narrow-body aircraft from both Boeing and Airbus with 80 aircraft on order as of January 2026, with plans to increase its fleet to 143 aircraft by 2029. Currently Thai's route network is dominated by flights to cities in Europe, Asia and Oceania flying to 29 countries as of January 2026 including 9 domestic routes. (Full article...)
Image 7

Aerial view of Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai is the largest city in northern Thailand, the capital of Chiang Mai province and the second-largest city in Thailand by urban population. 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 and an urban population of about 1.2 million 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 8

Nakhon Pathom (Thai: จังหวัดนครปฐม, pronounced [náʔkʰɔ̄ːn pā.tʰǒm], (Pronunciation)) is one of the central provinces (changwat) of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are (from north clockwise) Suphan Buri, Ayutthaya, Nonthaburi, Bangkok, Samut Sakhon, Ratchaburi, and Kanchanaburi. The capital city of Nakhon Pathom province is Nakhon Pathom.

Nakhon Pathom province is home to the Phra Pathommachedi, a chedi commissioned by King Mongkut (Rama IV) and completed by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in 1870. The chedi is a reminder of the long vanished Dvaravati civilization that once flourished here and by tradition Nakhon Pathom is where Buddhism first came to Thailand. The province itself is known for its many fruit orchards. (Full article...)
Image 9

An auto rickshaw is a motorized version of the pulled rickshaw or cycle rickshaw. Often called a tuk tuk, it is usually a three-wheeled vehicle, powered by an engine. They use a variety of fuels, with the most common being petrol, compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, and electricity. They are known by various other names across countries.

The auto rickshaw is a common form of transport around the world, both as a vehicle for hire and for private use. They are especially common in countries with tropical or subtropical climate since they are usually not fully enclosed, and in many developing countries because they are relatively inexpensive to own and operate. (Full article...)
Image 10

Lipa Noi Beach

Ko Samui or Koh Samui (Thai: เกาะสมุย, pronounced [kɔ̀ʔ sāmǔj]), often locally shortened to Samui, is an island off the east coast of Thailand. Geographically in the Chumphon Archipelago, it is part of Surat Thani Province, though as of 2012, Ko Samui was granted municipal status and thus is now locally self-governing. Ko Samui, with an area of 228.7 square kilometres (88.3 sq mi), is Thailand's second largest island after Phuket. In 2018, it was visited by 2.7 million tourists. (Full article...)

General images

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

Image 1Wat 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 21932 (Rama VII) (from History of Thailand)
Image 3Map of the Kingdom of Siam with Tributary States, 1869 (from History of Thailand)
Image 41906 (Rama V) (from History of Thailand)
Image 5General Prayut Chan-o-cha, the coup leader (from History of Thailand)
Image 6Thai women wearing Isan modified sinh dress for Boon Bang Fai festival in Roi Et (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 7The 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 82023 (Rama X) (from History of Thailand)
Image 9King Prajadhipok signing the Permanent Constitution of Siam on 10 December 1932 (from History of Thailand)
Image 10The ruins of Ayutthaya city was completely buried beneath a mass of jungle vegetation in 1930. (from History of Thailand)
Image 11Mural painting in Wat Amphawan Chetiyaram showing the royal cremation ceremony (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 121890 (Rama V) (from History of Thailand)
Image 13Thai soldiers at the Chang Phueak Gate in Chiang Mai. (from History of Thailand)
Image 141893 (Rama V) (from History of Thailand)
Image 15A Buddha from Wat Kukkut, Lamphun (from History of Thailand)
Image 16Five states of Siam that emerged from the dissolution of the Ayutthaya Kingdom in 1767 (from History of Thailand)
Image 17 1780 (Borommaracha IV) (from History of Thailand)
Image 181686 (Ramathibodi III) (from History of Thailand)
Image 191950 (Rama IX) (from History of Thailand)
Image 20Muay Thai match in Bangkok, Thailand (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 21Display 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 22Siamese in Laos, canoe racing, 1866 (from History of Thailand)
Image 231603 (Sanphet II) (from History of Thailand)
Image 24Siam in 1900 (from History of Thailand)
Image 251837 (Rama III) (from History of Thailand)
Image 26Wat Phra Kaew, an example of early Rattanakosin period architecture located in Bangkok's historic Rattanakosin Island. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 27Mainland Southeast Asia in the first millennium map (from History of Thailand)
Image 28Gurkhas guide disarmed Japanese soldiers from Bangkok to prisoner of war camps outside the city, September 1945 (from History of Thailand)
Image 29Wat Arun (from History of Thailand)
Image 30Mainland Southeast Asia Map in 1844 by Carl Radefeld, before French colonization of Annam (from History of Thailand)
Image 311882 (Rama V) (from History of Thailand)
Image 32Thai women wearing sabai, Jim Thompson House (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 33Ananta 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 34A group of traditional Thai houses at King Rama II Memorial Park in Amphawa, Samut Songkhram. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 351900 (Rama V) (from History of Thailand)
Image 36A traditional wedding in Thailand. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 37People's Alliance for Democracy, Yellow Shirts, rally on Sukhumvit Road in 2008. (from History of Thailand)
Image 381805 (Rama I) (from History of Thailand)
Image 391916 (Rama VI) (from History of Thailand)
Image 4015th-century Kalong ware glazed stoneware dish (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 411941 (Rama VIII) (from History of Thailand)
Image 42Mural painting in Wat Borom Niwat by Khrua In Khong. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 431973 (Rama IX) (from History of Thailand)
Image 44Walking Street, Pattaya (from History of Thailand)
Image 451850 (Rama III) (from History of Thailand)
Image 46Map 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 471800 (Rama I) (from History of Thailand)
Image 48The Khmer temple of Wat Phra Prang Sam Yod, Lopburi. (from History of Thailand)
Image 49Funeral pyre of Chan Kusalo, the patriarch-abbot of northern Thailand. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 50Siamese Expeditionary Forces in Paris Victory Parade, 1919. (from History of Thailand)
Image 51King Bhumibol in his birthday ceremony in 2007, celebrating his longest-reigning in Thai history. (from History of Thailand)
Image 52Painted pottery bowls from the Ban Chiang archaeological site. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 531824 (Rama II) (from History of Thailand)
Image 54Thai greeting, the smile is an important symbol of refinement in Thai culture. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 55King Vajiralongkorn, the current monarch of Thailand (from History of Thailand)
Image 56People floating krathong rafts during the Loi Krathong festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 57Protesters mobilising, 1 December 2013 (from History of Thailand)
Image 58Buddhist novices receiving joss sticks. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 59Traditional Thai desserts (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 60Phibun welcomes students of Chulalongkorn University, at Bangkok's Grand Palace – 8 October 1940. (from History of Thailand)
Image 611468 (Borommatrailokkanat) (from History of Thailand)
Image 621908 (Rama V) (from History of Thailand)
Image 631945 (Rama VIII) (from History of Thailand)
Image 64A 14-year-old Vietnamese contaminated with Agent Orange. (from History of Thailand)
Image 651767 (Borommaracha III) (from History of Thailand)
Image 66Indochina political map, 960 AD (from History of Thailand)
Image 67United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship, Red Shirts, protest on Ratchaprasong intersection in 2010. (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 69Schoolgirls and boys playing khrueang sai in front of a temple (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 70A wedding ceremony in Thailand. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 71Khaosan Road, Bangkok (from History of Thailand)
Image 72The image depicts Khon, a traditional dance drama that has been recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2018. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 73Thaksin Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand, 2001–2006. (from History of Thailand)
Image 74King Chulalongkorn (from History of Thailand)
Image 75Buakaw Banchamek, a famous Muay Thai fighter (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 7617th-19th century Benjarong style ceramics from Ayutthaya. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 77Mural painting at Phra Thi Nang Phutthaisawan dates back to the early Rattanakosin period. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 78Mural painting of the epic Ramakien depicts the Hanuman enlarging his body to rescue Phra Ram. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 79Yi Peng, floating lantern festival in Northern Thailand, observed around the same time as Loy Krathong. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 801545 (Chairachathirat) (from History of Thailand)
Image 81The roads along the old moat of Chiang Mai are full of vehicles during the Songkran water splashing festival. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 8215th-16th century Sawankhalok stoneware with brown underglaze and pale blue glaze (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 831390 (Ramesuan) (from History of Thailand)
Image 841238-1351 (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.

Mom Luang Pin Malakul (Thai: หม่อมหลวงปิ่น มาลากุล; 24 October 1903 – 5 October 1995) was a Thai professor, educator and writer. His contributions to education in Thailand include the establishment of various institutions of higher education, the introduction of fixed class schedules, and the implementation of teacher-training programmes. In his career he served as Director-General of the Department of General Education, later becoming Permanent Secretary, and Minister, of Education. He was also a member of the executive board of UNESCO. His writings earned him the title of National Artist in 1987, and the 100th anniversary of his birth was celebrated by the UNESCO in 2003 as recognition of his contribution to the advancement of education in Thailand and Southeast Asia. (Full article...)

List of Good articles

Did you know (auto-generated) -

... that American-born Freddie Lish called playing for the Thai national basketball team, "my dream ever since I found out my mom was born in Thailand"?
... that a Thai film went viral in 2024 as viewers shared videos of themselves crying after watching it?
... that the packaging of one Thai throat lozenge features five centipedes?
... that the first Thai typewriter left out two letters, which eventually became obsolete?
... that Maxine North swore never to return to Thailand after the death of her undercover CIA husband, but ultimately settled there and introduced bottled water to the country?
... that Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was minutes away from boarding an aircraft that exploded?
... that the French, when they began to colonize Cambodia, agreed that Angkor Wat was in Thailand?
... that So Sethaputra compiled his authoritative English–Thai dictionary while in prison, with the manuscripts smuggled out for publication?

Selected fare or cuisine -

Yam thale, Thai mixed seafood salad

Salads that are internationally known as Thai salads with a few exceptions fall into four main preparation methods. In Thai cuisine these are called yam, tam, lap and phla. A few other dishes can also be regarded as being a salad. (Full article...)

List of fare/cuisine articles

Selected picture -

Credit:User:Hdamm

The roof of Wat Makut Kasat (วัดมกุฎกษัตริยาราม), Bangkok, shows the victory crown as the royal emblem of King Mongkut (Rama IV), flanked by two five-tiered umbrellas.

More did you know -

... that the neighborhood Phahurat, before it became Bangkok's Little India, was an enclave of Vietnamese immigrants until a fire burned it down in 1898?

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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