NW, Washington, DC 20007

telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600

FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Richard E. HECKLINGER

embassy: 120/22 Wireless Road, Bangkok

mailing address: APO AP 96546

telephone: [66] (2) 205-4000

FAX: [66] (2) 254-1171

consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai

Flag description: five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue
(double width), white, and red

Thailand Economy

Economy - overview: After enjoying the world's highest growth rate
from 1985 to 1995 - averaging almost 9% annually - increased
speculative pressure on Thailand's currency in 1997 led to a crisis
that uncovered financial sector weaknesses and forced the government
to float the baht. Long pegged at 25 to the dollar, the baht reached
its lowest point of 56 to the dollar in January 1998 and the economy
contracted by 10.2% that same year. Thailand entered a recovery
stage in 1999, expanding 4.2% and grew about the same amount in
2000, largely due to strong exports - which increased about 20% in
2000. An ailing financial sector and the slow pace of corporate debt
restructuring, combined with a softening of global demand, is likely
to slow growth in 2001.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $413 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.2% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,700 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13%

industry: 40%

services: 47% (1999)

Population below poverty line: 12.5% (1998 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%:
2.5%

highest 10%: 37.1% (1992)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (2000 est.)

Labor force: 32.6 million (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 54%, industry 15%, services
31% (1996 est.)

Unemployment rate: 3.7% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $19 billion

expenditures: $21 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(2000 est.)

Industries: tourism; textiles and garments, agricultural processing,
beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing, such as jewelry;
electric appliances and components, computers and parts, integrated
circuits, furniture, plastics; world's second-largest tungsten
producer and third-largest tin producer

Industrial production growth rate: 3% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 89.431 billion kWh (1999)