1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 FAX:
[1] (202) 944-3611 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New
York telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600

Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador
Darryl N. JOHNSON 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

Economy Thailand

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 4.4% 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, however, slowed growth in 2001 to 1.4%.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $410 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 1.4% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 11% industry: 40% services:
49% (2001)

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

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)

Distribution of family income - Gini index: 41.4 (1998)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.6% (2001)

Labor force: 33.4 million (2001 est.)

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

Unemployment rate: 3.9% (2001 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: 94