POLITICAL
SYSTEM
COUNTRY
NAME:
CONVENTIONAL
LONG FORM:
Kingdom of Thailand
CONVENTIONALSHORT
FORM:
Thailand
GOVERNMENT
TYPE:
constitutional
monarchy
CAPITAL:
Bangkok
ADMINISTRATIVE
DIVISIONS:
76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural); Amnat Charoen, Ang
Thong, Buriram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi,
Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, Kamphaeng
Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep Mahanakhon (Bangkok),
Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha Sarakham,
Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima,
Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan, Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu,
Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung,
Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon
Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket, Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan,
Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut
Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Sara Buri, Satun, Sing
Buri, Sisaket, Songkhla, Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani,
Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani,
Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon
CONSTITUTION:
New
constitution signed by King PHUMIPHON on 11 October 1997
LEGAL
SYSTEM:
Based
on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
EXECUTIVE
BRANCH:
Chief
of state:
King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)
note: there is also a Privy Council
Head of government: Prime Minister THAKSIN Chinnawat (since
NA January 2001) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gen. (Ret.) CHAWALIT
Yongchaiyut (since NA), DET Bunlong (since NA), PHITHAK Intharawithayanan
(since NA), PONGPHON Adireksan (since NA), and SOMKHIT Chatusiphithak
(since NA)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers
Elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister
designated from among the members of the House of Representatives;
following a national election for the House of Representatives,
the leader of the party that can organize a majority coalition
usually becomes prime minister
LEGLISLATIVE
BRANCH:
bicameral
National Assembly or Rathasapha consists of the Senate or Wuthisapha
(200 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon
(500 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
elections: Senate
- last held 4 March,
29 April, 4 June, 9 July, and 22 July 2000 (next to be held NA
March 2004); House of Representatives - last held 6 January 2001
(next to be held NA January 2005)
election results:
Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats
by party - NA; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party
- NA%; seats by party - TRT 248, DP 128, TNP 41, NAP 36, NDP 29,
other 18
JUDICIAL
BRANCH:
Supreme
Court or Sandika (judges appointed by the monarch)
POLITICAL
PARTIES AND LEADERS:
Democratic
Party or DP (Prachathipat Party) [CHUAN Likphai]; Mass Party or
MP [CHALERM Yoobamrung, SOPHON Petchsavang]; National Development
Party or NDP (Chat Phattana) [KORN Dabbaransi]; Phalang Dharma
Party or PDP (Phalang Tham) [CHAIWAT Sinsuwong]; Solidarity Party
or SP (Ekkaphap Party) [CHAIYOT Sasomsap]; Thai Citizen's Party
or TCP (Prachakon Thai) [SAMAK Sunthonwet]; Thai Nation Party
or TNP (Chat Thai Party) [BANHAN Sinlapa-acha]; Thai Rak Thai
Party or TRT [THAKSIN Chinnawat]
note: the Liberal Democratic Party or LDP
(Seri Tham) and the New Aspiration Party or NAP (Khwamwang Mai)
no longer exist as separate parties; elements of the two parties
joined the Thai Rak Thai Party or TRT
