Thailand

Thailand, officially the Royal Kingdom of Thailand and formerly known as Siam, is a Southeast Asian nation at the center of the Indochina peninsula with a population of nearly 70 million. It is a popular travel destination with tourist facilities available throughout much of the country. Bangkok is the capital city and Chiang Mai is an important educational and cultural center in northern Thailand. Thailand is a constitutional monarchy with the King as head of state and the prime minister as head of government. The monarchy is an integral and respected part of Thai society and is protected by a vigorously enforced lèse majesté law that makes it a crime to commit any offense or insult against the royal family. On May 22, 2014, the Royal Thai Army seized control of the government, voided the 2007 Constitution, and established the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to oversee Thailand’s interim government. The military intervention had been preceded by months of anti-government protests.  Nationwide martial law, enacted in May 2014, was lifted April 1, 2015, and replaced with new security measures that give authorities broad latitude to act against perceived threats to political stability, the economy, or the monarchy, and explicitly bans demonstrations.  Martial law remains in effect in Thailand’s Deep South, where it was imposed in 2005.  Political and civil unrest have perennially affected Thailand, and in some cases disrupted travel into, out of, and within Bangkok. Read the Department of State’s Fact Sheet on Thailand for additional information on U.S.-Thailand relations.