National holiday: Birthday of His Majesty the King, 5 December (1927)
Constitution: new constitution approved 7 December 1991; amended 10 June 1992; new constitution currently being drafted with completion expected by the end of 1997
Legal system: based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946); Heir Apparent Crown Prince WACHIRALONGKON (born 28 July 1952) head of government: Prime Minister CHAWALIT Yongchaiyut (since 25 November 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers note: there is also a Privy Council elections : none; the king is a constitutional monarch; prime minister designated from among the members of the House of Representatives; following elections in the House of Representatives, the leader of the party that wins a plurality of seats usually becomes prime minister
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consists of the Senate or Wuthisapha (a 270-member appointed body; members serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (393 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections : House of Representatives - last held 17 November 1996 (next scheduled to be held by 17 November 2000, but may be held earlier as Prime Minister CHAWALIT has promised to hold elections after the draft of the new constitution is complete and that is scheduled for the end of 1997) election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NAP 125, DP 123, NDP 52, TNP 39, SAP 20, TCP 18, SP 8, LDP 4, MP 2
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Sandika), judges appointed by the king
Political parties and leaders: Thai Nation Party (TNP or Chat Thai
Party), BANHAN Sinlapa-acha; Democratic Party (DP or Prachathipat
Party), CHUAN Likphai; New Aspiration Party (NAP or Khwamwang Mai),
Gen. CHAWALIT Yongchaiyut; National Development Party (NDP or Chat
Phattana), CHATCHAI Chunhawan; Phalang Dharma Party (PDP or Phalang
Tham), SUDARAT Keyuraphan; Social Action Party (SAP or Kitsangkhom
Party), MONTRI Phongphanit; Thai Citizen's Party (TCP or Prachakon
Thai), SAMAK Sunthonwet; Liberal Democratic Party (LDP or Seri Tham),
PHINIT Charusombat; Solidarity Party (SP or Ekkaphap Party), UTHAI
Phimchaichon; Mass Party (MP or Muanchon), Pol. Cpt. CHALOEM Yubamrung
International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP,
ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNIKOM, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador NIT Phibunsongkhram chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600 FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York