Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946)
head of government: Prime Minister CHUAN Likphai (since 15 November
1997)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
note: there is also a Privy Council
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
Legislative branch: bicameral National Assembly or Rathasapha consists of the Senate or Wuthisapha (a 253-member appointed body which will be phased into a 200-member elected body starting in March 2000; members serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Sapha Phuthaen Ratsadon (currently has 391 members, but will become a 500-member body after the next election; 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) 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
monarch
Political parties and leaders: Thai Nation Party or TNP (Chat
Yoobamrung, SOPHON Petchsavang]
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, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM,
UNMIBH, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador NIT Phibunsongkhram chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Richard HECKLINGER embassy: 120 Wireless Road, Bangkok mailing address: APO AP 96546 consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai
Flag description: five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red
Economy