Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet (since 9 June 1946) note: 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 Council of Ministers elections: 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 (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
Political pressure groups and leaders: NA
International organization participation: APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS,
CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS
(observer), OIC (observer), OPCW (signatory), OSCE (partner), PCA, UN,
UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNTAET,
UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador SAKTHIP
Krairiksh chancery: 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