World  > South-East Asia  > Thailand
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General Information Area: 513,115 sq km (198,115 sq miles). Population: 62,354,402 (2002). Population Density: 118.5 per sq km. Capital: Bangkok. Population: 7,753,000, including Thon Buri (1995). GEOGRAPHY: Thailand is bounded to the west by Myanmar and the Indian Ocean, to the south and east by Malaysia and the Gulf of Thailand, to the east by Cambodia, and to the north and east by Laos. Central Thailand is dominated by the Chao Phraya River. Government: Constitutional monarchy since 1973. Head of State: HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) since 1946. Head of Government: Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatri since 2001. Language: Thai is the official language. English is widely spoken, especially in establishments catering for tourists. Religion: The vast majority adhere to Buddhism (Theravada form), four per cent are Muslim and there are Christian minorities. Time: GMT + 7. Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. American- and European-style two-pin plugs are in use. Communications:   Telephone IDD is available. Country code: 66. Outgoing international code: 00. Mobile telephone GSM 900/1800/1900 networks. Network operators include Advanced Info Service (website: www.ais900.com), Digital Phone Company Ltd (website: www.dpc1800.com) and Total Access Comms Co (website: www.dtac.co.th). Fax Facilities are widely available in hotels. Internet Internet cafes provide public access to Internet and e-mail services. ISPs include Internet Thailand (website: www.inet.co.th) and Asia Infonet (website: www.asianet.co.th). Telegram Telegrams can be sent from hotels, airports and CAT (Communications Authority of Thailand) offices. Post Airmail to Europe takes up to one week. The General Post Office in Bangkok (on Charoen Krung Road) is open Mon-Fri 0800-2000, Sat-Sun and holidays 0800-1300. Post offices up-country are open Mon-Fri 0800-1630, Sat 0900-1200 . Press English-language dailies are the Bangkok Post, The Nation and the Thailand Times. BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change. BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice): MHz 15.36 9.740 6.195 3.915 Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov): MHz 17.74 11.71 9.645 6.110 From www.columbusguides.com, Copyright © 2004 Highbury Columbus Travel Publishing Terms and Conditions apply.