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| Thailand profile | Thailand profile |
| (4 months later) | |
| Thailand is the only country in south-east Asia to have escaped colonial rule. Buddhist religion, the monarchy and the military have helped to shape its society and politics. | Thailand is the only country in south-east Asia to have escaped colonial rule. Buddhist religion, the monarchy and the military have helped to shape its society and politics. |
| The 1980s brought a boom to its previously agricultural economy and had a significant impact on Thai society as thousands flocked to work in industry and the services sector. | The 1980s brought a boom to its previously agricultural economy and had a significant impact on Thai society as thousands flocked to work in industry and the services sector. |
| Although Thailand's recent governments have been civilian and democratically-elected, the country has seen turbulent times. The military governed, on and off, between 1947 and 1992 - a period characterised by coups, coup attempts and popular protests. | Although Thailand's recent governments have been civilian and democratically-elected, the country has seen turbulent times. The military governed, on and off, between 1947 and 1992 - a period characterised by coups, coup attempts and popular protests. |
| The collapse of the south-east Asian economic boom in 1997 led to public disillusion with free-market policies and encouraged the rise of populist Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was reviled by the urban elites but enjoyed widespread support among the poor, particularly in rural areas. | The collapse of the south-east Asian economic boom in 1997 led to public disillusion with free-market policies and encouraged the rise of populist Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was reviled by the urban elites but enjoyed widespread support among the poor, particularly in rural areas. |
| In September 2006, opposition to PM Thaksin came to a head and the military once again stepped into politics, carrying out a bloodless coup against him. | In September 2006, opposition to PM Thaksin came to a head and the military once again stepped into politics, carrying out a bloodless coup against him. |
| The move kicked off a period of seesaw politics, marked by frequent attempts by pro-Thaksin "red-shirts" and anti-Thaksin "yellow-shirts" to use mass protests as a lever to eject the other side from power. | The move kicked off a period of seesaw politics, marked by frequent attempts by pro-Thaksin "red-shirts" and anti-Thaksin "yellow-shirts" to use mass protests as a lever to eject the other side from power. |
| Elections held at the end of 2007 as part of the military junta's transition back to civilian rule handed power straight back to pro-Thaksin forces, who managed to stay in power for only a year before being ousted by mass anti-Thaksin rallies. | Elections held at the end of 2007 as part of the military junta's transition back to civilian rule handed power straight back to pro-Thaksin forces, who managed to stay in power for only a year before being ousted by mass anti-Thaksin rallies. |
| The resulting anti-Thaksin coalition weathered frequent pro-Thaksin demonstrations - often by dint of military force - for four years before losing power in elections to a government led by Thaksin's sister, Yingluck Shinawatra. | The resulting anti-Thaksin coalition weathered frequent pro-Thaksin demonstrations - often by dint of military force - for four years before losing power in elections to a government led by Thaksin's sister, Yingluck Shinawatra. |
| Yingluck Shinawatra mananged to avoid triggering violent opposition on the scale of the protests that brought down several previous governments until late 2013, when a proposal to amnesty her brother brought mass protests back to the streets of Bangkok. | |
| Conflict in south | Conflict in south |
| Thailand has a minority Muslim, ethnic Malay population concentrated in its southern provinces. | Thailand has a minority Muslim, ethnic Malay population concentrated in its southern provinces. |
| A decades-old separatist struggle in the region - which abated in the 1980s - flared again in 2004. The violence has claimed more than 5,000 lives. | A decades-old separatist struggle in the region - which abated in the 1980s - flared again in 2004. The violence has claimed more than 5,000 lives. |
| Thailand's capital, Bangkok, expanded rapidly with the influx of workers during the boom years. It is one of Asia's most vibrant and heavily-congested cities. | Thailand's capital, Bangkok, expanded rapidly with the influx of workers during the boom years. It is one of Asia's most vibrant and heavily-congested cities. |
| The large-scale sex industry that flourishes there contributed to the incidence of HIV infection - a major concern for the government. | The large-scale sex industry that flourishes there contributed to the incidence of HIV infection - a major concern for the government. |
| Thailand has taken the lead in the region in distributing cheaper generic drugs for Aids sufferers and awareness campaigns are credited with reducing the number of new infections. | Thailand has taken the lead in the region in distributing cheaper generic drugs for Aids sufferers and awareness campaigns are credited with reducing the number of new infections. |
| Since 2009, Thai troops have sporadically clashed with Cambodian forces in several disputed areas along the two countries' border. | Since 2009, Thai troops have sporadically clashed with Cambodian forces in several disputed areas along the two countries' border. |