What is the Economy of Thailand

Thailand's investment-oriented economy is among the most rapidly growing in Asia. Despite this success, economic development has been highly uneven, especially in agriculture.

Although much of Thailand's export revenues and a majority of the labour force depend on agriculture, its contributions to economic growth have declined consistently since 1950. Aiming at diversification, the government has encouraged investment in small industry.

To encourage exports, duties are low, except on rice, to which a premium is attached to prevent domestic shortages. Unions are prohibited and strikes not allowed unless management fails to agree with employees and government mediators.

What Is The Demographic Trend of Thailand

Thailand's population has increased rapidly in the 20th century, especially between 1950 and 1970, when the government supported such growth. Since then, official policies and private family-planning programs have slowed this growth dramatically, making the country a model for other nations seeking to reduce their high growth rates. The more youthful age profile of the population that resulted from the earlier growth, however, has begun to place increasing demands on the country's education, housing, health, and employment systems.

Internal migration in Thailand occurs primarily between rural areas and has had little effect on the regional distribution of population. Nonetheless, migration from the countryside has contributed significantly to the growth of Bangkok. Since 1960 Bangkok has received two-fifths of all interregional migrants in the country, many of whom have come from the central and northeast regions. As in most other areas of the world, these migrants are mainly young adults less than 30 years of age.

After 1975, Thailand also received large numbers of Cambodian, Vietnamese, Laotian, and Hmong refugees who fled political conflicts in their own countries and settled in camps along the Thai border; most refugees, however, have been resettled in other countries or repatriated to their own countries.

Thailand Train Service Back to Operation

Six southern train servcies have resumed operation on Sunday, according to the southern railway centre.

They include trains no. 255 and 177 from Thon Buri to Lang Suan, trains no. 254 and 178 from Lang Suan to Thon Buri, train no. 490 from Surat Thani to Khirirat Nikhom and train no. 489 from Khirirat Nikhom to Surat Thani.

However, the terminal station of Thonburi to Lang Suan line will be Prachuap Khiri Khan station, not Lang Suan station in Chumphon province.

In the meantime, other southern rail lines such as Bangkok - Sungai Kolok, Hat Yai – Chumphon and Hat Yai - Sungai Kolok are still closed for 10 consecutive days. Only security personnel are present at many southern railway stations.

The chairman of the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) labour union in Hat Yai, Supichet Suwannachatri, said his union would have to wait for the resolution from the SRT labour union before all the southern rail service can operate normally.

Many SRT workers have gone on strike to support anti-government protests led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) since last week. - Bangkok Post