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MILNET: Thailand



Thailand  (map)

Recent Events | Terrorism

Thailand's modern history begins just before  World War II.  Thailand had never been conquered by a European nation -- the only Asian nation with distinction).  In 1932 a bloodless coup overturned the King of Siam (Thailand was called Siam until 1939) and a new constitutional monarchy was established.  During World War II, Thailand was an ally of Japan.  After the War, Thailand became an ally of the U.S. and has remained one since then.

The long vertical strip of land that is southern Thailand meets with Malaysia at the southern border, and shares a half of the long peninsula in the middle with Burma (west and north).  Laos also borders Thailand in the north and east,  as well as has a border along the southeast corner with Cambodia.

Thailand's  involvement in Eastern Asia includes its role as a base for U.S. activities during the ill fated war with Vietnam.  U.S. aircraft were based in Thailand and flew raids into South Vietnam, as well as featured clandestine raids against North Vietnamese using Laos as a path to move around ARVN (Army of Republic Vietnam regulars) on their way home from raids into the South.  Also, reconnaissance flights of U-2 and SR-71 aircraft originated from Thailand.

More recently, Thailand's economy went through rapid growth until mid 1995 when it had financial sector problems.  By 2000, the economy was in excellent recovery and a growth of 4%.  Thailand's economy is based on agriculture 54%, industry 15%, and services 31%. It's chief exports are computers and parts, textiles, and rice.  Thailand is a member of ASEAN, a trade organization in eastern Asia.

The Thai military consists of Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy (includes Royal Thai Marine Corps), Royal Thai Air Force, Paramilitary Forces with some 580,000 men.

Sporadically, Thailand has disputes over borders with Burma, Cambodia and Laos, as parts are as of yet still undefined.  Drug manufacturing and narcotics agricultural cultivation remains a huge problem, with Thailand being a major Asian producer of the worst of the drugs such as heroin, opium, and meth amphetamines.  Drug use is also a domestic problem, as are sexual slave and human organ trafficking.  Another problem that Thailand has had to deal with are Sri Lankian refugees who continue to pour in as conditions in war torn Sri Lanka continue to deteriorate.
 

Recent Events In Thailand

The economy, drug trafficking and the refugee situation are the major events that continues to plague Thailand.  Recent news stories are all on these topics.  Negotiations on ASEAN are one of the chief economic issues as well as remaining IMF requirements for improving the economic infrastructure.


Terrorist Groups Active in Thailand

As a result of years of Communist China's expansion and the tactic of fomenting revolution, as well as outside terrorist groups attacking other nations embassy's, there is a long history of unrest in Thailand.  However in most cases, recent terrorist activity comes from inside Thailand.  Recent events are simply more of the same.  The East Asia section of the 2000  Patterns of Global Terrorism report released annually cites one of these events:

"In January 2000, 10 armed Burmese dissidents linked to the takeover in 1999 of the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok -- took over the Ratchaburi provincial hospital. Thai security forces stormed the hospital and freed the victims. Although no hostages were injured during the assault, all the hostage takers were killed. Separately, Burma sentenced to death one terrorist involved in the 1999 Embassy takeover."
The terrorist elements active in Thailand are:
 
 

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