Seventy-six provinces, a bicameral parliament and Theravada Buddhism: the frame of the Thai state

Background

A Royal Thai Government page on the country states that Thailand is governed by a constitutional monarchy with a bicameral parliament. The country comprises 76 provinces, which are further divided into districts, sub-districts and villages. The national religion is Theravada Buddhism, practised by more than 90 per cent of all Thais. The Thai language is the official language of Thailand, and the basic unit of currency is the Thai baht. Bangkok is the capital city and the centre of political, commercial, industrial and cultural activities. The page divides the country into four natural regions: the mountains and forests of the North, the vast rice fields of the Central Plains, the semi-arid farm lands of the Northeast plateau, and the tropical islands and long coastline of the peninsular South. There is a Muslim-majority area in the south near the Malaysian border.