Untitled Document

I. Political Structure
Thailand’s government is based on a constitutional monarchy. Although the monarch is hereditary and elections do not exist for that position, the prime minister is elected by members from the House of Representatives. “Following national elections for the House of Representatives, the leader of the party that can organize a majority coalition usually is appointed prime minister by the king” (CIA 5). In addition, Thailand’s government consists of an executive (king-Chief of State), judicial (Constitutional Court, Courts of Justice, and Administrative Courts), and legislative (National Assembly- bicameral) branch. Further, Thailand has a multi-party system, and the Communist Party is prohibited. Thailand is also divided into 76 provinces, including Bangkok municipality, subdivided into 795 districts and 81 sub-districts. Finally, suffrage is universal and compulsory at 18 years of age (State 1).

II. Economic Structure
“Thailand has a free enterprise economy and welcomes foreign investment” (CIA 6). It is export dependent and exports account for 60% of GDP. Exports include rice (the country’s most important crop), computers, electrical appliances, vehicles, furniture, garments, and jewelry, to name a few. Trade in 2002 equaled $67 billion spent on exports, and $63 billion on imports (State 2). Next, Thailand has a labor force of 33.4 million (2001 est.) and 60% are employed in agriculture. The population below the poverty line is 12.5% (1998 est.) and the per capita income for 2002 was $2,004 (State 1). “Certain services, such as power generation, transportation, and communications, are state-owned and operated, but the government is considering privatizing them in the wake of the financial crisis” (State 5). Moreover, since the 1997 financial crisis, Thailand’s economy has continued to increase and in 2002 real GDP growth was up to 5.2%, despite a sluggish global economy (CIA 6). The baht is currently at 39 to the dollar. Since tourism contributes significantly to the Thai economy, the industry has benefited from the Thai baht’s depreciation and Thailand’s stability (State 6). In all, Thailand’s economy has increased since the 1997 financial crisis, but “future performance depends on continued reform of the financial sector, corporate debt restructuring, attracting foreign investment, and increasing exports” (State 6).

III. Mass Media
In Thailand, 96% of the population is literate, meaning age 15 and over can read and write. Out of this, 97.5% are male and 94.6% are female (2003 est.). There are 5.6 million telephone lines in use and 3.1 million cellular phones. Investment in technological upgrades of the telephone system was reduced by the 1997 financial crisis and recession. Further, there are 13.96 million radios (1997) (radio broadcast stations: AM 204, FM 334, shortwave 6) and 15.19 million televisions in Thailand. There are 5 television stations (all in Bangkok, plus 131 repeaters). Moreover, there are 1.2 million internet users with 15 internet service providers (CIA 8).

IV. Infrastructure
“Thailand has one of the region’s most developed road networks, covering 170,000 kilometers” (Greater Mekong 2003). In addition, it has an extensive waterway system including seven ports and harbors, 111 airports, and 3 heliports. Had the financial crisis not hit, Thailand’s infrastructure would have been more developed. That aside, the Thai government’s Eight National Economic Plan (1997-2001) has provided $75 billion to improve infrastructure. “Among the major infrastructure projects underway are expressways, rapid mass transportation, port development, water supply, and telecommunications” (Greater Mekong 2003). Thailand’s infrastructure system is making progress in catching up to the country’s growing industrialization and development.

V. Legal Structure
The legal structure in Thailand is a blend of traditional Thai and Western laws (State 3). It follows the civil law system, where its basic laws are found in written codes. The Constitutional Court is the highest court of appeals, though its jurisdiction is limited to constitutional issues. The Courts of Justice have jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases and are organized in three tiers: Courts of First Instance, the Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of Justice (Dika Court). Administrative courts have jurisdiction over suits between private parties and the government and cases in which one government entity is suing another. In Thailand’s southern border provinces, where Muslims constitute the majority of the population, Provincial Islamic Committees have limited jurisdiction over probate, family, marriage, and divorce cases (State 4). It is interesting to note that “both civil and criminal trials are conducted by a judge or judges, sitting without a jury” (Pensit & Laws).

VI. Social Structure
“Thailand’s population is relatively homogeneous. More than 85% speak a dialect of Thai and share a common culture. This core population includes the central Thai (33.7% of the population, including Bangkok), Northeastern Thai (34.2%), northern Thai (18.8%), and southern Thai (13.3&)” (State 2). Therefore, “the language of the central Thai population is the language taught in schools and used in government” (State 2). English is the second language of the elites. The majority of the population is rural, concentrated in the rice-growing areas of the central, northeastern, and northern regions. However, as Thailand industrializes, the urban population 31.1% of the total population, mostly in the Bangkok area, will grow. The age structure of the population is broken down as follows: 0-14 years: 24.2%, 15-64 years: 68.8%, and 65 years and over: 7%. The median age is 30.1 years (male: 29.4 years, female: 30.8 years) (CIA 3). The epidemic of AIDS has had a dramatic impact on the Thai population. “Today, over 700,000 Thais live with HIV or AIDS” (State 2). Ninety percent of them will be aged 20-24, the most productive sector of the workforce. Without the help of an aggressive public education campaign in the early 1990s, this number could have been worse. Education accounts for 19% of total government spending. The constitution mandates 12 years of free education, although this is not provided universally (State 2). “Theravada Buddhism is the official religion of Thailand and is the religion of about 95% of its people” (State 2). The government permits religious diversity and other major religions are represented. Spirit worship and animism are widely practiced (State 2).

VII. What does all this mean in terms of public relations in Thailand?
From a public relations standpoint, all of this information can be translated into means for a successful PR campaign. Looking at the public communication implications of each section allows one to see how PR campaigns are effective in Thailand. First, analyzing Thailand’s political structure, it is evident that there is democracy in Thailand. Thus, the Thai government censors the media, similar to the way the United States does, having the power to revoke or suspend a license for a newspaper or television program. Second, analyzing Thailand’s economic structure illustrates that, despite the 1997 financial crisis, Thailand’s economy has become stronger. However, it is important to note that 60% of the population is employed in agriculture and the country, overall, is still poor (the per capita income for 2002 was $2,004). Therefore, increased foreign investments are a major factor in Thailand’s economic future. Third, analyzing Thailand’s mass media definitely helps decide what approaches to use to launch a successful PR campaign. Specifically, since advertisers buy air time on television, radio, and the internet in Thailand, similar to the United States, they are all (television, radio, and the internet) viable means for PR. Moreover, since 96% of the population is literate, newspapers, magazines, and other forms of print media are also options for PR outlets. Forth, analyzing Thailand’s infrastructure depicts that all of Thailand is accessible from roadways and waterways if one wanted to advertise by going all over Thailand. Next, looking at Thailand’s legal system shows that, unlike the common law system in the United States, it is based on civil law or written codes, similar to the system in continental Europe. For public communications, this means that statutes exist that must be adhered to when following through with a campaign. Finally, analyzing the social structure in Thailand shows that 85% of the population shares a common dialect and culture. Thus, if a PR campaign is spoken in one dialect, the majority of the population will understand it. In addition, it makes it easier to find a target age group for a campaign since the median age of the population is 30.1 years old. Further, since the HIV/AIDS public education campaign showed success in the 1990s to reduce the amount of people contracting the virus, it gives hope that other campaigns will have such success in Thailand. In all, this data shows that PR campaigns in Thailand have the ability to be successful if the right plans are launched.