Thaksin Shinawatra
Prime Minister

(pronounced "TAK-sin shin-ah-WAH-trah")

"I need to punch things, otherwise nothing gets changed. You have to be strong. Sometimes I am too strong and that is my weak point. I never worry about my [reputation], but worry about the success of the government."

The Kingdom of Thailand is located in the heart of Southeast Asia's mainland. To its northwest is Myanmar (Burma); to the northeast, Laos; to the southeast, Cambodia; and to the south, Malaysia. The total area is 514,000 sq km (198,456 sq mi) and its total population was estimated at 62.4 million in July 2002. The population is comprised of approximately 75% Thai, 14% Chinese, and 11% various other ethnic groups. It is a nation abundant in natural resources, including fertile farmlands in the central part of the country surrounding the Chao Phraya River. The capital and largest city, Bangkok is the country's major...