Background

Thailand, or Siam in ancient times, is situated in the middle of the central-south peninsula of southeast Asia, bordering Myanma, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia, with the Gulf of Thailand in the south and the Andaman Sea in the southwest. It has a territory of 514,000 square kilometers.

In Thailand, 95% of the people are Buddhists and 4% believe in Islamism. Bangkok is the capital and Thai is the official language of the country. The Menam River valley is the cradle of the Thai culture and the economic center of Thailand. The Mun River is the longest that cuts through the northeastern part of the country. Most places of the country enjoy a tropical monsoon climate, with the average monthly temperature ranging from 23¡æ to 32¡æ and an annual precipitation of 1,000 mm to 2,000 mm, or more than 5,000 mm in mountainous areas.

Some 65% of the population is engaged in agriculture in Thailand, which abounds with rice, rubber, cassava and sugarcane, with well-developed inland river and sea fishery, and famous for handicrafts. Its export volume of cassava powder, rice, rubber and tin bar is among the biggest in the world.

China and Thailand established diplomatic relations in 1975, and bilateral exchange has since been increasingly frequent. While supporting each other and keeping good cooperation in international affairs, the two countries have strengthened economic, scientific and technological ties. China and Thailand have signed agreements on trade, scientific and technological cooperation, civil aviation, ocean shopping and investment protection.

The Mekong River in Thailand originates from the Lancang River in China. The two rivers are the haunt of elephants. The scene of elephants coming from China and Thailand for water in the "same river" symbolizes the friendship between the two countries from generation to generation.

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