Thailand

Thailand (formerly Siam) is the only Southeast Asian nation never formally colonized, preserving independence by playing British and French imperial powers against each other while implementing rapid modernization under the Chakri dynasty. The 1932 coup ended absolute monarchy, but the military has staged 13 coups since then, alternating with brief democratic openings. With 72 million people and a per-capita income of $7,000, Thailand is an upper-middle-income country whose democratic aspirations — demonstrated in 2023 elections — continue to be frustrated by a conservative royalist-military establishment.

• Government: Constitutional Monarchy
• Capital: Bangkok