PHOTO GALLERY Land Area 513,115 Population Approx. 64.2 million (2004) Capital Bangkok Political System Constitutional Monarchy Major Languages Thai Major Religion Buddhism(Approx. 95%) Currency Baht Flag Description: It is called the Trirong (3-colored flag). Blue stands for the monarchy, white represents religion and red signifies the cooperative spirit of the country and the people. Active financial policy and increased export bring recovery from economic crisis Having never been subject to foreign colonial rule, Thailand has evolved through history with its original culture intact. Most of its population is Buddhist, and Buddhism fulfills important functions together with ethnicity and monarchy as the three main props consolidating the nation. Thailand has successfully industrialized as a result of bringing in foreign capital from Japan and other countries since the 1980s, thus, it has departed from its old industrial structure focused on primary products. Although Thai society had been hard hit by repercussions from the 1997 economic crisis, the economic situation has recoveried in 1999 as a result of its favorable growth in exports and the government's aggressive financial policy and financial support from IMF and international community including Japan. Japanese enterprises have been making inroads into Thailand and investing since the 1960s, bringing on a rapidly deepening bilateral economic relationship. Japan is now the most important partner to Thailand for trade, investment and assistance.Thailand offers a wide variety of tourist attractions including Bangkok, once known as �gVenice of the East�h, historical places registered as world heritage sites and beautiful beach resorts.