Laos vs. Thailand
Government
| Laos | Thailand | |
|---|---|---|
| Country name | conventional long form: Lao People's Democratic Republic conventional short form: Laos local long form: Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao local short form: Mueang Lao (unofficial) etymology: name means "Land of the Lao [people]" | conventional long form: Kingdom of Thailand conventional short form: Thailand local long form: Ratcha Anachak Thai local short form: Prathet Thai former: Siam etymology: Land of the Tai [People]"; the meaning of "tai" is uncertain, but may originally have meant "human beings," "people," or "free people |
| Government type | communist state | constitutional monarchy |
| Capital | name: Vientiane (Viangchan) geographic coordinates: 17 58 N, 102 36 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the meaning in Pali, a Buddhist liturgical language, is "city of sandalwood" | name: Bangkok geographic coordinates: 13 45 N, 100 31 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: Bangkok was likely originally a colloquial name, but one that was widely adopted by foreign visitors; the name may derive from "bang ko," where "bang" is the Thai word for "village on a stream" and "ko" means "island," both referencing the area's landscape, which was carved by rivers and canals; alternatively, the name may come from "bang makok," where "makok" is the name of the Java plum, a plant bearing olive-like fruit; this possibility is supported by the former name of Wat Arun, a historic temple in the area, that used to be called Wat Makok; Krung Thep, the city's Thai name, means "City of the Deity" and is a shortening of the full ceremonial name: Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit; translated the meaning is: City of angels, great city of immortals, magnificent city of the nine gems, seat of the king, city of royal palaces, home of gods incarnate, erected by Vishvakarman at Indra's behest; it holds the world's record as the longest place name (169 letters) |
| Administrative divisions | 17 provinces (khoueng, singular and plural) and 1 prefecture* (kampheng nakhon); Attapu, Bokeo, Bolikhamxai, Champasak, Houaphan, Khammouan, Louangnamtha, Louangphabang, Oudomxai, Phongsali, Salavan, Savannakhet, Viangchan (Vientiane)*, Viangchan, Xaignabouli, Xaisomboun, Xekong, Xiangkhouang | 76 provinces (changwat, singular and plural) and 1 municipality* (maha nakhon); Amnat Charoen, Ang Thong, Bueng Kan, Buri Ram, Chachoengsao, Chai Nat, Chaiyaphum, Chanthaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Chon Buri, Chumphon, Kalasin, Kamphaeng Phet, Kanchanaburi, Khon Kaen, Krabi, Krung Thep* (Bangkok), Lampang, Lamphun, Loei, Lop Buri, Mae Hong Son, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nakhon Sawan, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Nan, Narathiwat, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Pattani, Phangnga, Phatthalung, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phetchaburi, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Phrae, Phuket, Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ranong, Ratchaburi, Rayong, Roi Et, Sa Kaeo, Sakon Nakhon, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Saraburi, Satun, Sing Buri, Si Sa Ket, Songkhla, Sukhothai, Suphan Buri, Surat Thani, Surin, Tak, Trang, Trat, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani, Uthai Thani, Uttaradit, Yala, Yasothon |
| Independence | 19 July 1949 (from France by the Franco-Lao General Convention); 22 October 1953 (Franco-Lao Treaty recognizes full independence) | 1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized) |
| National holiday | Republic Day (National Day), 2 December (1975) | Birthday of King WACHIRALONGKON, 28 July (1952) |
| Constitution | history: previous 1947 (preindependence); latest promulgated 13-15 August 1991 amendments: proposed by the National Assembly; passage requires at least two-thirds majority vote of the Assembly membership and promulgation by the president of the republic; amended 2003, 2015 | history: many previous; latest drafted and presented 29 March 2016, approved by referendum 7 August 2016, signed into law by the king 6 April 2017 amendments: proposed as a joint resolution by the Council of Ministers and the National Council for Peace and Order (the junta that has ruled Thailand since the 2014 coup) and submitted as a draft to the National Legislative Assembly; passage requires majority vote of the existing Assembly members and presentation to the monarch for assent and countersignature of the prime minister |
| Legal system | civil law system similar in form to the French system | civil law system with common law influences |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
| Executive branch | chief of state: President THONGLOUN Sisoulit (since 22 March 2021); Vice President PANI Yathotou; Vice President BOUNTHONG Chitmani (since 22 March 2021) head of government: Prime Minister PHANKHAM Viphavan (since 22 March 2021); Deputy Prime Ministers CHANSAMON Chan-gnalat, SONXAI Siphandon, KIKEO Khaikhamphithoun (since 22 March 2021) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president, approved by the National Assembly elections/appointments: president and vice president indirectly elected by the National Assembly for a 5-year term (no term limits); election last held on 22 March 2021; prime minister nominated by the president, elected by the National Assembly for 5-year term election results: THONGLOUN Sisoulit (LPRP) elected president; National Assembly vote: 161-1; PANI Yathotou and BOUNTHONG Chitmani (LPRP) elected vice presidents; National Assembly vote NA; PHANKHAM Viphavan (LPRP) elected prime minister; National Assembly vote: 158-3 | chief of state: King WACHIRALONGKON, also spelled Vajiralongkorn, (since 1 December 2016); note - King PHUMIPHON Adunyadet, also spelled BHUMIBOL Adulyadej (since 9 June 1946) died 13 October 2016 head of government: Prime Minister PRAYUT Chan-ocha (since 25 August 2014); Deputy Prime Ministers PRAWIT Wongsuwan (since 31 August 2014), WITSANU Kruea-ngam (since 31 August 2014), SUPHATTHANAPHONG Phanmichao (since August 2020), CHURIN Laksanawisit (since November 2019), ANUTHIN Chanwirakun (since November 2019), DON Pramudwinai (since August 2020) cabinet: Council of Ministers nominated by the prime minister, appointed by the king; a Privy Council advises the king elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; the House of Representatives and Senate approves a person for Prime Minister who must then be appointed by the King (as stated in the transitory provision of the 2017 constitution); the office of prime minister can be held for up to a total of 8 years note: PRAYUT Chan-ocha was appointed interim prime minister in August 2014, three months after he staged the coup that removed the previously elected government of Prime Minister YINGLAK Chinnawat; on 5 June 2019 PRAYUT (independent) was approved as prime minister by the parliament - 498 votes to 244 for THANATHON Chuengrungrueangkit (FFP) |
| Legislative branch | description: unicameral National Assembly or Sapha Heng Xat (164 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by simple majority vote from candidate lists provided by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party; members serve 5-year terms) elections: last held on 21 February 2021 (next to be held in 2026) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LPRP 158, independent 6; composition - men 128, women 36, percent of women 21.9% | description: bicameral National Assembly or Rathhasapha consists of: Senate or Wuthissapha (250 seats; members appointed by the Royal Thai Army to serve 5-year terms) House of Representatives or Saphaphuthan Ratsadon (500 seats; 375 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 150 members elected in a single nationwide constituency by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms) elections: Senate - last held on 14 May 2019 (next to be held in 2024) House of Representatives - last held on 24 March 2019 (next to be held in 2023) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; composition - men 224, women 26, percent of women 10.4% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PPRP 23.7%, PTP 22.2%, FFP 17.8%, DP 11.1%, PJT 10.5%, TLP 2.3%, CTP 2.2%, NEP 1.4%, PCC 1.4%, ACT 1.2%, PCP 1.2%, other 5.1%; seats by party - PTP 136, PPRP 116, FFP 81, DP 53, PJT 51, CTP 10, TLP 10, PCC 7, PCP 5, NEP 6, ACT 5, other 20; composition - men 421, women 79, percent of women 15.8%; note - total National Assembly percent of women 14% |
| Judicial branch | highest courts: People's Supreme Court (consists of the court president and organized into criminal, civil, administrative, commercial, family, and juvenile chambers, each with a vice president and several judges) judge selection and term of office: president of People's Supreme Court appointed by the National Assembly upon the recommendation of the president of the republic for a 5-year term; vice presidents of the People's Supreme Court appointed by the president of the republic upon the recommendation of the National Assembly; appointment of chamber judges NA; tenure of court vice presidents and chamber judges NA subordinate courts: appellate courts; provincial, municipal, district, and military courts | highest courts: Supreme Court of Justice (consists of the court president, 6 vice presidents, 60-70 judges, and organized into 10 divisions); Constitutional Court (consists of the court president and 8 judges); Supreme Administrative Court (number of judges determined by Judicial Commission of the Administrative Courts) judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges selected by the Judicial Commission of the Courts of Justice and approved by the monarch; judge term determined by the monarch; Constitutional Court justices - 3 judges drawn from the Supreme Court, 2 judges drawn from the Administrative Court, and 4 judge candidates selected by the Selective Committee for Judges of the Constitutional Court, and confirmed by the Senate; judges appointed by the monarch serve single 9-year terms; Supreme Administrative Court judges selected by the Judicial Commission of the Administrative Courts and appointed by the monarch; judges serve for life subordinate courts: courts of first instance and appeals courts within both the judicial and administrative systems; military courts |
| Political parties and leaders | Lao People's Revolutionary Party or LPRP [BOUNNYANG Vorachit]; Prime Minister THONGLOUN Sisoulit elected general secretary in mid-January 2021 note: other parties proscribed | Action Coalition of Thailand Party or ACT [TAWEESAK Na Takuathung (acting); CHATUMONGKHON Sonakun resigned June 2020] Anakhot Mai Party (Future Forward Party) or FFP [THANATHON Chuengrungrueangkit] (dissolved, February 2020) Chat Phatthana Party (National Development Party) [THEWAN Liptaphanlop] Chat Thai Phatthana Party (Thai Nation Development Party) or CTP [KANCHANA Sinlapa-acha] New Economics Party or NEP [MINGKHWAN Sangsuwan] Phalang Pracharat Party or PPP [UTTAMA Sawanayon] Phumchai Thai Party (Thai Pride Party) or PJT [ANUTHIN Chanwirakun] Prachachat Party of PCC [WAN Muhamad NOOR Matha] Prachathipat Party (Democrat Party) or DP [CHURIN Laksanawisit] Puea Chat Party (For Nation Party) or PCP [SONGKHRAM Kitletpairot] Puea Thai Party (For Thais Party) or PTP [WIROT Paoin] Puea Tham Party (For Dharma Party) [NALINI Thawisin] Seri Ruam Thai Party (Thai Liberal Party) or TLP [SERIPHISUT Temiyawet] Thai Forest Conservation Party or TFCP [DAMRONG Phidet] Thai Local Power Party or TLP [collective leadership] Thai Raksa Chat Party (Thai National Preservation Party) [PRICHAPHON Phongpanit] note: as of 5 April 2018, 98 new parties applied to be registered with the Election Commission in accordance with the provisions of the new organic law on political parties |
| International organization participation | ADB, ARF, ASEAN, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, BIS, CD, CICA, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OAS (observer), OIC (observer), OIF (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission: Ambassador KHAMPHAN Anlavan (since 21 July 2019) chancery: 2222 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 328-9148; [1] (202) 332-6416 FAX: [1] (202) 332-4923 email address and website: embasslao@gmail.com; laoemb@verizon.net https://laoembassy.com/ consulate(s): New York | chief of mission: Ambassador MANATSAWI Sisodaphon (since 17 February 2021) chancery: 1024 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 401, Washington, DC 20007 telephone: [1] (202) 944-3600 FAX: [1] (202) 944-3611 email address and website: https://thaiembdc.org consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Peter HAYMOND (since 7 February 2020) embassy: Ban Somvang Tai, Thadeua Road, Km 9, Hatsayfong District, Vientiane mailing address: 4350 Vientiane Place, Washington DC 20521-4350 telephone: [856] 21-48-7000 FAX: [856] 21-48-7040 email address and website: CONSLAO@state.gov https://la.usembassy.gov/ | chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Michael HEATH (since August 2019) embassy: 95 Wireless Road, Bangkok 10330 mailing address: 7200 Bangkok Place, Washington DC 20521-7200 telephone: [66] 2-205-4000 FAX: [66] 2-205-4103 email address and website: acsbkk@state.gov https://th.usembassy.gov/ consulate(s) general: Chiang Mai |
| Flag description | three horizontal bands of red (top), blue (double width), and red with a large white disk centered in the blue band; the red bands recall the blood shed for liberation; the blue band represents the Mekong River and prosperity; the white disk symbolizes the full moon against the Mekong River, but also signifies the unity of the people under the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, as well as the country's bright future | five horizontal bands of red (top), white, blue (double width), white, and red; the red color symbolizes the nation and the blood of life, white represents religion and the purity of Buddhism, and blue stands for the monarchy note: similar to the flag of Costa Rica but with the blue and red colors reversed |
| National anthem | name: "Pheng Xat Lao" (Hymn of the Lao People) lyrics/music: SISANA Sisane/THONGDY Sounthonevichit note: music adopted 1945, lyrics adopted 1975; the anthem's lyrics were changed following the 1975 Communist revolution that overthrew the monarchy | name: "Phleng Chat Thai" (National Anthem of Thailand) lyrics/music: Luang SARANUPRAPAN/Phra JENDURIYANG note: music adopted 1932, lyrics adopted 1939; by law, people are required to stand for the national anthem at 0800 and 1800 every day; the anthem is played in schools, offices, theaters, and on television and radio during this time; "Phleng Sanlasoen Phra Barami" (A Salute to the Monarch) serves as the royal anthem and is played in the presence of the royal family and during certain state ceremonies |
| International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
| National symbol(s) | elephant; national colors: red, white, blue | garuda (mythical half-man, half-bird figure), elephant; national colors: red, white, blue |
| Citizenship | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Laos dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years | citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Thailand dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years |
Source: CIA Factbook
