Editing Thailand (section)

== Geography ==
{{Main|Geography of Thailand}}

[[File:Koh Tarutao, Thailand, Ancient Cambrian deposits.jpg|thumb|[[Ko Tarutao]], [[Satun Province|Satun]]]]
Totalling {{convert|513120|km2}}, Thailand is the [[List of countries and dependencies by area|50th-largest country]] by total area.<ref name="CIA" /> Thailand comprises several distinct geographic regions, partly corresponding to the provincial groups. The north of the country is the mountainous area of the [[Thai highlands]], with the highest point being [[Doi Inthanon]] in the [[Thanon Thong Chai Range]] at {{Convert|2565|m|0}} above sea level. The northeast, [[Isan]], consists of the [[Khorat Plateau]], bordered to the east by the [[Mekong River]]. The centre of the country is dominated by the predominantly flat [[Chao Phraya]] river valley, which runs into the [[Gulf of Thailand]]. Southern Thailand consists of the narrow [[Kra Isthmus]] that widens into the [[Malay Peninsula]].

The Chao Phraya and the Mekong River are the indispensable water courses of rural Thailand. Industrial scale production of crops use both rivers and their tributaries. The Gulf of Thailand covers {{convert|320000|km2|-3}} and is fed by the Chao Phraya, [[Mae Klong River|Mae Klong]], [[Bang Pakong River|Bang Pakong]], and [[Tapi River, Thailand|Tapi]] Rivers. It contributes to the tourism sector owing to its clear shallow waters along the coasts in the southern region and the Kra Isthmus. The eastern shore of the Gulf of Thailand has the kingdom's premier deepwater port in [[Sattahip District|Sattahip]] and its busiest commercial port, [[Laem Chabang]]. [[Phuket Province|Phuket]], [[Krabi Province|Krabi]], [[Ranong]], [[Phang Nga]] and [[Trang Province|Trang]], and their islands, all lay along the coasts of the [[Andaman Sea]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}

=== Climate ===
{{Further|Climate change in Thailand}}
[[File:Koppen-Geiger Map THA present.svg|thumb|Thailand map of Köppen climate classification]]
Thailand's climate is influenced by monsoon winds that have a seasonal character (the southwest and northeast monsoon).<ref name="Climate 2015">{{Cite web |title=The Climate of Thailand |url=http://www.tmd.go.th/en/archive/thailand_climate.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160801225446/http://www.tmd.go.th/en/archive/thailand_climate.pdf |archive-date=1 August 2016 |access-date=18 August 2016 |publisher=Thai Meteorological Department}}</ref>{{rp|2}} Most of the country is classified as [[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]]'s [[tropical savanna climate]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dr. Susan L. Woodward |year=1997–2014 |title=Tropical Savannas |url=https://php.radford.edu/~swoodwar/biomes/?page_id=105 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219124459/https://php.radford.edu/~swoodwar/biomes/?page_id=105 |archive-date=19 December 2013 |access-date=23 February 2014 |website=Biomes of the World |publisher=S. L. Woodward}}</ref> The majority of the south, as well as the eastern tip, have a [[tropical monsoon climate]]. Parts of the south also have a [[tropical rainforest climate]].

A year in Thailand is divided into three seasons.<ref name="Climate 2015" />{{rp|2}} The first is the rainy or southwest monsoon season (mid–May to mid–October), which is caused by southwestern wind from the [[Indian Ocean]].<ref name="Climate 2015" />{{rp|2}} 

Rainfall is also contributed by [[Intertropical Convergence Zone]] (ITCZ) and tropical [[cyclones]],<ref name="Climate 2015" />{{rp|2}} with August and September being the wettest period of the year.<ref name="Climate 2015" />{{rp|2}} The country receives a mean annual rainfall of {{convert|1200|to|1600|mm|in|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Climate 2015" />{{rp|4}} 

Winter or the northeast monsoon occurs from mid–October until mid–February.<ref name="Climate 2015" />{{rp|2}} Most of Thailand experiences dry weather with mild temperatures.<ref name="Climate 2015" />{{rp|2,4}} Summer or the pre–monsoon season runs from mid–February until mid–May.<ref name="Climate 2015" />{{rp|3}}

Due to their inland position and latitude, the north, northeast, central and eastern parts of Thailand experience a long period of warm weather, where temperatures can reach up to {{convert|40|°C|°F}} during March to May,<ref name="Climate 2015" />{{rp|3}} in contrast to close to or below {{convert|0|°C|°F}} in some areas in winter.<ref name="Climate 2015" />{{rp|3}} 

Southern Thailand is characterised by mild weather year-round with less diurnal and seasonal variations in temperatures due to maritime influences.<ref name="Climate 2015" />{{rp|3}} It receives abundant rainfall, particularly during October to November.<ref name="Climate 2015" />{{rp|2}} Thailand is among the world's ten countries that are most exposed to climate change. In particular, it is highly vulnerable to [[Sea level rise|rising sea levels]] and extreme weather events.<ref>Overland, Indra et al. (2017) ''[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320622312 Impact of Climate Change on ASEAN International Affairs: Risk and Opportunity Multiplier] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200728065717/https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320622312_Impact_of_Climate_Change_on_ASEAN_International_Affairs_Risk_and_Opportunity_Multiplier |date=28 July 2020 }}'', Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) and Myanmar Institute of International and Strategic Studies (MISIS).</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=29 October 2019 |title=Report: Flooded Future: Global vulnerability to sea level rise worse than previously understood |url=https://www.climatecentral.org/report/report-flooded-future-global-vulnerability-to-sea-level-rise-worse-than-previously-understood |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904125539/https://www.climatecentral.org/report/report-flooded-future-global-vulnerability-to-sea-level-rise-worse-than-previously-understood |archive-date=4 September 2022 |access-date=5 September 2022 |website=climatecentral.org}}</ref>

=== Biodiversity and conservation ===
{{see also|List of protected areas of Thailand|List of forest parks of Thailand|List of species native to Thailand|Environmental issues in Thailand|}}
[[File:Khaoyai 06.jpg|thumb|The population of [[Asian elephants]] in Thailand's wild has dropped to an estimated 2,000–3,000.<ref name="Elephants">{{Cite web |title=Thailand's Elephants |url=http://www.thailandelephant.org/en/thaielephant.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150305080708/http://www.thailandelephant.org/en/thaielephant.html |archive-date=5 March 2015 |access-date=3 March 2015 |website=Thai Elephant Conservation Center}}</ref>]]
[[List of national parks of Thailand|National park]]s in Thailand are defined as ''an area that contains natural resources of ecological importance or unique beauty, or flora and fauna of special importance''. Thailand's protected areas include 156 national parks, 58 wildlife sanctuaries, 67 non-hunting areas, and 120 forest parks. They cover almost 31 per cent of the kingdom's territory.<ref name="PRD">{{cite web |url=https://thailand.prd.go.th/1700/ewt/thailand/ewt_news.php?nid=8297&filename=index |title=Five New National Parks in Thailand |date=6 August 2019 |department=The Government Public Relations Department |access-date=4 January 2022 }}{{Dead link|date=June 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The parks are administered by the [[Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation|National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department]] (DNP) of the [[Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (Thailand)|Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment]] (MNRE).

Thailand has a mediocre but improving performance in the global [[Environmental Performance Index]] (EPI), with an overall ranking of 91 out of 180 countries in 2016. The environmental areas where Thailand performs worst (i.e., highest-ranking) are [[air quality]] (167), environmental effects of the agricultural industry (106), and the [[climate and energy]] sector (93), the later mainly because of a high [[CO2 emission|CO<sub>2</sub> emission]] per kWh produced. Thailand performs best (i.e., lowest-ranking) in [[water resource management]] (66), with some major improvements expected for the future, and [[sanitation]] (68).<ref>{{Cite journal |title=2016 Report |url=http://epi.yale.edu/reports/2016-report |url-status=dead |journal=EPI Report |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160204021925/http://epi.yale.edu/reports/2016-report |archive-date=4 February 2016 |access-date=17 December 2016}}</ref><ref>EPI (2016): [http://epi.yale.edu/country/thailand Thailand] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161227041212/http://epi.yale.edu/country/thailand |date=27 December 2016}}</ref> The country had a 2019 [[Forest Landscape Integrity Index]] mean score of 6.00/10, ranking it 88th globally out of 172 countries.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Grantham |first1=H. S. |last2=Duncan |first2=A. |last3=Evans |first3=T. D. |last4=Jones |first4=K. R. |last5=Beyer |first5=H. L. |last6=Schuster |first6=R. |last7=Walston |first7=J. |last8=Ray |first8=J. C. |last9=Robinson |first9=J. G. |last10=Callow |first10=M. |last11=Clements |first11=T. |last12=Costa |first12=H. M. |last13=DeGemmis |first13=A. |last14=Elsen |first14=P. R. |last15=Ervin |first15=J. |display-authors=1 |year=2020 |title=Anthropogenic modification of forests means only 40% of remaining forests have high ecosystem integrity – Supplementary Material |journal=Nature Communications |volume=11 |issue=1 |page=5978 |bibcode=2020NatCo..11.5978G |doi=10.1038/s41467-020-19493-3 |issn=2041-1723 |pmc=7723057 |pmid=33293507 |doi-access=free |last16=Franco |first16=P. |last17=Goldman |first17=E. |last18=Goetz |first18=S. |last19=Hansen |first19=A. |last20=Hofsvang |first20=E. |last21=Jantz |first21=P. |last22=Jupiter |first22=S. |last23=Kang |first23=A. |last24=Langhammer |first24=P. |last25=Laurance |first25=W. F. |last26=Lieberman |first26=S. |last27=Linkie |first27=M. |last28=Malhi |first28=Y. |last29=Maxwell |first29=S. |last30=Mendez |first30=M. |last31=Mittermeier |first31=R. |last32=Murray |first32=N. J. |last33=Possingham |first33=H. |last34=Radachowsky |first34=J. |last35=Saatchi |first35=S. |last36=Samper |first36=C. |last37=Silverman |first37=J. |last38=Shapiro |first38=A. |last39=Strassburg |first39=B. |last40=Stevens |first40=T. |last41=Stokes |first41=E. |last42=Taylor |first42=R. |last43=Tear |first43=T. |last44=Tizard |first44=R. |last45=Venter |first45=O. |last46=Visconti |first46=P. |last47=Wang |first47=S. |last48=Watson |first48=J. E. M.}}</ref>

The population of elephants, the country's [[List of national animals|national symbol]], has fallen from 100,000 in 1850 to an estimated 2,000.<ref name="Elephants" /> Poachers have long hunted elephants for [[ivory]] and hides, and now increasingly for [[Elephant meat|meat]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=26 January 2012 |title=Poaching for meat poses new extinction risk to Thai elephants |work=The Guardian |agency=Associated Press |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/jan/26/poaching-thailand-elephant-meat |url-status=live |access-date=4 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180205184341/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/jan/26/poaching-thailand-elephant-meat |archive-date=5 February 2018}}</ref> Young elephants are often captured for use in tourist attractions or as work animals, where there have been claims of mistreatment.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hile |first=Jennifer |date=6 October 2002 |title=Activists Denounce Thailand's Elephant "Crushing" Ritual |work=National Geographic Today |url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/10/1016_021016_phajaan.html |url-status=dead |access-date=7 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070218231457/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/10/1016_021016_phajaan.html |archive-date=18 February 2007}}</ref> In 1989, the government banned the use of elephants for [[logging]], leading many elephant owners to move their domesticated animals to the tourism industry.<ref>{{cite report |last=Stiles |first=Daniel |title=The Elephant and Ivory Trade in Thailand |url=https://www.traffic.org/site/assets/files/3278/elephant-ivory-trade-thailand.pdf |publisher=Traffic Southeast Asia |pages=1–2}}</ref>

Poaching of protected species remains a major problem. [[Tigers]], [[leopards]], and other large cats are hunted for their pelts. Many are farmed or hunted for their meat, which supposedly has medicinal properties. Although such trade is illegal, the well-known Bangkok market [[Chatuchak Weekend Market|Chatuchak]] is still known for the sale of endangered species.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Teena Amrit Gill |date=18 February 1997 |title=Endangered Animals on Restaurant Menus |url=http://www.monitor.net/monitor/9702a/endangeredfood.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070516023649/https://www.monitor.net/monitor/9702a/endangeredfood.html |archive-date=16 May 2007 |access-date=7 June 2007 |publisher=Albion Monitor/News}}</ref> The practice of keeping wild animals as pets affects species such as [[Asiatic black bear]], [[Malayan sun bear]], [[Lar gibbon|white-handed lar]], [[pileated gibbon]], and [[binturong]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thai Forests: Dept. National Parks, Wildlife & Plants |url=http://www.tscwa.org/forests/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141126041139/http://tscwa.org/forests/index.html |archive-date=26 November 2014 |publisher=Thai Society for the Conservation of Wild Animals}}</ref>