Economically , the country made its recovery from the 1997 Asian financial crisis and became an upper-middle income economy in 2011 , though it was affected by the Great Recession and GDP growth has slowed from the early 2000s . The multiple political crises and coups had little impact on the Thai economy individually , and the country quickly recovered from major disasters including the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and widespread flooding in 2011 . However , inequality remains high , contributing to the urban – rural divide and potentially fuelling further social and political conflict . The future of the country remains unclear as the 2017 constitution , drafted under junta , paved the way for further military intervention in politics , amidst concerns regarding the return to democratic rule and the changing role of the monarchy under a new reign
widespread flooding in 2011
2011 Thailand floods
History of Thailand since 2001