Thailand
National Atlases
The national atlas tradition of Thailand emerged in the mid-20th century, driven by the need to systematically document the kingdom's natural resources and support post-war national development. The Royal Thai Survey Department, the country's premier mapping agency, initiated this effort in the 1960s, producing a series of atlases in English to reach an international audience. The first volume, published in 1966, focused on national resources, followed by a second volume in 1968. These were succeeded by two editions of the 'National Resources Atlas of Thailand' in 1969 and 1972, the latter being bilingual (Thai and English) and comprising a series of thematic maps covering geology, hydrology, agriculture, and forestry. The final atlas in the collection, 'Atlas of Thailand' (1974), marked a broader scope, integrating socio-economic data. These works were notable for their systematic approach, combining cartographic precision with resource inventories, as highlighted in contemporary reviews. The 1972 edition, in particular, was praised for its comprehensive coverage and served as a model for subsequent national mapping projects in Southeast Asia. Today, these atlases remain invaluable historical documents, charting Thailand's resource landscape and cartographic evolution.
Versions and Their Documents
Thailand National Resources Atlas, Volume I
1966 · Royal Thai Survey Department
Thailand National Resources Atlas, Volume II
1968 · Royal Thai Survey Department
Thailand National Resources Atlas
1969 · Royal Thai Survey Department
Contemporary and Later Comment
- Journal Article1974National resource mapping in Thailand
Larry Sternstein
In August 1972 the Royal Thai Survey Department published a National Resources Atlas (in Thai and English) comprising a number of maps on a scale of 1 : 2,500,000 that attempts to display many of t...
- Journal Article1980Concept, Design and Production of the new "Atlas of Thailand"
U. Freitag
This paper systematically elaborates the concept, design, and production process of the new "Atlas of Thailand." It first reviews the historical background of national atlases, from Finland's pioneering work in 1899, through the proliferation of national atlases in newly independent states after World War II, to the establishment of the IGU Commission on National Atlases in 1956. The paper then details the Royal Thai Survey Department's (RTSD) journey in compiling the "National Resources Atlas of Thailand" since 1961, through multiple revisions, culminating in the fourth revised edition initiated in 1974. The design principles are highlighted: adopting 1:2,500,000 and 1:4,000,000 as standard scales for principal maps, establishing a unified topographic base using Albers' equivalent conic projection, and pioneering four-color printing. The atlas encompasses over 60 map pages across three sections—natural, human, and economic resources—employing diverse cartographic methods including isarithmic maps, dot distribution maps, and graduated symbols, supplemented by profiles, cross-sections, and diagrams. The paper emphasizes that the atlas integrates multi-source data with extensive field surveys and remote sensing interpretation, making it Thailand's first detailed thematic atlas and a valuable tool for national resource assessment, economic planning, and academic research.
From the Physical Collection
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