Info
Introduction
Thailand officially called (The Kingdom of Thailand) or (Siam) is a country in Southeast Asia that borders Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia, Malaysia and Laos. The country is well known for its hot sunny weather, gorgeous white sand beaches and some of the friendliest people in the world. The country has two large coastlines with the Indian Ocean on its West coast and the Gulf of Thailand on its Southern coast.
As one of the most desired tourist countries in the world Thailand has several cities that usually rank in top ten lists of favorite cities to visit like Chang Mai, Phuket and Bangkok. The country has four natural regions. The Northern region is very mountainous with cooler temperatures and giant forests. In the Northeast it is very arid, hot with many rolling hills. The Central Region is an agricultural area with rich soil and receives high annual rainfall. In the Southern region of Thailand there are many forests, minerals deposits and produces much of the world’s rubber.
History
Thailand has an incredible history that dates back to the 1238 when its first kingdom was formed in Sukhothai. The country was called Siam until the 1939 and is the only South East Asian country to never been colonized by invaders. The culture of Thailand is influenced by Theravada Buddhism and it is prevalent in all the countries temples, history and holidays. The kings of Thailand have shaped the country into the thriving society that is now a constitutional monarchy. Thailand has been heavily influenced for centuries by Chinese and Indian culture. The head of state is King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) who is the world’s old living monarch.
Area & Population
Thailand is a country of 65 million people with a diverse population of people from all over the world. The capitol city of Bangkok is a giant city with over ten million citizens and is known for its nightlife, entertainment and huge Varity of foods. Thailand has almost 200,000 square miles of territory including many Islands. The official language is Standard Thai but many people speak English as well as some radio stations and street signs are in English. There are several varieties Thai dialects spoken throughout the country that are not easily understood by Thais form different areas. The Thai royal family is highly regarded and should be respected at all times.
Religion
The major religion is Theravada Buddhism but there are many mosques and Christian churches all over the country. Thai monks are highly respected and revered in society and are always treated with kindness and great esteem. Theravada Buddhism is influenced by the Theravada school of Buddhism, originally from Sri Lanka. The Thai monks who are officiates over most ceremonial occasions are also responsible for preserving Buddhist teachings and helping society. Theravada temples are as beautiful as they are respected and visitors should dress and act appropriately when visiting the temples.
