AMAZING

THAILAND

Places of
Interest

Flag of Thailand

Thailand

Country name: Kingdom of Thailand,

Thailand
Capital: Bangkok
Location: Southeastern Asia,
bordering the Andaman Sea and the
Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma
Border countries: Burma, Cambodia,
Laos, Malaysia

Government type: constitutional monarchy

Administrative divisions: 76 provinces
Population: 64,265,276
note: estimates for this country explicitly take
into account the effects of excess mortality due
to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy,
higher infant mortality and death rates, lower
population and growth rates, and changes in the
distribution of population by age and sex than
would otherwise be expected (July 2003

est.).

Languages: Thai, English (secondary

language of the elite), ethnic and regional
dialects

Religions: Buddhism 95%, Muslim

3.8%, Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism
0.1%, other 0.6% (1991)
Industries: tourism; textiles and
garments, agricultural processing,
beverages, tobacco, cement, light
manufacturing, such as jewelry;
electric appliances and components,
computers and parts, integrated
circuits, furniture, plastics; world's
second-largest tungsten producer
and third-largest tin producer

GDP per capita: purchasing power

parity - $7,000 (2002 est.) (99th in
the world)
Currency: baht (THB) (CIA, World
Fact Book)

Important Facts

One of the top destinations (with China,

Hong Kong and Malaysia) in Asia and
Pacific
10,9 million international tourist arrivals (4th
highest in the region; after China, Hong and
Malaysia)
$7,9 billion international tourism receipts (3rd
highest) (WTO, 2003)

Coastline: 3,219 km
Terrain: central plain; Khorat Plateau in
the east; mountains elsewhere

Climate: tropical; rainy, warm,

cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May
to September); dry, cool northeast
monsoon (November to mid-March);
southern isthmus always hot and
humid (CIA, World Fact Book).

Selling Points

Beaches, exotic temples, ruins, good

food, snorkelling and scuba diving,
tribal cultures, trekking, nightlife,
exceptional handicrafts, classical
dance, friendly people and beautiful
scenery.
Other countries in the region are also
fascinating. Trips to nearby Malaysia
and Singapore are often packaged with
a visit to Thailand.

Very Brief History

4000 BC; archaeological studies suggest that

communities were living in what is now
Thailand
6th 7th centuries; since the Thai are related
linguistically to groups originating in southern
China, migrations from southern China to
Southeast Asia might have occurred
13th century; Thais date the founding of their
nation. In 1238, a Thai kingdom was
established which was known as Siam until
1939

Thailand is the only southeast Asian

country never to have been taken over
by a European power (Thais believe that
the diplomatic skills of their monarchs
and their modernizing reforms made
Siam the only country in the region to
avoid European colonization)
A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a
constitutional monarchy
Thailand was occupied by the Japanese
during the World War II as the rest of
Southeast Asia

Bangkok

does not impress tourists very much

traffic jam is too much, walking rather
than taking a taxi or bus would be
much faster. Water taxis are good
Bangkoks temples are the finest and
most ornate in all of Asia; located in
the modern city center
The most beautiful are;

The Grand Palace and the Temple of the

Emerald Buddha - Wat Phra Keo (richly
ornamented)
Temple of the Dawn - Wat Arun (on the older
side of the Chao Pyraya River; classic Thai
dancers may be seen)
Reclining Buddha (the largest Buddha in
Thailand; 46 meters long)

some other places to see include;

Small Erawan shire at the corner of RatchaDamri Road and Sumkumvit (to see
traditional Thai dancers)
Klongs - canals (to see the floating market
and how people live)

National Museum (reflects countrys

history and artcrafts)
The Red Cross Snake (to watch
venomous snakes being milked)
The Weekend Market near Chatuchack
(to see giant dead roaches for sale)
Chinatown
Vimanmek Mansion (worlds largest
golden teakwood building, filled with
priceless antiques and paintings)
Royal Barges (magnificent boats used by
the king and for special occasions)
Patpong (the red-light district)

day trips to;

Ayutthaya (was the capital of Thailand
between 1350 - 1767; has well
preserved complex of temple and ruins)
Thai Cultural Village (to watch
performances of traditional dance and
music)

Pattaya

located on the Gulf of Thailand

developed as a resort in 1963; one of
the major resorts in Southest Asia
after Banghkok, most visited place in
Thailand
bachelor nightlife is the main attraction
Ko Laan (nearby island worth seeing;
the travel is by a glass-bottomed boat)

Chiang Mai

the fifth largest city in Thailand, but has

most of the amenities offered by Bangkok
located in the hilly Golden Triangle where
much of the wolrds opium is grown
an ancient city therefore has some
interesting temples (wats);
Wat Suan Dawn
Wat Chiang Man

some other sites to see;

Elephant Training School
Phuping Palace (for a nice driving
excursion)

area Treks in Chiang Mai are offered

which usually include;
organized treks into the surrounding
tribal hill country for four nights;
stopping in a different village each
night; with an elephant ride and river
rafting
may be risky

Islands

resort islands off the coast of Thailand

Phuket (pronounced as pooKET; Thailands
largest island; located 670 km south of
Bangkok; overdeveloped; features a tropical
beach - Patong beach; snorkeling and other
water sports and sightseeing; tours to
rubber plantations, batik factories and a
crocodile farm are offered)
Ko Samui (another pleasant island;
undergone intensive development)

Kanchanaburi

the main attraction is the nearby

bridge over Kwai River which is
made by the allied prisoners during
World War II as part of the Death
Railway
nearby museums chronicle life in the
POW camps and the history of the
railroad construction

Allied War Cemetery (where the

graves of more than 8000 POWs who
died working on the bridge and
railway for Japanese Army
Nakhon Pathom (largest Buddhist
monument in Thailand)

Ruins

the ruins in northern and

northeastern Thailand are exceptional
they are well preserved
each is unique because they are built
indifferent time periods
from Bangkok, the trip may take
around five days
Sukhothai (Thailands first capital is
the most interesting)

The Best Thai Food To

Try

Do you
know what
is the best
Thai foods
to try ?

Tom Yum Goong

(Spicy Shrimp Soup)

Som Tum
(Spicy Green Papaya
Salad)

Mango Sticky Rice

Pad See Ew

Tom Kha Kai