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Geography

Thailand has a land area of 513,115 sq.km.(approx. 127,008 acres) bordered by Malaysia (South), Myanmar (West & North), Laos (North & East) and Cambodia (Southeast). The country's east coast borders the Gulf of Thailand and the west coast abuts the Andaman Sea. The country is divided geographically into four main zones-the fertile central plains, dominated by the Chao Phraya River; the 300-metre-high northeast plateau, the kingdom's most barren region ; the mountainous North; and the tropical southern peninsula.

Climate

The temperature varies from 38°C to 19°C with the annual average at about 29°C. The humidity is from 66% to 82.8%.

Seasons

There are three seasons in Northern, Northeastern and Central Thailand - hot (March to May), rainy (June to October), and cool (November to February). And there are two seasons in the South - rainy (April to November) and hot (December to March).
In the North and Northeast in winter, the temperatures are much lower during night time, especially on the mountains, with temperatures lower than 10°C. In the south though, the weather is changing and you might as well have many nice sunshine days in May, June and July.
Population
Total 63,038,247 (end Dec 2007), about 31 million males and 31.9 females. Of the total, 9.3% live in Bangkok.
**Note** The total population includes only permanent residents.

People

75% Thais, 11% Chinese, 3.5% Malays, and others are Mons, Khmers, Burmese, Laotians, Indians and a variety of hill tribes.

Language

Thai is the national language. English is widely understood in Bangkok and big cities.

Religion

Buddhists 94.2%, Muslims 4.6%, Christians 0.8%, others 0.4%.

Government

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy headed by King Bhumibol Adulyadej or King Rama IX. The country comprises 76 provinces, each sub-divided into amphoe (county), tambon (district) and muban (village).

Capital: Bangkok
Largest islands: Phuket 543 sq. km., Chang 429sq. km., Samui 247 sq. km.
Electricity: 220 volts 50 cycles throughout the country.
Water: Drink only bottled or boiled water.
Local time: GMT + 7 hours.

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The world's oldest Bronze Age civilization was flourishing in Thailand some 5,600 years ago. Successive waves of immigrants, including Mons, Khmers and Thais, gradually entered the land mass now known as Thailand.
Khmers has ruled much of the area from Angkor around the 11th -12th century. By the early 1200s, Thais had established small northern city states in Lanna, Phayao. In 1238, two Thai chieftains rebelled against Khmer suzerainty and established the first truly independent Thai kingdom in Sukhothai (literally, "Dawn of Happiness").
The Thais gradually expand throughout the entire Chao Phraya River basin. Sukhothai declined during the 1300s and eventually became a vassal state of Ayutthaya, a dynamic young kingdom further south in the Chao Phraya River valley.
Founded in 1350, Ayutthaya remained the Thai capital until 1767 when it was destroyed by Burmese invaders. During Ayutthaya's 417 years as the capital, under the rule of 33 kings, the Thais brought their distinctive culture to full fruition, totally rid their lands of Khmer presence and fostered contact with Arabian, Indian, Chinese, Japanese and European power.
The Burmese were expelled by King Taksin who later made Thon Buri his capital. In 1782, the first king of the present Chakri dynasty, Rama 1, established his new capital on the site of a riverside village called Bangkok (Village of Wild Plums). Two Chakri monarchs, Mongkut (Rama IV) who reigned between 1851 and 1868, and his son Chulalongkorn (Rama V, 1868-1910) saved Thailand from western colonization through adroit diplomacy and selective modernization.
Today, Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. Since 1932, Thai kings including the present monarch, H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej have exercised their legislative powers through a national assembly, their executive powers through a cabinet headed by a Prime Minister, and their judicial powers through the law courts.

 

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Here are some tips and tricks to make your stay in Thailand more enjoyable:

Be careful in the sun, don’t destroy your holiday being sun burnt and spending all you time on the beach like fresh boiled lobster.
It is very dangerous for your skin and Thailand has so much to offer and to discover apart from sand, sea and sun. You should slowly work your way up for a nice and healthy tan by starting with one hour a day and then follow with longer sessions gradually. Don’t forget your suntan cream with at least, 20 factor sunscreen and a high moisture cream after the sun. Most of all do not fall asleep in the sun. You will regret it!

Monsoon season During the monsoon season, between May (August) and October please respect the sea and waves. Unfortunately many tourists ignore the warning signs and red flag on the beaches and too many drown every year. The rest of the year the sea is calm but always be aware and carefully because there can be strong under streams all year around.

Dehydration Drink allot of water all day long. We easily forget to drink water but in Thailand you have to drink enough water. Be aware that you sweat much more here and you loose fluid much faster and therefore need to drink allot of water to compensate.

 

Dangerous Critters

Thailand has a tropical climate and this means you will find both lovely and not so lovely creatures here.

Snakes

Thailand is home to several varieties of Cobra but despite the deadly venom, only about 20 people a year die in the whole Thailand of snakebites. Most of these people work in the rubber farms or in the jungle where snakes are common. The numbers of snakes’ bites are about 10,000 per year. It is extremely seldom that any tourists get bitten by any snakes. They are so afraid of you and they seldom appear where we are.

Insects

There are scorpions, spiders and centipedes in Thailand among many other insects. It can create great pain but it is not strong enough to cause any deaths.
Mosquitoes are quite common in Thailand and those who are allergic should hurry to get the right medications for this. Far into the jungle (not common in the south of Thailand) the mosquitoes can carry malaria and another case is the dengue fever, given timely treatment dengue is not dangerous but very unpleasant, so better try not to be bitten in the first place. Mosquitoes are most aggressive during the early mornings and early evening. Always carry a mosquito repellent. Most of the restaurants and bars will have insect burners everywhere.

Fish

There are 3 types of poisonous fish in the south of Thailand: The lion fish, the stone fish and the jelly fish. There is no risk that you will see any of these fish due to that they prefer to lurk in deeper waters. If you go diving, you might be lucky to see them, just make sure you listen and follow your diving instructor. If you get stung by a jelly fish or a sea urchin, which do lurk in some of the shallow waters in South of Thailand – pour lime juice and any kind of citrus juice on the sting, if you do not have any citrus around, urine is the perfect solution!

Sharks

The shores of South Thailand are filled with sharks, but they are not the man-eaters that you see in the Hollywood movies. These sharks are smaller and are no threat to people. If you are lucky you may see one or two during diving.

Traffic Warning

Forget about all other dangerous creatures. The most dangerous thing in Thailand is the traffic. The driving habit and rules in Thailand traffic is completely different than in the west. Yes, it might be tempting to rent a motorbike and car but we strongly recommend you not to do that. Car is better than motorbike since you have more protection. It is unfortunately the real facts that 2-3 persons die on the roads in Thailand per day!

 

 

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Thailand is generally known as the Land of Smiles. But smiles can easily turn into angry faces if you fail to respect the customs that exists here. We have some tips for you to make sure you will see lots of smiles…..

 

Respect the King

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy with a democratically-elected government. It is similar to many European countries. However, Thais have far more reverence for the HM the King and the Royal Family than you will find in Europe. It is important that you understand just how much Thais respect their beloved King. Showing disrespect for the King or the Royal Family is not only against the law but it is also chocking to the Thais and can have dire consequences. Be aware that Thai currency holds the pictures of the King, so never hide money in your shoes.

General respect

In Thai culture, mutual respect is very important. You should always show respect for the people you meet. The best way to do this is with a smile and “wai”.
A “wai” is when you press the palms of your hands together at chin height with your head bent slightly forward. After arrival to Thailand you will fast experience this gesture from the friendly people in Thailand.
Normally the younger people should “wai” the older persons and higher ranking persons first. But if you are not sure and to be on the safe side you can proceed first. Show extra respect for the elderly people and your friend’s parents. The Thais have great respect for their parents and so should you to!

Monks in Thailand

If you are early up you will see Buddhist Monks walking serenely along the roads, collecting alms from villagers. You will also see them in all of the fantastic temples around the country. Please be aware as a woman you must not touch the Monk.

Do not touch the head

A Thai person regards the head as the holiest part of the body. It is considered extremely rude to touch someone else’s head. In Western cultures this may be considered a sign of affection to pat someone’s head, but in Thailand this is a definite no-no.

Be aware of your feet

As the head is considered the holiest part of the body, the feet are absolute the opposite. Never point your feet at someone else intentionally. Please do not use your feet to move something or point at something. When inside a temple, make sure when you sit down that your feet are pointing away from any Buddha images.

Keep Calm

You may have noticed that Thai people smile most of the time. Even they are in trouble or angry, they still smile. For Westerners this can seem a little odd, but for Thais a show of irritation or anger means you have lost control. It can also provide counter-reaction from the person the anger is directed at. If you are close to loosing your temper, cool down and suppress it…You will not get anything out of the situation. In Thailand you will learn how to be patient and how to be calm. What does it bring anyway – loosing the temper – it actually does not solve anything…

Dress Appropriate

At home you can wear anything that your wish but when visiting the temples, please dress neatly and modestly. Many temples will not let you in if you are not dress appropriate. Ladies should cover their shoulders and knees.
When walking on the beaches or surrounded areas, make sure that you have a top to cover up. In cities and other public areas you may be fined if you are not wearing a shirt.
When sunbathing, please keep you bikini top on. It is in fact illegal to sunbath topless in Thailand. You probably will not get arrested or anything is you do, but you will not gain much respect from the surrounding people.