| Many people when arriving in Thailand, do not | | | | village of Ban Chiang in the Nong Han |
| really know what to expect, and know very | | | | District of Udon Thani Province in the |
| little about the country and the people. | | | | Northeast. These amazing finds, indicate that |
| However once they have been to Thailand once | | | | the Thais may well have originated in |
| or twice, they will be sure to return, it is | | | | Thailand, and themselves moved into other |
| a kingdom that offers many marvels of | | | | areas of Asia. |
| undiscovered enchantment. | | | | |
| | | | Thailand until 1939 was known as Siam, and |
| With surprises and delights around every | | | | again between 1945 and 49, but May 11, 1949 |
| corner your trip to Thailand will open your | | | | put an end to the confusion and Thailand |
| eyes to a new world. | | | | became officially known as 'Prathet Thai' or |
| | | | Thailand. For anyone who has been to Thailand |
| What you can do in Thailand from a tourist | | | | they will not be surprised to learn the word |
| perspective, and much, much more. | | | | 'Thai' means free so Thailand actually means |
| | | | The Land of the Free. |
| On this page we give you a little insight | | | | |
| into Thailand and the People, a little lesson | | | | The population of Thailand is around |
| if you like into the history of this amazing | | | | 60,000,000 with an annual growth rate of |
| country and its dynamic and beautiful people. | | | | around 1.3%. Although there is absolute |
| | | | religious freedom 95% of the Thai people |
| Thailand covers an area of 513,115 sq. | | | | follow Buddhism, and the King of Thailand |
| | | | under constitution and practice is patron of |
| km. in the heart of South East Asia, and | | | | all religions embraced by the people. |
| shares its borders with Laos, Myanmar, | | | | |
| Cambodia, Malaysia, the Gulf of Thailand and | | | | Thailand is a hot and rather humid tropical |
| the Indian Ocean. | | | | country. In fact many people living in |
| | | | Thailand joke that it has three seasons, hot, |
| Thailand itself is broken onto four natural | | | | hotter and hottest - this is easily believed. |
| regions, a) The North b) The Central Plain or | | | | The climate is monsoonal, marked by a rainy |
| the Chao Phraya River Basin c) The North East | | | | season lasting from about May to September |
| (Korat Plateau) and d) The South or Southern | | | | and a relatively dry season for the remainder |
| Peninsula. | | | | of the year. The rainy season will amaze many |
| | | | a tourist as it can rain very heavily |
| The Northern region is mountainous and full | | | | sometimes for up to just 10 minutes a go, but |
| of forests, ridges and spectacular valleys, | | | | the sheer volume of water is incredible. |
| the main city of this region is Chiang Mai, a | | | | Temperatures are highest in March and April |
| very popular tourist destination. | | | | and 'lowest' in December and January. The |
| | | | average temperature is about 23 to 35 |
| The Central Plain, a rich valley is the most | | | | Celsius. |
| fertile and extensive rice producing area of | | | | |
| Thailand, and has often been named the 'Rice | | | | One of the most beautiful aspects of the Thai |
| Bowl of Asia'. This is the region where | | | | people is their respect and enormous love for |
| Bangkok, the capital of Thailand is situated. | | | | their monarchy. It is very unwise and |
| | | | actually could lead to serious trouble to say |
| The Southern peninsula is a gem unto itself | | | | anything bad about the monarchy. They are |
| not only for the beauty of its beaches and | | | | loved dearly, and you will never hear a Thai |
| landscape, but also as this is where many | | | | utter a bad word. |
| ores and minerals are to be found. The | | | | |
| landscape is hilly to mountainous with lush | | | | The National Flag of Thailand is composed of |
| virgin forests. | | | | five horizontal bands of red, white and blue. |
| | | | The outer red bands of red represent the |
| This is also where the main rubber producing | | | | nation, and the inner bands of white evoking |
| take place, and the cultivation of many other | | | | religion. The blue band, which occupies one |
| tropical crops. | | | | third of the flag is symbolizes the monarchy. |
| | | | This tri coloured flag was first designed by |
| But who are the Thai people and where did | | | | King Vajirauadh (Rama VI) in 1917, and it |
| they come from ? It was originally thought | | | | succeeded and earlier design which had a |
| that the Thai people may orginate from the | | | | white elephant on a red background. |
| north-eastern Szechuan Province of China | | | | |
| about 4,500 years ago before they migrated to | | | | Thailand truly is an amazing place, with so |
| their present homeland. | | | | much to offer tourists. The regular and most |
| | | | popular destinations of Bangkok, Pattaya, |
| This idea though has recently be put into | | | | Phuket, Samui, Chiang Mai etc are only a |
| question by the amazing discovery of | | | | small part of the country, and there are so |
| pre-historic artifacts such as bronze | | | | many more undiscovered charms to be found. |
| metallurgy dating back some 3,500 thousand | | | | |
| years. These artifacts were found in the | | | | Enjoy Thailand. |