Thailand
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Location
Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the AndamanSea and the southern extremity of Burma. Its maritime boundaries include Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast and Indonesia and India in the AndamanSea to the southwest.
The country is a kingdom, a constitutional monarchy with King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the ninth king of the House of Chakri, who has reigned since 1946, making him the world's longest-serving current head of state and the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history. The king is officially titled as the Head of State, the Head of the Armed Forces, an Upholder of the Buddhist religion, and the Defender of all Faiths. The largest city in Thailand is Bangkok, the capital, which is also the country's centre of political, commercial, industrial and cultural activities.
People
Throughout her long history, Thailand has absorbed immigrants. Many were skilled as writers, painters, sculptors, dancers, musicians, and architects. These immigrants helped to enrich Thailand's indigenous culture.
Minorities of Thailand include the Chinese, Thai Malays, and the Laotian. Anything between 9% - 15% of Thailand's population is thought to be Sino-Thai (depending on how Chinese is defined). In the early 19th and 20th Century, Chinese immigrants came and settled down here. They married Thai women, took Thai names, most of them adopted Buddhism (although they were not required to renounce their ancestor worship) and learnt Thai. As elsewhere in the region, these Chinese immigrants proved to be remarkably adept at money making and today control a disproportionate slice of businesses.
The Thai Malays are found mostly in the southern region. They speak Malay rather than Thai and the majority are Muslims instead of Buddhists. The Laotian of the northeastern region, though constituting nearly one-third of the nation's population, are the least visible. Known better as the "Isan", they are often regarded by the central Thais as being equivalent to "country bumpkins".
Today, the people of Thailand share a rich ethic diversity - mainly of Mon, Khmer, Tai, Chinese, Malay, Laotian, and Indian stock - with the result that there is no typically Thai physiognomy or physique. There are petite Thais, statuesque Thai, round faced Thais, dark-skinned Thais, and light-skinned Thais.
About 80% of all Thais are connected in some way with agriculture, which (in varying degrees) influences and is influenced by the religious ceremonies and festivals that help make Thailand such a distinctive country.
Language
Thai is the official language. English is widely spoken in some main tourists areas.
Population
80,606,947 (2008)
Food
Thai cuisine is distinctive thanks to liberal use of spices subtly combined with herbs and market-fresh ingredients. Moreover, Thai cuisine also combines the best of Chinese and Indian culinary traditions while retaining its own special character.
Chinese food in Thailand, which is normally quite bland, is second to none. Major European, Levantine, Asian, and Oriental cuisine are represented in gourmet restaurants. American and English breakfasts are served in most hotels whilst numerous ubiquitous coffee-shops specialize in European dishes. Western fast food chains, snack bars, and ice-cream parlors have gained increasing popularity with the Thais.
Climate & When to go
The weather in Thailand is reasonable most times of year, although it certainly gets hot during the summer! November through February are the coolest times of year and there is certainly less rain then than at other times in the year.
As far as Thailand is concerned, there are no absolute extremes. If you can avoid the rainy season (July to October), it would probably be best, but if you can't, the rain isn't permanent - it comes in bursts and cools things down after it has gone!
Currency & Banking
Baht (Bht) = 100 satang. Notes are in denominations of B1,000, 500, 100, 50, 20 and 10. Coins are in denominations of B10, 5 and 1, and 50 and 25 satang. There are also many commemorative coins that are also officially used.
MasterCard, Visa and American Express are widely accepted, while Diners Club has more limited acceptance. Check with your credit or debit card issuers for additional information about acceptability and other facilities which may be available. ATM's can be found everywhere.
Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz. American and European-style two-pin plugs are used.
Getting Around
Car hire is available in all larger cities. International Driving Permits are required and are valid for 3 months, after which a Thai driving licence is required. Passports might be held as a form of deposit. Motorcycle hire is also available, especially on the larger islands. Always wear a helmet.
Buses are a cheap & common form of transport, however can be extremely crowded.There are 3 types of taxis that operate day and night: taxi-meter, taxis which are unmetered, and 3-wheeled, open-air tuk-tuks. It is advisable to agree on fares before departure when there is no meter and if possible for longer trips even in taxi-meters. Motorbike taxis are also available and they are useful in Bangkok during rush hours. Passengers are advised to carry the correct amount of fares as taxi drivers do not frequently carry change. Passengers are also expected to pay for motorway tolls.
Tipping
It is not necessary to tip cinema ushers. However, it is customary to tip porters and hotel personnel who have given good personal service. A 10 - 15% tip is appreciated in restaurants, particularly where service charge is waived.
Departure Tax
Check with the local airports as departure tax in Thailand is likely to change on a frequent basis.