TRAVEL GUIDE
Complete thailand travel guide from World Travel Direct. Read all of our world travel guides, articles and travelogues from www.worldtraveldirect.com
The Kingdom of Thailand, located in Southeast Asia on the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, shares boundaries with Myanmar (Burma) on the west and northwest, Laos on the east and northeast,Kampuchea (Cambodia) on the south east, and Malaysia on the south. Formerly known to the outside world as Siam, Thailand, means "land of the free ", and the Thai are proud that their country was never colonized by Europeans and has existed as a unified monarchy since 1350. The capital, BANGKOK(established in 1782) portrays an attractive blend of Western and Thai architecture, and an unsurpassed harmony of the traditional and the modern style of life. Thai people are friendly and always greet visitors with a welcoming smile, thus the name " Land of Smile".
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Land and Recources
Thailand consists of a compact heartland, or mainland, and a long southern peninsular extension of theALAY PENINSULA.It has a maximum north-south extent of about 1,700 km (1,100mi) and a maximum ast-west extent of about 800 km (500 mi). Forests occupy approximately 25% of the land area and farmland approximately 45%.Four topographical regions are usually distinguished. The central region is the most important, occupying almost one-third of the total area and includes the fertile alluvial lowlands of the Chao Phraya River.The central region is the historical core of Thailand, and all but one of the former capitals have been located on the banks of the Chao Phraya or its tributary to the west. Thailand's three other distinct topographical areas are the northern region, a mountainous, forested section that rises to Doi Inthanon, (2,595 m/8,514 ft), the nation's highest peak; the northeastern region, or Khorat Plateau, an area poor in resources with unproductive lateritic soils; and the southern, or peninsular, region on the Malay Peninsula, rich in rubber and tin.The principal rivers are the MEKONG,which follows much of the border with Laos; the Chao Phraya in thecentral region; and the Mun, a tributary of the Mekong in north - eastern Thailand. The flow of the rivers varies considerably because of the nation's tropical monsoon climate. There are three seasons in a year.The hot season occurs from March to July, the rainy season from August to October,and the cool season from November to February. Rain is heaviest along the border with Myanmar (Burma), where about 5,590 mm (220 in) falls annually, diminishing to less than 1,522 mm (60 in) over most of the Chao Phraya basin and the Khorat Plateau. Day-time temperatures range between 24 deg and 30 deg C (75 deg and 86 deg F) throughout the year. Thailand's richest natural resource lies in its agricultural potential. The country's fertile central plain produces more rice than the nation requires and the surplus used to top the list of Thailand's export earning. Other important crops include maize, cassava, and kenaf. Thailand is one of the world's largest producers of rubber and is one of the world's leading producers of tin. Other minerals include tungsten, lead, fluorite, and lignite. Petroleum deposits in central and western Thailand and extensive offshore natural gas fields in the Gulf of Thailand are being developed to reduce petroleum imports.
Car Rent
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People
Today Thailand has a population of about 60 million, roughly double the figure recorded in 1960. Improvements in health care have reduced the deathrate. The birthrate is about 1.2%, thanks to successful birth-control program implemented nation-wide over the past 20 years. Ethnic Thai make up about 80% of the population; ethnic Chinese, the largest minority, about 12%; and Malays, living mainly on the peninsula, about 4%. Scattered MON communities occur in the central region and KHMER and other "hill people" in the northeast and along the border with Myanmar (Burma). Thai is spoken by approximately 97% of the population and is the official language; Malay,Chinese, Lao, and other languages are spoken by the minorities. English is used in government and commerce. Theravada Buddhism, considered the national religion, is professed by about 95%; the Muslim community in the south form the largest religious minority.The great majority of the total population lives in rural areas. About 30% of the population live in the Chao Phraya basin, but Bangkok is the largest urban area, followed by CHIANG
Economic Activity
National economic planning was first introduced into Thailand in 1961. Removal of regional economic disparities, diversification of the economy,industrialization, and general economic development were conceived as the goals of these program.The present economic planning, the 8th of its kind, marks a very important turning point in the thinking process of economic planning. Instead of focusing upon economic issue s per se, this plan evolves around single central theme:"human development." Nation-wide public hearings were conducted, and the final plan was drafted by national committe consisted of representatives from all sectors.According to 1996 statistics, the largest sector in gross national product is services sector which Accounts for 44.72%. These include electricity and water supplies, transportation, whole sale and retail sale, banking and financial services, all other services. Agriculture accounts for 11.48% of the gross national product. Rice is the principal crop, the basis for all Thai meals, and the leading export. It is grown mainly in the Chao Phraya basin,and irrigation during the dry season allows production of two crops a year. Rubber, another major export, is grown on small estates in the southern peninsula. Fishing is also important, but commercial logging was banned in 1989. Industry and construction accounts for about 36.83% of the country's gross national product. Major industries include food processing, tin and etroleum refining, and the production of textiles, garments, toys, integrated circuits,and consumer electronics. In addition, handicrafts and cigarettes are produced for market in many homes,both in cities and villages. Foreign investment in Thai industry, particularly from Japan, has increased dramatically in recent years. Other areas: mining,housing and government sectors, totalling about 6.97%.Most traffic moves by water or along a railway system radiating from Bangkok.Many roads are passable only in the dry season. The chief port, Bangkok,handles more than 90% of Thailand's foreign trade. The principal exports are textiles, fish, rice, and rubber. Machinery, manufactured goods, chemicals, and petroleum are important imports. Burism provides a valuable source of foreign exchange.
Government
Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, with the king as the Head of State and also as the revered symbol of the nation.The present monarch is King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who ascended the throne after his rother's death in 1946 and was crowned king in 1950. Constitutionally, power rests with the prime minister, a cabinet, and a bicameral legislature composed of an appointed senate and elected house of epresentatives. In the past, however, the military has exerted great influence on civilian affairs, ruling the country intermittently after constitutional government began in 1932. Recently, in responding to the tide of globalization, there is a gradual change towards more effective civilian government. A new constitution is currently (1997) being drafted as an attempt to improve the effectiveness of democratic rule.
History
The history of Thailand before settlement by the Thais remains in dispute.Some historians believe that wons inhabited the region and that Thailand was controlled first by the Mon kingdom of Subarnabhumi, with a capital at U Thong. The Funan Empire dominated after the 3d century; and the Mon kingdom of Dvaravati (c.550-1253), with the capital at Nakon Pathom, after c.675. Dvaravati became (11th century) a viceroyalty under the KHMER EMPIRE. The Thais began migrating into the region from south China in the 11th century and established the kingdoms of Sukhothai and Chiang Mai. Sukhothai 1238-1419) overpowered Dvaravati by 1238 and, maintaining friendly relations with Chiang Mai, gained control by absorbing the Khmers.During the Sukhothai period,the Thai people lived in peace, stability and prosperity and had freedom in trade and commerce. In the 14th century Sukhothai began to decline and became a vassal state of the rising Ayutthaya kingdom in 1378.It was completely absorbed by Ayutthaya in 1438. Ayutthaya, the capital of the second Thai kingdom was ruled by 33 successive kings. Its strategic locationcontributed to a thriving economy as a result of well-developed agriculture and foreign trades.The city was beautified by glittering palaces, ornately designed temple and gold plated pagodas. Burmese destroyed the capital at Ayutthaya in April 1767. Seven month later Phraya Taksin, who served in the army of the last king of Ayutthaya, succeeded in expelling the invaders and re-establishing Thai sovereignty. Since the old capital was ransacked and totally ruined by the invaders, King Taksin decided to move the capital to Thonburi, across the Chao Phraya from modern Bangkok. On King Taksin's death in 1782 his general and friend Chao Phraya Chakri ascended to the throne and thus established the Chakri Dynasty, the present royal house.In the 19th century King MONGKUT, or Rama IV (r. 1851-68), who ruled as an absolute monarch,began to modernize Thailand. His son CHULALONGKORN, or Rama V (r.1868-1910), intensified the process by abolishing slavery and introducing railroads, telegraph services, and scientific education. This exposure to Western ideas culminated in a bloodless revolution by the Thai elite in 1932, who demanded replacement of the nation's absolute monarchy with a constitutional government limiting the powers of the king.The revolution also began the struggle between military and civilian groups for control of the government, a continuing feature of Thai political life for several decades. Until recently Thailand has alternately been government. The current trend, however, seems to favour popularly elected civilian government, inspite of the fact that no political party can command an absolute majority and a coalition government with its inherent weaknesses is inevitable.
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