Discover the Beauty of Thailand: Beaches, Temples, and Cultural Wonders

1. Chapter 14 Thailand

2. 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

4. Government type: constitutional monarchy • Administrative divisions: 76 provinces • Population: 64,265,276note: 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

5. 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

6. GDP – per capita: purchasing power parity - $7,000 (2002 est.) (99th in the world) • Currency: baht (THB) (CIA, World Fact Book)

7. 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

8. 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).

9. 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.

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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 • Bangkok’s temples are the finest and most ornate in all of Asia; located in the modern city center • The most beautiful are;

14. 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 Ratcha-Damri Road and Sumkumvit (to see traditional Thai dancers) • Klongs - canals (to see the floating market and how people live)

15. National Museum (reflects country’s 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 (world’s 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)

16. 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)

17. 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)

18. 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 wolrd’s opium is grown • an ancient city therefore has some interesting temples (wats); • Wat Suan Dawn • Wat Chiang Man

19. 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

20. Islands • resort islands off the coast of Thailand • Phuket (pronounced as pooKET; Thailand’s 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)

21. 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

22. 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)

23. 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 (Thailand’s first capital is the most interesting)

24. Malaysia • Malaysia is as beautiful as Thailand; the selling points include: great beaches and resorts, modern shopping, unique tribal cultures and fantastic display of nature (from butterflies and sea turtles to orangutans and elephants) • the country includes two main regions: the southern part of the Malay peninsula and the northern coast of Borneo

26. in both areas, interior is mountains, and tropical vegetation seen • prices are surprisingly low • one of the most prosperous Southeast Asian countries

27. Kuala Lumpur • Malaysia's capital • located in a valley surrounded by jagged hills • Major attractions are; • Twin Petronas Towers (the tallest in the world) • Parliament House • Jame Mosque • National Zoo and Aquarium (one of finest in Asia)

28. National Museum (natural history and Malay cultural displays) • The Central Market (once the city’s fish, vegetable and food market, now a huge place with restaurants and good shops)

29. Singapore • surrounded by modern buildings • good destination for shopping . Things to buy include; cameras, watches, Thai silk, batiks, wood carvings, porcelain, leather and suede goods, Chinese antiques, electronics, gems, and Persian carpets. • The population is mostly ethnic Chinese. There are also Malays, Indians, Eurasians and Europeans.

31. Singapore City • has one of the busiest harbors, would be nice to have a cruise • walking in the ethnic neighborhoods is fascinating • Places to see are; • Chinatown and the Fuk Tak Chi Temple (featuring a God of wealth) traveling by tricycle rickshaws • Little India and Arab Street

32. Colonial District (with vestiges of times of British rule) • Empress Place (museum in former colonial buildings) • Orchard Road (for shopping)