1. COUNTRY
Thailand is divided into five main regions detailed below:-
CENTRAL THAILAND
The Central Plain, one of the world's fertile rice and fruit-growing areas due to its rain-fed network of rivers and canals has a colorful traditional culture and way of life as well as the sandy beaches of the East Coast. Twenty two provinces (changwat) make up central Thailand with cosmopolitan Bangkok as its center. Some of the oldest settlement are found here along with some of the most dazzling temples, day and night markets and historical ruins.
Its twenty two provinces are Ang Thong, Bangkok, Chachoengsao, Chainat, Kanchanaburi, Lop Buri, Nakhon Nayok, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Phetchaburi, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Prachin Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ratchaburi, Sa Kaeo, Samut Prakan, Samut Sakhon, Samut Songkhram, Saraburi. Sing Buri and Suphan Buri.
THE NORTH
The north's hilly ranges are home to most of Thailand's hilltribe population. The mountainous North, slimly populated and undisturbed by man, with its profusion of multi-colored orchids, fascinating native handicrafts and winter temperatures are sufficiently cool to permit cultivation of temperate fruits such as strawberries and peaches. These mountain ranges have vast rugged vistas, waterfalls and footpaths where one can discover these remarkable features. Chiang Mai is the principal northern city. Seventeen provinces make up north Thailand.
Withunthatsana Hall in Ayutthaya
(part of the Bang Pa-In Summer Palace)
Its seventeen provinces are Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Kamphaeng Phet, Lampang, Lamphun, Mae Hong Son, Nakhon Sawan, Nan, Phayao, Phetchabun, Phichit, Phitsanulok, Phrae, Sukhothai, Tak, Uthai Thani and Uttaradit.
THE NORTHEAST
Known as the 'I-san' region, this high northeast plateau still jealously guards its many archaeological and anthropological mysteries where both Lao and Khmer influences can be seen and felt within the ancient temple ruins, the I-San distinctive food, the architecture and the region's dialect. Traditional Thai customs continue to flourish in this area which rests on the Khorat plateau. Compared to the rest of Thailand, the pace is slower and the people retain the same friendliness that is found throughout the Kingdom and the areas here made up one-third of Thailand's total area. Nineteen provinces make up northeast Thailand.
Its nineteen provinces are Amnart Charoen, Buri Ram, Chaiyaphum, Kalasin, Khon Kaen, Loei, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, Nakhon Phanom, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nong Bua Lamphu, Nong Khai, Roi Et, Sakon Nakhon, Si Saket, Surin, Ubon Ratchathani, Udon Thani and Yasothon.
THE EAST COAST
The east coast region is made up of plains and low hills. Stretching west along the eastern coastline is the Chanthaburi mountain range until it hits the Phanom Dong Rak mountain range, which runs north to south. Eventhough the east coast has several beach destinations, they are not as beautiful and affordable when compared to their southern counterparts. Four provinces make up east coast of Thailand.
Its four provinces are Chanthaburi, Chonburi and Pattaya, Rayong and Trat.
THE SOUTH
Bound by the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, the south is a beach person's paradise. The peninsular south has unspoiled beaches and idyllic islands which accentuate this tropical haven. White sandy beaches complement economically vital tin mining, rubber cultivation and fishing. The world seems brighter and more serene here, and one's childhood dream of tropical paradise is within a few hours reach. South Thailand has it all from forests, mountains, waterfalls, beaches, caves, lakes, islands and especially its delicious food, notably its fresh seafood. Fourteen provinces make up south Thailand.
Its fourteen provinces are Chumphon, Krabi, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Narathiwat, Pattani, Phang-nga, Phatthalung, Phuket, Ranong, Satun, Songkhla, Surat Thani, Trang and Yala.
2. GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION
Thailand is bordered by Malaysia (South), Myanmar (West & North), Laos (North & East) and Cambodia (Southeast).
3. AREA
513,115 sq km
4. POPULATION
62.8 million
5. CAPITAL
Bangkok
6. PEOPLE
Thais who make up about 80% of the population are the predominant group with the Chinese, Malay and other ethnic groups making up the rest.
7. LANGUAGE
Spoken and written Thai is the national language but English is widely understood, particularly in Bangkok where it is almost the major commercial language. English and some European languages are spoken in most hotels, shops and restaurants in major tourist destinations and Thai-English road and street signs are found nationwide.
8. RELIGION
Thailand is one of the most strongly Buddhist countries in the world. The national religion is Theravada Buddhism, a branch of Hinayana Buddhism, practiced by more than 90% of all Thais.
The remainder of the population adheres to Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and other faiths - all of which are allowed full freedom of expression. Buddhism continues to cast strong influence on daily life. Senior monks are highly revered. Thus, in towns and villages, the temple (wat) is the heart of social and religious life.
Meditation, one of the most popular aspects of Buddhism, is practiced regularly by numerous Thai as a means of promoting inner space and happiness. Visitors, too, can learn the fundamentals of this practice at several centre in Bangkok and elsewhere in the country.
9. GOVERNMENT
Thailand has had a constitutional monarchy since 1932. The Parliament is made up of 2 houses i.e. the House of Representative and the Senate. Both representatives and senators are elected by the people. A prime minister elected from among the representatives leads the government. The country is divided into 76 provinces.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration comes under an elected governor. Appointed provincial governors administer the other 75 provinces (Changwat), which are divided into districts (Amphoe), sub-districts (Tambon) and villages (Mu Ban). The Head of State is H.R.H. King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX of the Chakri Dynasty).
10. CLIMATE
Thailand enjoys a tropical climate with three distinct seasons i.e. hot and dry from February to May (average temperature 340 Celsius and 75% humidity), rainy with plenty of sunshine from June to October (average day temperature 290 Celsius and 87% humidity) and cool from November to January (temperatures range from 320 Celsius to below 200 Celsius with a drop in humidity).
Much lower temperatures are experienced in the North and Northeast during night time. The South has a tropical rainforest climate with temperatures averaging 280 Celsius almost all year round.
11. HISTORY AND CULTURE
The earliest archaeological signs of human habitation in Thailand can be found in the Northeast hamlets of Ban Chiang and Ban Prasat where evidence of rice cultivation dates back to 4000 BC. Thailand is also credited for fostering the world's earliest Bronze Age civilization during this period.
Over the next several thousands years, three major groups of people migrated south from China into present day Thailand i.e. the Mon, the Khmer and the Thai. The Mon settled in present day Myanmar, the Khmer in present day Cambodia and the Thais by 1200 had established dominance in three northern Thailand states i.e. Lanna, Sukhothai and Phayao.
Sukhothai (Dawn of Happiness) is regarded as the first truly independent Thai state and the birthplace of Thai culture. The Sukhothai era (1238-1378 A.D.), which declared its independence in 1238, saw the Thais' gradual expansion throughout the entire Chao Phraya River basin, the establishment of Theravada Buddhism as the dominant religion, the creation of the Thai alphabet and the first true Thai art forms including painting, music, architecture and literature.
The Sukhothai era declined in the 1300s and eventually become a vassal state of Ayutthaya, a dynamic kingdom further south. Founded in 1350, Ayutthaya, approximately 86 km north of Bangkok, was regarded by both Asians and Europeans as one of the most progressive and wealthiest kingdom on the planet during that period.
During Ayutthaya's 417 years of prominence, a period from 1350 - 1767, the Thais brought their distinctive culture to fruition, ridding their lands of Khmer presence and fostering contact with Arabian, Indian, Chinese, Japanese and European powers, especially Portugal and Holland.
Ayutthaya's destruction in 1767 by the Burmese was a severe blow to the Thais. However, the Burmese could not maintain control of the Kingdom. In 1769, King Taksin, ruling from the new capital in Thon Buri, on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, regained control of the Kingdom. The rule of King Taksin during the Thon Buri Period (1767 - 1772) was not as easy one. The lack of central authority since the fall of Ayutthaya led to the rapid disintegration of the Kingdom, and King Taksin's reign was spent reuniting the provinces.
In 1782, Phra Bat Somdet Phra Phuttha Yotfa Chulalok Maharat, the first ruler of the Chakri Dynasty, known as King Rama I, moved the royal capital across the river to Bangkok.
Two Chakri monarchs, King Mongkut (Rama IV), who reigned between 1851 and 1868 and his son King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), who reigned from 1869 to 1910, saved Thailand from Western colonization through brilliant diplomacy and selective modernization. It is largely due to these two Monarchs that Thailand was able to retain dominance over its own destiny without the interference of foreign powers. Throughout its 800-years history, Thailand can boast the distinction of being the only country in Southeast Asia never to have been colonized.
Today, Thailand has a Constitutional Monarchy. Since 1932, Thai kings, including the present monarch, have exercised their legislative powers by means of a cabinet headed by a prime minister and their judicial powers through the law courts.
12. MAJOR HOLIDAYS
New Year's Day (January 1), Makha Bucha Day (January to early March), Chakri Day (April 6), Songkran Day (April 13), National Labor Day (May 1), Coronation Day (May 5), Visakha Bucha Day (May), Asanha Bucha Day (July), Khao Phansa - Buddhist Lent (July), HM the Queen's Birthday (August 12), Chulalongkorn Day (October 23), HM the King's Birthday (December 5), Constitution Day (December 10), New Year's Eve (December 31).
13. ECONOMIC PROFILE
Major agricultural exports include rice, tapioca, rubber, maize, pineapples, durians, longans, palm oil and herbs while major manufactured exports are computer and computer accessories, integrated circuit, textiles, cars and spare parts, gems and jewelry, televisions and television accessories.
14. ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Passports
All visitors entering Thailand must possess a valid passport.
Visas Immigration Information
According to the Interior Ministerial Office, the following is a list of countries, which have concluded an agreement on the exemption of visa requirement for holders of diplomatic or official passport or service/special passport with Thailand. And permitted to stay for 30 and 90 days.
List of countries:-
90 DAYS
Argentina
Austria
Belgium
Brazil
Chile
Czech Republic
Germany
Hungary
Israel
Italy
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Mexico
Netherlands
Nepal
Philippines
Poland
Romania
Singapore
Slovak Republic
South Africa
Switzerland
Tunisia
Turkey
30 DAYS
Mongolia
China
Vietnam
Laos
Myanmar
The following is a list of countries which have concluded an agreement on the exemption of visa requirement for holders of diplomatic, official and ordinary passport with Thailand and permitted to stay for 90 days.
Republic of Peru
The following is a list of countries which have exempted visa requirement for holders of diplomatic and official passport and permitted to stay for not exceeding 90 days.
List of countries :-
Denmark
Finland
Sweden
The following is a list of countries which have concluded an agreement on the exemption of visa requirement for holders of national passport with Thailand and permitted to stay for 30 and 90 days.
List of countries :-
90 DAYS
Brazil
New Zealand
Republic of Korea
30 DAYS
Hong Kong
Socialist Republic of Vietnam
TOURIST VISA EXEMPTION
According to the Interior Ministerial Office, tourists from 57 countries do not require a visa when entering Thailand if their stay in the Kingdom does not exceed 30 days. The tourist must possess a minimum living expense of 10,000 Baht per person or 20,000 Baht per family respectively.
List of 57 countries:-
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Belgium
Brazil
Brunei
Canada
Denmark
Djibouti
Egypt
Fiji
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hong Kong
Iceland
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Kenya
Korea
Kuwait
Malaysia
Mauritania
Mexico
Morocco
Myanmar
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Oman
Papua New Guinea
Philippines
Portugal
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Singapore
Slovenia
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Tunisia
Turkey
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United States of America
Vanuatu
Western Samoa
Yeman
15. CURRENCY
The Thai unit of currency is the Baht. One Baht is divided into 100 satang. Notes are in the denominations of 1,000 (brown), 500 (purple), 100 (red), 50 (blue), 20 (green) and 10 (brown) Baht. Coins consist of 50 satang, 25 satang, 1 Baht, 5 Baht and 10 Baht.
Major currency bills and travelers cheques are cashed easily at hotels, tourist shops, all provincial banks, shopping centres and money changers. Travelers cheques are best changed in banks (you will need your passport). Rates of exchange at banks or authorized money changers are better than those at hotels and department stores.
Any amount of currency may be brought into the country. Visitors may take foreign currency out of Thailand, but not more than the amount stated in the customs declaration made on arrival. Travelers leaving Thailand may take out not more than 50,000 baht per person in Thai currency.
16. BANKING HOURS
Monday - Friday: 9.30am to 3.30pm except on public holidays.
17. POST OFFICES
Thailand's mail service is reliable and efficient. Major hotels provide basic postal services on their premises. Provincial post offices are usually open from 8.00am to 4.30pm.
18. TIME
Seven hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
19. ELECTRICITY
Voltage is 220 volt AC at 50 cycles per second throughout the country. Many different types of plugs and sockets are in use. Travelers with electric shavers, hair dryers, tape recorders and other appliances should carry a plug adapter kit. The better hotels will make available 110 volt transformers.
20. WEIGHTS AND MEASUREMENTS
Thailand follows the metric system in weight and measures.
21. TELEPHONES
At present, all telephone numbers (for local calls and long distance calls within the country) have nine digits.
For Bangkok calls, 02 is added to the existing numbers.
For provincial calls, an area code is added to the existing numbers. For example, area code for Chiang Mai is 053 and the area code for Phuket is 076.
For mobile phones, 01 or 09 is added to the existing numbers.
The new system has no effect on international phone calls.
The international dialing code for Thailand is 66.
When making international calls to Thailand, add 66 and omit the leading 0.
When making international calls from Thailand, first dial 001 + country code + area code + telephone number.
If calling Laos or Malaysia, there is a special code which is charged at a semi-domestic rate.
When calling Laos, first dial 007 + 856 + area code + telephone number.
When calling Malaysia, first dial 09 + 06 + area code + telephone number.
Direct assistance: 1133 (local), 100 (international)
Emergency Telephone Numbers:-
Central Emergency (Police, Ambulance & Fire): 191
Highway Patrol: 1193
Crime Suppression: 195 or 0 2513 3844
Tourist Police (English, French and German spoken): 1155
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Call Centre: 1672
Immigration Bureau: 0 2287 3101-10
For international Roaming Mobile Phone, Subscriber Identity Module Card (SIM Card) is now available for Thai and foreign customers who are traveling around for work. The SIM Card must be used in conjunction with a Digital GSM mobile phone within the 900-MHz range or a Digital PCN mobile phone within the 1800-MHz range.
22. GETTING THERE
BY AIR
The main gateway to Thailand is through Bangkok using the Don Muang International Airport (Bangkok) because it is directly connected to Europe, Asia, North America and Australia by daily flights abroad the world's major airlines.
Further international flights, mainly from Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong, land at Phuket and Hat Yai International Airport in the south and Chiang Mai in the north.
BY SEA
The main entry point by sea to Bangkok is at Khlong Toei Port.
BY RAIL
A regular rail service links Singapore and Bangkok via Kuala Lumpur and Butterworth in Malaysia. This service leaves daily and also connects with many major southern Thai towns.
BY ROAD
From Malaysia, it is possible to enter Thailand through a number of crossings in Songkhla, Yala and Narathiwat provinces
From Lao PDR, it is possible to enter Thailand through Nong Khai, Chiang Saen, Bueng Kan, Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan and Chong Mek.
From Cambodia, it is possible to enter Thailand through Aranyaprathet in Sa Kaeo province and Ko Kong in Trat province.
From Myanmar, it is possible to enter Thailand through Mae Sai and Mae Sot.
23. GETTING AROUND
BY AIR
Flying in Thailand is both inexpensive and convenient. Several air carriers such as Thai Airways International, Bangkok Airways, Air Andaman and Angel Fire fly throughout Thailand to international and domestic airports in 26 cities throughout Thailand. Reservations may be secured through airline offices, hotels or travel agencies from overseas or upon arrival in Thailand. Thai Airways also organizes Royal Orchid Holiday Tour packages.
BY RAIL
Rail journeys in Thailand are efficient, inexpensive and comfortable by Asian standards. An extensive rail network serves Thailand using Bangkok as its hub. Three lines connect Chiang Mai (Northern line), Nong Khai (Northeastern line) and Singapore via Butterworth and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia (Southern line). Recently, the rail line between Bangkok and Aranyaprathet on the Cambodian border was opened. Domestic express train comprise of first, second and third class carriages. Slower trains used on shorter journeys may only have third class seating.
State Railway of Thailand organizes one and two days economy tours to various destinations on the weekends from Bangkok's main railway station at Hualamphong. Train tickets of all classes can be purchased 90 days in advance at principle stations and at the Advance Booking Office at Hualamphong from 8.30am - 12.00am (midnight)
24. ACCOMMODATION
Thailand has a wide range of accommodation at competitive rates. International standard hotels, medium and budget hotels, youth hostels and timeshare apartments are just some of the types of accommodation available. Privately operated motor-homes are also available for rental.
25. DO'S AND DON'TS
Thailand is a Buddhist country where Buddha images are held sacred. Sacrilegious acts are punishable by imprisonment even if committed by foreign visitors.
Thai people hold their King and Queen and the Royal Family in great reverence, and so Thais won't tolerate foreigners showing disrespect to them.
Generally Thai women are conservative. So don't touch them without their consent.
Dress properly when entering a Buddhist temple. Mini skirts and shorts are not allowed. Take your shoes off before going inside the hall of worship. Ladies must not on any account touch a Buddhist monk, give things direct to him or receive things direct from him.
Intimacies between man and woman should not be shown in public. Sunbathing in the nude is prohibited.
Traditionally, Thais greet each other with a wai (by pressing the palms together at the chest). If someone wais you, you should wai back (except wai-ed by a child).
Call Thais their first names; use the title 'Khun' for adults.
Thai people smile to express gladness and happiness, to thank for small services, to return wai (a way of greeting) of children and inferior persons, and even to excuse small inconveniences.
Don't touch a person's head, nor ruffle his hair. The head is the noblest part of the body. A sincere apology should be offered immediately if you touch someone's head unintentionally.
Avoid placing your feet on the table while sitting. Never use your foot to point things out or to touch any part of the body of anyone, which is considered rude.
When entering a Thai house, you are expected to remove your shoes.
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