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Thailand, also known as the ‘Land of Smiles’, is located at the centre of South East Asia. This is a land locked country with a shape resembling an elephant’s head. Thailand is the 50th largest country of the world. This country shares a mountainous border with Myanmar in the north and east and the Mekong River separating it from Laos. The Mekong River along with the Dongrak Mountains demarcates it from Cambodia.
Northern Thailand is mountainous while the north eastern parts have the Korat Plateau. The central plains along the river Chao Phraya is called the ‘Rice Bowl of Asia’. The southern Malaysian Peninsula is separated from the Andaman Sea by the Gulf of Thailand. Phuket and Koh Samui are the most prominent islands of Thailand and has many tourist spots.
Thailand is the only country in South East Asia that has never been colonised by European nations. The earlier name of Thailand was Siam until 1939, after which it was officially declared the Kingdom of Thailand. Its history dates back to the Neolithic civilisation where the present day Ban Chiang stands, a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
During the Common Era of earlier centuries, tribes of Mon, Tai and Khmer settled within the present boundaries of Thailand. The first millennium saw the Dvaravati Civilisation of the Mon speaking Buddhists and was followed by the Khmer kingdom of Angkor in the second millennium.
The first of the independent Thai kingdoms in the 13th and 14th century were that of Lan Na and Sukhothai. These kingdoms were eventually conquered by the kingdom of Ayutthaya, which was influenced by the Khmer empire. Later, both Ayutthaya and Lan Na were overpowered by Burmese invaders. The central Thai kingdom was shifted with a new capital at Thon Buri, near present day Bangkok.
The Thon Buri period was short lived (1967-1972), after which the Chakri Dynasty of the Rama kings established the capital near the Chao Phraya River. Bangkok was made the capital of Thailand during the Rattanakosin period in Thai history.
The present line of kings is the descendant of the Chakri Dynasty, which saw rulers like Kings Mongkut (Rama IV, 1851-1868) and Chulalongkorn (Rama V, 1868-1910). During the 20th century, a constitutional monarchy came into existence, which is currently being overseen by H.M. King Bumibol Adulyadej (1946-present) who is the IX King Rama of Chakri Dynasty.
Modern day Thailand is divided into 76 provinces, with the capital city Bangkok being the political, industrial, commercial and educational hub of the country. In a population of 65 million, one can find cultural diversity, with people of Thai, Chinese, Malay, Burmese, Lao, Mon, Khmer and Indian origins residing here.
Being the official language, Thai is spoken by 92% of the population and English is spoken and understood almost all over the country. The major religion followed in Thailand is Buddhism (94.6%), followed by Islam (4.6%) and Christianity (0.7%). Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, with the King, presently H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, as the head of state.
The head of Government is the Prime Minister, who is democratically elected by the people of Thailand. Thailand is the largest exporter of rice and fish in the world. The official currency is Thai Baht. The standard time of Thailand is GMT 7. Tourists visiting Thailand have much to see and do with the rich history, cultural diversity and modern economy.
The best time to visit this country is during the months of November to April, when the weather is pleasant and there is no rain. Christmas and English New Year in December along with the Chinese New Year in January and Songram or Thai New Year in April are some of the peak tourist seasons.
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