|
General Information about Thailand
History
| Geography
|
Typography |
Climate
|
Population |
Religion
|
Language
|
Flags
|
People
| Economy
|
National
Anthem |
National
Symbol
Introduction
Thailand was known for centuries by outsiders as Siam. It first
made a real impression on the West at the end of the 17th
century, through the reports of a series of inquisitive
Frenchmen. They were not the first Europeans to spend time in
the kingdom, however. The Portuguese sent an envoy to the
capital in 1511, shortly after they seized Malacca. The
Portuguese joined resident Chinese, Japanese, Malays and
Persians to make the Siamese capital one of the most
cosmopolitan cities in the vast region now known as Southeast
Asia. Modern and predominantly Buddhist, it is a Southeast Asian
kingdom whose ancient equilibrium and present standing mingle in
evolving harmony.
Substantially, Thailand’s distinctive and unparalleled
characteristics stem from Indian and Chinese influences
(harmoniously blended by Thai eclecticism), rich ethnic
diversity, abundant natural and human resources, and over seven
hundred years of cherished independence (Thailand is the only
important Southeast Asian society never to have been colonized
by Westerners). Thailand’s traditional culture is delicately
tuned to the time-honored Buddhist’s non-confrontational
approach to life, and ideals of charity, tolerance and
loving-kindness
History
The Thais, most historians believe, began migrating from
southern China in the early part of the Christian era. At first
they formed a number of city-states in the northern part of what
is present-day Thailand, in places like Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai
and Chiang Mai, but these were never strong enough to exert much
influence outside the immediate region. Gradually the Thais
migrated further south to the broad and fertile central plains,
and expanded their dominance over nearly the entire Indochina
Peninsula. Contradictory as it may seem, however, recent
archaeological discoveries around the northeast hamlet of Ban
Chiang suggest that the world’s oldest Bronze Age civilization
was flourishing in Thailand some 5,000 years ago.
Sukhothai Period (1238 - 1350 A.D.)
By the early 1200s the Thais had established small northern
city-states in Lanna, Phayao, and Sukhothai. In 1238 two Thai
chieftains, Khun Bang Klang Tao and Khun Pha Muang, successfully
rebelled against Khom suzerainty and established the first truly
independent Thai kingdom in Sukhothai - a kingdom that was
short-lived but of immense cultural importance in the nation’s
history.
Sukhothai saw the Thais’ gradual expansion throughout the entire
Chao Phraya River basin and the establishment of Theravada
Buddhism as the paramount Thai religion. It was here that the
first evidence of written Thai was left, along with
distinctively Thai styles of art such as painting, sculpture,
architecture, and literature, which survived after Sukhothai was
absorbed by the kingdom of Ayutthaya - a dynamic young kingdom
further south in the Chao Phraya River valley.
Ayutthaya Period (1350 - 1767 A.D.)
During Ayutthaya’s 417 years as the capital, under the rule of
34 kings, the Thais brought their distinctive culture to full
fruition, totally rid their lands of Khom presence, and fostered
contact with Arabian, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and European
powers. Contact with the West, especially, flourished during the
reign of King Narai the Great (1656-1688), in which an envoy was
sent to France to establish foreign diplomacy. Founded in 1350,
Ayutthaya remained the Thai capital until it was sacked and
burned by the Burmese in 1767.
Thonburi Period (1767 - 1782 A.D.)
Ayutthaya’s downfall was a severe blow to the Thais. However, a
Thai revival occurred within a few months, and the Burmese were
expelled by King Taksin, who ushered in the Thonburi Period
(1767-1782). King Taksin made Thonburi the capital, but it was
the shortest-lived capital in Thai history. In 1782 the first
king of the present Chakri dynasty, Rama I, established his new
capital on the site of a riverside hamlet called Ban Kok
(Village of the Wild Plums).
Rattanakosin Period (1782 - present)
During the Rattanakosin Period (1782 - present), two Chakri
monarchs, King Mongkut (Rama IV), who reigned between 1851 and
1868, and his son King Chulalongkorn (Rama V, 1868-1910), saved
Thailand from the powerful tides of Western colonialism through
adroit diplomacy and selective modernization.
Today, Thailand is a modern constitutional monarchy. Since 1932,
Thai kings, including the present monarch H.M. King Bhumibol
Adulyadej (Rama IX), have exercised their legislative powers
through a national assembly, their executive powers through a
cabinet headed by a prime minister and their judicial powers
through the courts of law.
Geography
Situated in the heart of the Southeast Asian mainland, Thailand
covers an area of 513,115 square kilometers. It is bordered by
Laos to the northeast, Myanmar to the north and west, Cambodia
to the east, and Malaysia to the south.
top
Typography
Thailand is naturally divided into four topographic regions: 1)
the North, 2) the Central Plain, or Chao Phraya River basin, 3)
the Northeast, or the Korat Plateau, and 4) the South, or
Southern Isthmus.
The North is a mountainous region characterized by
natural forests, ridges, and deep, narrow, alluvial valleys.
Central Thailand, the basin of the Chao Phraya River, is
a lush, fertile valley. It is the richest and most extensive
rice-producing area in the country and has often been called the
“Rice Bowl of Asia”. Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, is
located in this region.
The Northeastern region, or Korat Plateau, is an arid
region characterized by a rolling surface and undulating hills.
Harsh climatic conditions often result in this region being
subjected to floods and droughts.
The Southern region is hilly to mountainous, with thick
virgin forests and rich deposits of minerals and ores. This
region is the center for the production of rubber and the
cultivation of other tropical crops
Climate
Thailand is a warm and rather humid tropical country.
The climate is monsoonal, marked by a pronounced rainy season
lasting from about May to September and a relatively dry season
for the remainder of the year. Temperatures are highest in March
and April and lowest in December and January. The average
temperature is 23.7 to 32.5 degrees Celsius.
top
Population
The population of Thailand is approximately 62 million (January
2001). The most important ethic minority is Chinese.
Language
The Thai language is liberally sprinkled with words from Pali
and Sanskrit (the classical languages, respectively, of
Theravada Buddhism and Indian Hinduism). Written Thai employs an
alphabet of 44 consonants and 32 vowels that combine to form
syllabic sounds.
King Ramkhamhaeng the Great who ruled the Sukhothai Kingdom from
1279-1298 initiated the Thai inscription in 1292. The
inscription is considered to be a seminal source of Sukhothai
history as well as a masterpiece of Thai literature.
Thai is a tonal monosyllabic language. The same word can be said
in five different ways - normal or middle tone, high, low,
rising and falling.
Like English, it is read from left to right, but that is where
the similarities end. Some English sounds like "th", "v" and "z"
do not appear at all, while some Thai sounds are not commonly
used in English either. Further, it should be noted that in
transcribing Thai sounds into English phonetics some consonants
(e.g., b, p, l, n, d, and t) can be used interchangeably.
There are no plurals in Thai, nor are there tenses as such. A
word or two is usually added to determine the past, present or
future.
In Thailand's major cities, the level of English can be quite
good, but visitors will find that the Thais' ability to speak
English diminishes as one moves further away from the population
centers.
In Thai there is a "politening" word attached to the end
of anything you say. For men it is "khrap", for women it
is "kha".
Click to Thai to Speak
Flags
 Thailand’s
national flag, ceremoniously raised each morning in every town
and village, is composed of five horizontal bands of red, white,
and blue. Outer bands of red representing the nation enclose
equal inner bands of white, evoking religion. The blue band,
occupying the central one - third of the total area, symbolizes
the monarchy. The harmony of design expresses the complementary
nature of these three pillars of the Thai nation.
This tri-colored flag, called in Thai the "trirong",
first introduced by King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) in 1917, succeeded
an earlier design that placed a white elephant (emblem of the
absolute monarch) on a red background.
People
Though the great majority of Thailand’s 61 million people are
ethnically Thai and Buddhist, the country has a substantial
number of minority groups who have historically lived together
in harmony. Of these, the Chinese are perhaps the most numerous
(particularly in urban areas), though they have become so
thoroughly assimilated it would be difficult to isolate them as
a distinct group. Similarly, while there are Lao and Khmer
groups in the Northeast and East, nearly all regard themselves
as Thai, culturally as well as by nationality. More clearly
defined as an ethnic group are the Muslims, who are mainly
concentrated in the southern provinces, and assorted hill tribes
who live in the far North; there are also sizeable communities
of Hindus and Sikhs in large cities like Bangkok.
Some 80 percent 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 make
Thailand such a distinctive country.
Economy
Traditionally an agrarian nation, today Thailand boasts a
complex, multi-faceted economy embracing industries employing
the latest and most sophisticated technology.
Several important factors have contributed to the country's
enviable growth. Its principal comparative advantage has been
the abundance and diversity of its natural resources. Blessed
with large expanses of fertile land and ideal growing
conditions, Thailand not only enjoys agricultural
self-sufficiency but is also the only food exporter in Asia.
Growth and diversification into new industrial areas have to a
large extent been initiated by the dynamic private sector.
Innovative private enterprise has broadened the nation's
agrarian base by exploiting the value-added potential of basic
staple crops, and at the same time expanded into new product
areas in response to world demand. With the government providing
infrastructure support and exerting relatively limited control
over private industry, a free enterprise system has emerged
which has allowed development to take place at a rapid rate,
consistent with the needs and resources available.
The kingdom is also known for its textile products, computers
and related parts, plastic products, footwear, and processed
seafood. Some of the world's leading producers of cement,
ceramic tiles, sanitaryware, bearings, printed circuit board
assemblies and computer peripherals, hard-disk drives and varied
agro-industrial products, are in Thailand. The kingdom is one of
the world's largest exporters of canned tuna, canned pineapple
and frozen prawns.
Thailand's economic strength is complemented by regional
alliances and relationships, the most important of which is the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which is
dedicated to economic development among member countries.
•
Thailand's Economic Reform
•
Ministry of Commerce
•
Office of the National Economic and
Social Development Board
•
Department of Business Economics
National Anthem
The national anthem is played on all ceremonial occasions of
national importance and while the national flag is being raised
and lowered. Professor Phra Jenduriyang composed its music in
1932, while the lyrics, as presently constituted, were written
in 1939 by Colonel Luang Saranuprabhandh. A literal translation
is as follows:
Thailand is the unity of Thai blood and
body.
The whole country belongs to the Thai people.
Maintaining thus far the Thai nation.
All Thais intend to unite together.
Thais love peace, but are not afraid to fight.
They will never let anyone threaten their independence.
They will sacrifice every drop of their blood to contrib.te to
the nation.
They will serve their country with pride and prestige,full of
victory.
Chai Yo.
National Symbol
The Thai national and royal symbol is the Garuda, a mythical
half-bird half-human figure (steed of the Hindu god Vishnu) that
adorns King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s scepter and royal standard.
Many ministries and departments have incorporated the Garuda
into their insignias. Moreover, the Garuda signifies “By Royal
Appointment,” and is awarded, at the personal discretion of His
Majesty the King, as a sign of royal approval to companies that
have rendered outstanding economic and charitable services to
Thailand.
|
Thailand Hotels Resorts Quick Access
