The Country :-
The Kingdom of Thailand lies in the heart of Southeast Asia, making it a natural gateway to Indochina, Myanmar and Southern China. Its shape and geography divide into four natural regions: the mountains and forests of the North; the vast rice from Langawi to Satun and Phuket, although timetables and frequency may depend upon the season. There is a small car and passenger ferry between Kota Bharu and Ban Taba on the east coast of Thailand. Thailand can also be reached from Laos by crossing the Mekong Rver by ferry, although only at certain permitted border points: Nakhon Phanom (opposite Tha Khaek), Chiang Kho (opposite Huai Xai) and Mukdahan (opposite Sawannakhet).
The
country comprises 76 provinces that are further divided
into districts, sub-districts and villages. Bangkok
is the capital city and centre of political, com-
mercial, industrial and cultural activities.It is
also the seat of Thailand's revered Royal Family,
with His Majesty the King recognised as Head of State,
Head of the Armed Forces, Upholder of the Buddhist
religion and Upholder
of all religions. Thailand is a constitutional monarchy
with His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, or King Rama
IX, the ninth king of the Chakri Dynasty, the present
king. The King has reigned for more than half a century,
making him the longest-reigning Thai monarch. Thailand
embraces a rich diversity of cultures and traditions.
With its proud history, tropical climate and renowned
hospitality, the Kingdom is a never-ending source of
fascination and pleasure for international visitors.
Climate :-
Thailand
enjoys a tropical climate with three distinct seasons
- hot and dry from February to May (average temperature
34 degrees Celsius and 75% humidity); rainy with plenty
of sunshine from June to October (average day temperature 29 degrees Celsius and 87%
humidity); and cool from November to January (temperatures
range from 32 degrees Celsius to below 20 degrees
Celsius with a drop in humidity). Much lower temperatures
are experienced in the North and Northeast during
nighttime.The South has a tropical rainforest climate
with temperatures averaging 28 degrees Celsius almost
all year round.
Population :-
Thailand
has a population of approximately 62 million people,
of which 80% are ethnic Thais, 10% Chinese and 4% Malays,
plus Lao, Mon, Khmer, Indian and Burmese minorities.
Such diversity reflects the country's long history as
an important crossroads of Southeast Asia. Thais are
a friendly and easy-going people with a great reverence
for the Buddhist faith.
Population :-
Spoken
and written Thai is largely incomprehensible to the
casual visitor. However, 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.
Religion :-
The majority of Thais are devout Buddhists. Muslims form
the largest of the religious minorities and are located
mainly in the four southern provinces. Other minority
groups include Hindus, Sikhs and Christians.
Currency :-
The
Thai unit of currency is the baht. One baht is divided
into 100 satang.Notes are in denominations of 1,000
(brown), 500 (purple), 100 (red), 50 (blue), 20 (green)
and 10 (brown) baht. Coins consist of 25 satang, 50
satang, 1 baht, 5 baht and 10 baht.
Currency exchange :-
Major
currency bills and travellers cheques are cashed easily
at hotels, tourist shops, all provincial banks, shopping
centres and money changers. Travellers cheques are
best changed in banks (you will need your passport).
Rates of exchange at banks or authorised money changers
are better than those at hotels and department stores.
Credit cards :-
Credit cards are widely accepted. For lost cards:American Express,
Tel: 0 2273 5100 or 0 2273 0022; Diners Club, Tel: 0
2238 2920 or 0 2238 2680; MasterCard, Tel: 0 2256 7326-7;
and Visa, Tel: 0 2256 7326-7.
Electricity :-
The
electric current is 220 volt AC (50 cycles) throughout
the country. Many different types of plugs and sockets
are in use. Travellers 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.
Tap water :-
Tap
water is clean but drinking from it directly should
be avoided. Bottled water is recommended. Weights
& measures The metric system is used throughout
Thailand. Numerals on vehicle speedometers, highway
markers and speed limits all indicate kilometres.
