Thailand… as rich in geographic diversity as it is rich in history and culture. There are few places on earth that offer the visitor so much… jungles and mountains, rivers and countryside, islands and beaches, temples and palaces, cities and technology… Thailand has everything a visitor could ask for - and substantially more besides. But most tourists and potential visitors would know these fundamental facts – but what about the REAL Thailand? What does the first time visitor know about Thailand? Here are some details…
Thailand was for centuries known as ‘Siam’, the official title changing to ‘Muang Thai’ (‘home of the free’) in 1939. The country is located in Southeast Asia and borders Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia. It has a population of nearly 65 million in a country roughly the same size as France and has 3,219 kilometres of coastline.
Thailand is a constitutional monarchy with a long democratic tradition – political parties and elections. The current monarch is his majesty of the King Bhumibol Adulyadej – the world’s longest reigning monarch. He is revered within Thailand and thoroughly respected throughout the world. His solid guidance has seen his kingdom through some of the country’s more tumultuous episodes. http://www.discoverythailand.com/General_Info.asp
When to go:
Thailand's monsoons arrive around July and last into November (the 'rainy season'). They can be uncomfortably, unpredictably sticky. This is followed by a dry, cool period from November to mid-February, followed by much higher relative temperatures from March to June.
By far the best time to visit is between November and February when the weather is kind and the beaches are at their finest. This period is Thailand's main season for national and regional festivals.
Weather
Climate-wise, the best time for visiting most of Thailand is between November and February when it is not too wet and not too hot. The south is best visited when the rest of Thailand is miserably hot (March to May). If you're spending time in Bangkok, be prepared to roast in April and do some wading in October - probably the most challenging two months, weather-wise, in the capital. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/thailand/when-to-go
Events
1st January:
New Year's Day. To greet the New Year, a range of uniquely Thai traditional and cultural festivities are held in various parts of the country. As day breaks on the first day of the new year begins with the Buddhist merit-making ritual in the early hours of the morning and is followed by afternoon and evening merry-making and folk entertainment.
9th February:
Chinese New Year's Day.
23rd February:
Magha Bucha Day. This important Buddhist holy day marks the auspicious occasion when 1,250 of Lord Buddha's adherents spontaneously congregated to hear him give a sermon. Merit-making ceremonies are held during the day at temples throughout the country, while at night, triple candlelit circumambulations are staged around major temples.
6th April:
Chakri Day, a public holiday on 7th April to commemorate King Rama I who was the first of the Chakri Kings.
13th-15th April:
Songkran Day. The traditional Thai New Year is an occasion for celebration throughout the country. This occasion is marked with religious ceremonies as well as public festivities. Water throwing among the people in a spirit of fun and goodwill is the main activity of this festival.
1st May:
National Labour Day.
5th May:
Coronation Day, a public holiday on 6th May to commemorate the coronation of the king.
11th May:
Royal Ploughing Ceremony, on 9th May of this year. King Bhumibol oversees the ancient Ploughing Ceremony to mark the beginning of the rice-planting season. This ceremony began in India, but it has been practiced in Thailand for hundreds of years. The ceremony is very important for Thai farmers, because it predicts how much rain will fall and how well the crops will grow. Thousands of farmers come to the Grand Palace to watch.
22nd May:
Visakha Bache, This is the holiest of all the auspicious Buddhist religious days, marking the birth, enlightenment, and death of Lord Buddha. All over the country, people go to temples to listen to sermons by revered monks and make merit. Shortly after sunset, candlelit circumambulations take place around major temples.
21st July:
Asanha Pucha Day, The full-moon day of the eighth lunar month marks the preaching of Lord Buddha's first sermon to his first five disciples after attaining Enlightenment more than 2,500 years ago. In the evening, candlelit processions take place in Buddhist temples around the country.
22nd July:
Buddist Lent, This day marks the commencement of the Buddhist Lent or Phansa during which monks must reside inside their temples to study and meditate. This is also the most auspicious time for Buddhist ordinations since it marks a period of renewed spiritual vigour.
12th August:
The Queen's Birthday Celebration (Mother's Day), To display their loyalty and to honour Her Majesty Queen Sirikit on the occasion of her royal birthday, the Thai people decorate their houses and public buildings. Around Bangkok, Ratchadamnoen Avenue, the area around the Grand Palace and other well-known locations are bedecked with coloured lights and magnificent adornments
23rd October:
Chulalongkorn Day, a public holiday to commemorate King Rama V who started to do a lot of things like a first hospital, railways, post office, abolished etc. October: Buffalo Racing in Chonburi.
16th November: Loy Krathong, a festival on the full moon of November. Krathong is a little cup shaped like a lotus flower, each with a candle and incense stick inside. Loy Krathong mean "flotaing Krathongs." This is an offering to mother of water to ask her to forgive us for polluting the water.
On Loy Krathong day, I went to my grandmother's home to Loy Krathong with my family. My brother and I bought Krathongs to float on the river. Before we floted it we prayed and asked mother of the water to forgive us for polluting the water
5th December:
The King's Birthday Celebrations (Father's Day), King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest reigning monarch. is well beloved and deeply respected by all Thais old and young. The occasion of his royal birthday provides his loyal subjects the opportunity to express their reverence for him. All over the country. buildings and homes are elaborately decorated and the area around the Grand Palace is spectacularly illuminated.
10th December:
Constitution Day, a public holiday on the 10th December to commemorate the start of the constitution monarchy in 1932..
http://www.thailandlife.com/festival.html
Money & costs
The currency of Thailand is the "Baht". Major credit cards are accepted by hotels and large shops, but "hard cash" is the preferred tender almost everywhere. Travelers checks are not widely accepted outside of hotels, so change them for cash at a bank exchange, which you'll find in any and every tourist destination.
If you travel with a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or other credit card, watch out when charging purchases overseas.
The reason:
Most U.S. and Canadian credit-card companies are now tacking an extra 2% to 5% fee on international transactions. You should be aware that many shops in Thailand, while they may accept credits, will often charge you more for using one. The typical surcharges are 3% for Visa or MasterCard and 5% for American Express. This practice is never encountered in hotels, restaurants or major department stores, but is quite common everywhere else. http://thailandforvisitors.com/general/money.html
Activities
There are lots of places visitors can see and take part in mainstream sports like football, badminton, and tennis, and of course golf is a major reason why a lot of people visit Thailand. Equally important to visitors are opportunities for less mainstream activities. With over 3,000 kilometres of coastline it is a natural destination for people (whether novice or professional) to go diving and snorkelling. Also on offer are a range of water sports - jet skiing, surfing, surfboarding and kiteboarding to name a few. The worldwide popularity of Thai Boxing (Muay Thai) and other martial arts means Thailand has become a place of pilgrimage for martial artists from around the globe. Again, whether you are just into watching a fight, a complete novice who wants to try a martial art or a hardened fighter with lots of experience, Thailand will have something to offer you. Of course there are a number of sport activities available which are not really sports at all. Paintball is just a bit of fun really, and there are a number of places around the kingdom to try it out. Thailand is also a great place to give extreme sports like Bungee Jumping a first try. Whether you are an armchair sportsman or someone who likes to get in the thick of things, Thailand has a lot of opportunities for you to enjoy yourself. http://www.discoverythailand.com/sport.asp
Culture
The culture of Thailand has been greatly influenced by Buddhism. But there have been other dominating influences of Hinduism as well along with the effects of the repeated invasions of Myanmar, Laos and also the Chinese immigrants.
Arts and Crafts in Thailand
Traditional visual arts in Thailand bear a great influence of Buddhism but contemporary Thai art is a combination of the modern techniques along with the traditional styles. Crafts include textiles and decorative items that bear the distinct Thai style.
Architecture of Thailand
Classical Thai architecture is found in the temples and royal palace buildings and the best examples of Thai architecture are the Grand Palace, the Wat Benchamabophit, Wat suthat to name a few.
Thai Cuisine
Thai cuisine is extremely popular due to the blending of the four fundamental tastes of salty, sour, spicy and sweet. Most of the dishes combine all of these and there are innumerable spices and herbs used to achieve this.
Music and Dance in Thailand
Music consists of both the folk music and also the classical traditions along with pop or string music.
The Ram Thai or Rabam is the main art form while the dance forms can be divided into the high art or classical dance and low art or folk dance divisions.
Thai Customs and Traditions
The most distinctive Thai custom is the Wai that bears resemblance to the Indian namaste demonstration of affection amongst friends are common in public. It is considered rude to put the feet above someone's head or step on a Thai coin as it has the King's head engraved upon it.
Thai Etiquette
The behavior of the Thais is well controlled by etiquette based on the Buddhism. The society is non- confrontational in nature and so disputes need to be averted at all costs. Thais prefer proper behavior and dress. Revealing clothes and behaving rudely in public needs to be avoided at all costs. http://www.asiarooms.com/travel-guide/thailand/culture-of-thailand/index.html
Environment
Undeniably, strong economic growth has also brought some environmental problems to Thailand.
During the time of economic expansion, several parties have expressed their concerns over rising environmental problems. Over the last decade, Thailand has been increasingly threatened by the problems of industrial wastewater, hazardous wastes, natural resources degradation, worsening air and water pollution and a decline in biodiversity level.
Air and Water Pollution
The causes of air pollution in Thailand can vary from cars and other transport vehicles, manufacturing factories, agricultural productions to open cooking. These problems also have some effects on local residents. One group that is most affected is people in urban areas, especially in Bangkok who suffer from air pollution, a result of daily traffic congestion.
Thailand is regarded as a country with sufficient natural water supply. Yet, certain areas of the country can experience a period of water shortage, especially in the Northeast region.
The overall quality of water resource in Thailand has actually improved in 2002 due to heavy rainfalls. However, the test results in some area still showed signs of water contamination especially in major cities which still lacked proper water treatment system.
Among the 13 highly popular beaches for tourist, the quality of seawater in overwhelming majority of the beaches has qualified between acceptable and satisfactory range.
Solid and Hazardous Waste Solid and hazardous waste has been one of the major problems in industrial areas of Thailand. However, some challenges still remain, which include the process of waste recycle and reduction, municipal solid waste, industrial waste, infectious and community generated hazardous waste and ways to establish Safe Waste Management Systems.
Getting there & away The majority of tourists arrive by plane, all but a fraction through Bangkok's international airport. Chiang Mai, Phuket and Hat Yai airports also have immigration facilities and a small number of scheduled international flight arrivals, mostly from neighboring countries such as Singapore or China. Cruising has increased in popularity in Asia, as it has elsewhere. Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket are now stops on major cruise lines. http://thailandforvisitors.com/gethere.html
Getting around
There are many ways to get around Thailand. Although most travelers choose to fly between the major tourist centers of Bangkok, the North and South, there's something to be said for the alternatives. There are still some special and out of the way places you can't get close to by plane, not to mention that most tourist cities have been turned into something which is not quite Thailand. To see the "real" Thailand you need to get outside the major tourist areas.
Planes
Thai Airways The national flag carrier flies to almost all major tourist destinations.
Bangkok Airways The nation's second carrier is almost solely responsible for developing special destinations such as Samui and Sukhothai. Mastercard (but not American Express. If considering a vacation that includes several Bangkok Airways destincations, the you should have a look at their "Discovery Pass", which may save you some money.
PB AirProbably the most interesting (and likely to succeed) of the newer carriers,
Nok AirBudget carrier with Thai Airways as one of its major investors. Like most other budget lines, serves mostly the major tourist destinations such as Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son and Phuket.
Air Asia Thai destinations include Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Hat Yai and Phuket. The airline also flies from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur and from there on to Bali, Singapore and other destinations.
Trains
State Railway
The state railway operates the inter-city trains throughout Thailand. It can be an amazingly cheap way to get around the country, if you have the time. You can go by first class almost anywhere for under 1,000 Baht.
Eastern & Oriental Express
The very definition of luxury from days gone by. Operates special trips from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Kanchanaburi and Singapore.
Automobiles
Driving yourself around Thailand isn't something we'd recommend, although traveling by car definitely has its advantages. The roads in Thailand, mainly due to the poor driving habits of a large proportion of Thais, are not very safe for those unfamiliar with the unwritten and haphazard rules of the road. However, the good news is that you can generally rent a car with a driver for the same price or less than you would pay for a car rental in North America or Europe. This makes a good option for a day trip to out of the way places. Buses
Thailand still has an extensive network of inter-city buses. Bus service is available in two classes. Second class is not air conditioned, while first class services have air conditioning, and often much more. Bus service is generally inexpensive, but be sure to watch the bags unloaded at intermediate stops, as theft is rather common.
http://thailandforvisitors.com/thaitrans.html
