 There
is more visible historical evidence of past eras in Thailand
than in any other South-East Asian country, so if you're
interested in ruins, temples and deserted cities, this
is the place to go. For pure holiday-making magic, Thailand's
islands and beaches are working definitions of heaven
(once you get out of the shadows of the evil multinational
hotels). And as for urban delights, the huge metropolis
of Bangkok, although it can alarm with its chaos and its
scale, tends to so charm visitors with its energy and
cultural treasures that the steamy soupy diesel mixture
that passes for air in this city is more than forgiven.
Thailand
is an easy country to travel in, with efficient transport,
cheap accommodation and a delicious national cuisine.
The Thais are renowned for their friendliness and hospitality
to strangers. Although they're often depicted as fun-loving,
happy-go-lucky folk (which they often are), they are also
very strong-minded and have struggled for centuries to
preserve their spirit of independence.
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Major
Tourist Cities/Areas Information |
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Visa
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| THAILAND
Map |
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Country
Fact*: |
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Full
country name:
Kingdom of Thailand
Area: 514,000 sq km
Population: 64,865,523
Capital city: Bangkok (pop 6 million)
People: 75% Thai, 11% Chinese, 3.5%
Malay, also Mon, Khmer, Phuan and Karen minorities
Language: Thai, English (secondary
language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects
Religion: Buddhism 95%, Muslim 3.8%,
Christianity 0.5%, Hinduism 0.1%, other 0.6%
Government: Democratic constitutional
monarchy
Business
Hours:
Most shops open at least
Monday to Saturday from about 8am to 8pm, while department
stores operate daily from around 10am to 9pm. Private
office hours are generally Monday to Friday 8am-5pm
and Saturday 8am-noon, though in tourist areas these
hours are longer, with weekends worked like any other
day. Government offices work Monday to Friday 8.30am-noon
and 1-4pm, and national museums tend to stick to these
hours too, but some close on Monday and Tuesday rather
than at weekends
Major
industries: Computers, garments, integrated
circuits, gems, jewellery
Major trading partners: ASEAN, USA
and the EU
Internet
domain : .th
International dialling code: +66
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Calendar of Events*: |
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January:
1st - New Year's Day
February:
Maha
Puja
April:
6th
- Chakri Day : The fouding of the Chakri dynasty
Songkran : Thai New Year
May:
Royal Ploughing Ceremony : Marks start of rice-planting
season
Visakha Puja : The holiest of all Buddhist holidays,
which celebrates the birth, elightenment and death of
th Buddha.
July:
Asanha Puja : Commemorate the Buddha's first sermon
Khao Pansa : The start of the annual three-month Buddhist
rains retreat, when new monks are ordained
August:
12th - Queen's birthday
October:
23rd - Chulalongkom Day : The anniversary of Rama V's
death
December:
5th - King's Birthday
10th - Cunstitution Day
31th - Western New Year's Eve
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