Introducing Thailand

Introduction video of Thailand



Location

Thailand is located at the heart of Southeast Asia, between the Indian Oceans and the South China Sea. It is a large country of approximately 513000 sq km and has a vast population of 60 million. Majority of the population is centralized in the fertile Central Plains and in the capital city, Bangkok.

Thailand was formally known as Siam and the official language used is Thai. The country's government is Parliamentary democracy and Constitutional monarchy. The currency for Thailand is Baht.

Many of Thailand's best beaches is located at the Southern peninsula such as Phuket and Pulau Langkawi.



Education in Thailand

All children have access to free, compulsory education from the age of six to twelve years of age. Almost ninety percent of primary school children attend either public schools or those run by Buddhist monasteries. In 1995-96, there were about six million students enrolled in primary schools. After the primary years, the attendance rates drop to just over fifty percent for secondary education, during the same school year listed above, only 3.8 million children attended lower- or upper-elementary schools.

The Thai government is talking about raising the required six years of education to nine years, although Thailand's literacy rate is one of the highest in Southeast Asia, at almost 95%.

There are many universities to choose from and and over 600,000 students did enroll and attend institutions of higher learning during the early 90s. The largest universities in Thailand are located in Bangkok (Chulalongkorn University, established in 1917) and in the north (Chiang Mai University, established in 1964).

Below is a chart showing the educational structure of Thailand. it is very similiar to what we have in Singapore.

Northern Thailand

Northern Thailand has always been a world apart from Thailand, both physically and emotionally. You may wonder why and this is because Northern Thailand has their own unique style and grace which differs them from Southern Thailand.

The North has famous and breathtaking landscapes of mountains, hills, rivers luscious green jungles and other natural environment that is not normally found in the country. The number of ethnic groups also varies from tribe to tribe and these tribes are associated with a wide range of handicrafts and other traditional form of artistic expression.

Chiang Mai is the main city of Northern Thailand and is known for its rich culture, shopping and traditional dining.

Southern Thailand

Located next to the Gulf of Thailand, the Long coastline, fine beaches and idyllic offshore islands are a major attraction for visitors visiting Southern Thailand.

The first section of Southern Thailand, between Phetchaburi to Chumphon, is little explored by travelers but contains a richness of attractions that belies its limited area. It has a string of beach resorts and its surprisingly rugged and verdant interior are mainly the domain of Thai tourists.

Focusing Bangkok

Bangkok is Thailand's capital city and there is actually an interest history behind it!

Basically, Bangkok became Thailand's capital when Rama I moved the city across the Chao Phraya river from Thon Buri in 1782 to ensure fortification against the Burmese, who had sacked the capital of Ayutthaya.

Bangkok is a vibrant city though it may be a lesson in the dangers of uncontrolled urban expansion. It has a lively nightlife, markets, shops and restaurants. Not forgetting the magnificent wats museums, palace and parks.

Some must-see places in Bangkok



The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo complex is Bangkok/s premier tourist attraction. The Grand Palace serves as the official residence for the Kings of Thailand from the 18th century onwards and Wat Phra Kaeo is the Temple of the Golden Buddha.

The temple and palace grounds are filled with a bewildering number of other buildings and sacred structures that provides and architectural lexicon of the country and the single most comprehensive introduction to the physical and cultural charms of Thailand.



The next attraction is Dusit Park

Is leafy walkways, fascinating museums, Vimanmek Palace, and neighboring zoo is more than enough to provide a full day's time of sightseeing. It is the main attraction in the Dusit area. One who really loves nature and heritage would really enjoy this wonderful park.

The Floating Market

Immerse in the local culture and way of life as it once was before the arrival of global consumerism. Welcome to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market!



The small wooden boats are paddled mainly by female traders, some of whom are dressed in traditional blue farmers' shirt called mo bom. The floating market consist of three markets in total. Tom Khem, Hia Kui and Khun Phitak.

Tom Khem is the largest market followed by Hia Kui which acts as a warehouse that sells souvenir to tourist. The smallest and least crowded market is Khun Phitak.

The best way of getting around the three markets is by boats. To see the floating market in its full swing during operation, be sure to visit it between 7am - 9am!

The Death Railway

Lastly, for those who are keen in Dark Tourism, then the Death Railway is a MUST to see. Kanchanaburi is situated to the west of Bangkok. The Death Railway was constructed in 1942 by Allied POWs under strict supervision by the Japanese as the Japanese need the railway to transport supplies urgently.

The present Death Railway



Building of the Death Railway by Allied POWs



About 7000 Allied soldiers died during the construction of the Death Railway and are buried in Kanchanaburi

Indigenous Groups

In Thailand, there are several ethnic and indigenous groups scatter over Northern Thailand.They live around the vast mountainous areas and rugged terrain that forms the Himalayan foothill.

Each of these tribes are unique in their own ways as each group has their own culture and style of living. These tribes are rather opened to tourist and in fact welcomes them to do home stays in immerse in their culture and way of living.

Lisu (Lisaw)

There are over one million Lisu tribesfolk in China, Burma and North-Eastern India. Thailand has around 25,000 in the Northern area, they arrived in the early 1900's to settle down in the mountains.

They believe they are the only tribe to survive a global flood.

Lisu costume is the most striking of all tribes with women wearing colorful clothing and men wearing dark clothing.

Karen

The Karen are thought to have originated in Tibet and have been in Thailand since the eighteenth century.

There are today some four million Karen in Burma and 280,000 in the mountain areas all along the Thai side of the Burmese border.

Karen believe a white "younger brother" will come from over the waters bringing with him knowledge of writing that had been long ago lost. As a result many embraced easily Christianity upon encountering foreign missionaries

The Karen have a special relationship with elephants and their trainers are the best in Asia.

Yao

30,000 Yao tribes live in Thailand. They crossed the border from China via Laos at the end of the ninetieth century to settle in Thailand

The Yao are literate and in many ways the most sophisticated of the hilltribal people. They use Chinese characters for writing their ancestral and medicinal books. Many of their Taoist ritual date back to the thirteenth century.

They also believe in a spirit world that is the opposite of the human one. They believe that people have several souls and ancestors, especially those of male lineage, are deeply revered.

Musser

In Thailand there are some 60,000 Lahu. They began arrriving at the start of the twentieth century. There are different clans and each clan wore a different dress from the other.

Although many Musser have now adopted Christianity, they still believe strongly in spirits.

The Musser long for the blessings of this life and the next, for things that are good and pleasant and, in accordance with the message of an old legend, men are particularly caring of their partners.

Muay Thai - The National Sport of Thailand

When we speak of Thailand and sports, the first thing that comes to most people's mind would be Muay Thai which is known as Thai Boxing.

Below is a video featuring the national sport of Thailand, Muay Thai.



History of Muay Thai

Muay Thai history is deeply entwined with the history of Thailand itself. Because of perpetual invasions from neighbouring countries when Thailand was in the process of forming, Thai people depended on their ability to defend themselves. In these early times only short-range weapons such as spears, pikes and clubs would have been available for use in battle. During this kind of hand-to-hand combat, fighting methods can quickly change and the body’s natural weapons such as the head, fists, elbows and feet would necessarily also have been utilised. Undoubtedly, it is the systemised use of these natural weapons, developed as a practical fighting skill for the battlefield that came to be Muay Thai boxing.

Muay Thai also incorporates the Thai culture of respect. Fighters show their respect to their trainers before every matches by doing the wai kru. It is a ritual bow done in the process of the ram muay. The ram muay is a slow, solemn dance. It is said to draw the power of earth, air, fire and water into the body right before a match.

Due the high injury rate, Muay Thai was banned as a national sport in 1920. In 1937 it was revived with new rules added for safety purposes of the fighters. Certain fatal striking moves were even banned as an art of Muay Thai.

Today, Muay Thai has became one of the unique selling point of Thailand apart from its rich culture. And in the main capital, Bangkok, Muay Thai matches are held on every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday at the Lumpini Stadium.

Cultures and Traditions

Thai Culture

The Thai culture as we see today is formed from ethnic groups that have migrated to Thailand a long time ago and it is still being followed and put into practice today. The culture of the Thais are represented in various arts such as music, dance, murals, sculptures, woodworks, decorations and architecture forms. In short, Thai culture is significant in the behaviour, customs and beliefs of the Thai people today.

Thai culture is basically Buddhism. And this religious belief has two principal theme. That is firstly, to be able to understand the difference between reality and self diffusion and secondly, to understand the nature of cause and effect which is literary to understand whatever one does now will have implications later, not only in the very short term, but the very long term.

In Thai culture, people are to properly differentiate what they really need and not just focusing on what they desire. They are taught to be disciplined and such desires for things that are deemed as a 'want' is shown as a 'weakness' in Thai culture. Just like any other culture, the importance of respect is also being stressed. Examples of this respect are, not to shout at others, not to talk at some one, rather talk to them, not to impose on another with meaningless and convoluted talk [ thus wasting their time ], not to defame someone and respect their property in their own good name. Defamation is a crime in Thailand.

Important Thai Festivals

Songkran Festival in mid April

In Thailand, the Tai Lao in Laos, and the Buddhist communities in Cambodia and Myanmar, the Calender New Year is occasioned between 13 and 15 April each year. The Thais celebrate the festival and the obvious way of doing it is by the throwing of water. Thais roam around the streets with water guns, buckets of water and drench each other as well as passer-by.

Loy Krathong Festival



Loy Krathong Festival is celebrated in all of Thailand in November. Loy Krathong celebrates the end of the rainy season which is also the full moon of the 12th month of the Thai Lunar Calendar. Loy means to float and Krathong or means a raft the sive of ones open hand. The point of the festival is to prepare a raft and then float it down a stream, river or other water surface at full moon. Offering are placed on the raft to be released and float away by water to release with it as a symbolic gester, ones bad feelings, anger, stress and grievances.

The festival has its beginnings in the Indianisation process of South East Asia and an original Brahmanical festival from Northern India. Many Thais also accept natural forces as spirits or '' gods '' and the floating of the Krathong is symbolic gesture to the Goddess of water, Phra Mae Khongkha. The Thais proclaim the festival originated in Thailand at Sukhothai at the time of the Sukhothai Kingdom.

Thai Food

Thai cuisine places emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with strong aromatic components. Thai cuisine is known for being spicy. Balance, detail and variety are important to Thai cooking. Thai food is known for its balance of the five fundamental taste senses in each dish or the overall meal: hot or spicy, sour, sweet, salty, and bitter.

The most famous and well-known Thai dish that springs to everyones' mind when visiting Thailand would be Tom Yam Kung. It is also know as spicy shrimp soup. Tom yum is characterized by its distinct hot and sour flavors, with fragrant herbs generously used. The basic broth is made of stock and fresh ingredients such as lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, lime juice, fish sauce and crushed chili peppers.



As we can see, the Thai uses a lot of spices and condiments for their local dish.

What comprises a Thai meal

We may wonder what makes Thai cuisine so special and now lets take a look at what a Thai meal comprises of:

Tit bits

These are small side dishes before the Thai indulge in their meal.

Salads

Thai salads mostly taste sour, sweet, and salty. The type of meat used in salad will depend on the type of occasion.

General Fare

It is either a sweet and sour or a stir-fried dish to complete a meal

Dips

Dips are a thick paste made and it accompanies vegetables and some meat

Soups

Thai soups are unique because they embody more flavours and textures than can be found in other types of food.

Curry

Thai curry consist of fresh herbs unlike other curries that is made from curry powders.

Single Dish

They are the main dish that complete the meal. it could be a noodle or rice meal

Desserts

Thai dessert is uniquely sweet and it is best served after one has eaten a strongly spiced herbal meat.

Spotting the 'Disney'

Dream World

Located at Vibhavadee - Rangsit Highway, the amusement park consist of Fantasy Land, Dream Garden, Adventure Land, Snow Land.

The Adventure Land, with its thrilling roller coasters, bumper cars and Viking boat swings, is perfect for families. Also waiting in this Adventure Land is an eerie looking haunted mansion, which promises some real bloodcurdling and eerie experiences to visitors. While the Adventure Land is good for the brave hearts, the Fantasy Land in the park beckons fairytale lovers.

In Fantasy Land, let your favorite Disney princesses come alive as you tour the sleeping beauty castle and many more exciting attractions. However, the most unbeatable of all the attractions is the 'Snow Land'. Some other attractions of the park include 'Hollywood Action Show' and 'The Colors of the World Parade'; where one can meet popular cartoon characters. Apart from all the enjoyment, Dream World also offers places where visitors could grab a quick bite or have a meal if they needed one. Undoubtedly, Dream World is the best place to dive headlong onto the lap of pleasure, leisure and unlimited fun.

The video below features a tour around Dream World Thailand.



Dream World Thailand offers a wide range of activities to get families into the thrill and excitement. There are animal shows and many attractive rides which includes both wet and dry.

Condom restaurants (Thailand)





This restaurant has chains all over Thailand and it was established to support the activities of The Population and Development Association (PDA) of Thailand. Not only do the restaurant offers good food, but they help promote the health and safety aspects of condom in a fun and amusing manner.

The restaurant is decorated with condoms from all around the world plus messages and photos that supports family planning.

Impact of tourism on Thailand

How has tourism shaped Thailand

Tourism is a positive and sweet sounding word, but behind it there are lots of negative consequences too. The positive impact is money and revenue for both the government and locals

Many developing countries perceive tourism as a fast track to economic growth. They assume that tourism development requires less investment than other industries; and they believe tourism to be an effective means of creating job opportunities and increasing local income.

Yes, it is true that the tourism industry is by far the best way a country could go into to boost is economy but there are both good and bad impacts. The good is that it brings in income for the many low-income Thais. it is one of the top money earner for the economy. In a way, to attract visitors, Thailand has to upgrade its standard of living, so this is good.

The negative aspect is that the younger Thais are slowly losing their culture, as many are embracing the modern technology and western culture along the way. This is the result of globalization and this has eroded some of their traditional way of life.

The other point is that the tourists bring with them the social ills from their country, contributing to the spread of AIDS in the 80's due to the Thai's tolerant nature and did not realise the harm these tourists bring. Also the because of the lax laws, visitors bring in substance abuse. Making easy money, this spread fast.

The sticking point is that the country get labelled as a sex haven even though this is happening in a few cities, and not even province. So this give rise to the connotation that Thai girls are easy for sex, while the fact is that there are prostitutes in many countries and it is sad that these visitors labelled the whole country so.

In summary, I will not pick a side saying whether tourism is good or bad for Thailand, but i would only say that in any situation, tourism will bring both good and bad impacts to the society. Not only Thailand but other countries as well. Especially towards the indigenous people. As mentioned in one of the post above, Thailand consist of indigenous groups and by far they are opened to tourist by showing tourist their cultures and lifestyle. But this has caused an indirect impact on the indigenous group whereby the young generations of these indigenous groups are exposed to westerners at a young age and this possess risk of a loss in culture.

Hence i would say that tourism has shaped Thailand into a better country with a boost in economic growth but at the same time, there are people who are suffering due to tourism such as little girls who are being exploited for sex tourism.

Is tourism the culprit for co-modifying cultures and traditions

Tourism is definitely the culprit when co-modification of culture and traditions comes into concern. Lets look at an example of what co-modification is.

Imagine going to Paris for a holiday and throughout your trip you went to various places and even the Eiffel Tower. You bought a mini Eiffel Tower key-chain as a souvenir. When you return home, you started showing your friends and relatives the key-chain you have bought from Paris and claiming that you have been to Paris.

In this case you are reducing Paris to simply a key-chain making it seems that it means nothing much other than a key-chain.

In the tourism industry, when travel agencies and tour operators package tours and sell them to customers, they are focusing on probably the attractions, cultural and tradition aspects of the destination. For instance, when packaging a tour for Thailand, what most tour brochures would do is to draw our attentions to places of interest such as temples like Wat Khao Nor and The Grand Palace of Bangkok.

in the long-run tourist will associate these places with the country. And when they are asked about this specific country, they will instinctively be reminded of these places of interest instead of other aspects like lifestyles, development and food culture.