According to countryaah, Thailand is a Kingdom in the southeastern part of Asia. Thailand is the most touristic country in this part of Asia and perhaps all of Asia. Most tourists come to the country to enjoy the special culture, the beautiful beaches and the beautiful temples and nature reserves.
The first inhabitants of present-day Thailand came from China. Before these peoples moved to this part of Asia, there were already several civilizations that had settled in this area. The earliest form of permanent habitation has been found at the Ban Chiang archaeological site. Remains have been found here from 3600 BC. The Thai settle permanently in Thailand in the thirteenth century. They overthrow the Khmer rulers and establish a Thai Kingdom. This kingdom was more or less shaped like present-day Thailand. At the same time, several small Thai kingdoms of states and states formed in the region that also covered parts of present-day Laos. The most famous of these were the Kingdom of Sukhothai, Lanna, Auttaya, Thonburi and Rattanakosin. These kingdoms ruled Thailand from the fourteenth century to the early twentieth century. What is special is that Thailand is the only country in the southeastern part of Asia that has never been colonized by a European country. In 1932 a military coup took place in Siam, as the country was then known, and the absolute monarchy came to an end and a constitutional monarchy was formed. In the following period, several coups were made, which led to several changes of power. This eventually led to the name change from Siam to Thailand in 1939, Thailand means land of the free people.
After the Second World War, when the country played a dubious role, free elections were held for the first time in the country. In the decades that followed, the country became increasingly westernized. The Vietnam War accelerated this process considerably.
Thai politics has been anything but stable over the years. Coups are still regularly committed and government leaders are threatened or even killed. This has everything to do with the Junta regime in the country.
Fortunately, as a tourist you hardly notice this. It is advised to avoid some places in the country. The same goes for demonstrations or large gatherings. Thailand is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Asia, especially the many beautiful islands off the coast of the country are very popular. The capital Bangkok, called Krung Thep in Thailand itself, is the largest city in the country. With 15 million inhabitants, this city belongs to the twenty largest cities in the world. Most tourists who celebrate a holiday in Thailand fly to Bangkok and then continue their journey in Thailand.
Sights
The sights in Thailand can be divided into a number of categories. Firstly, the country is known for its beautiful nature, the many beautiful islands that belong to the country and the beautiful natural parks attract many tourists to Thailand every year. The most famous and popular islands in the country are Ko Chang, Koh Samui, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lipe, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Koh Samet and Koh Chang. Phuket is especially popular with tourists. The island is also called “The Pearl of the South”. The most famous and beautiful nature parks are Phang Nga Bay, which is known for its clear waters, limestone cliffs and enchanting bays, Doi Inthanon, Khao Sok National Park and Erawan National Park. The hot springs of San Kamphaeng should certainly not be missing from this list
The second category is the many cultural attractions. Many thousands of temples, museums and palaces can be found in the country. The most beautiful and famous of these are the Wat Chaiwatthanaram, the Wat Khaek, the Chankasem Palace, the Chao Sam Phraya National Museum, the Phimai historical museum and the Wat Pho. Wat Pho is known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. This Buddha is 46 meters long and 15 meters high.
Then of course there are also many beautiful cities and villages in the country. The capital Bangkok attracts the most tourists every year. Other popular cities in the country are Pattaya and Chiang Mai. Near the capital Bangkok is the floating market of Damnoen Saduak. You really have to see this special scene with your own eyes.
UNESCO
Thailand has five inscriptions on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This concerns two natural registrations and two cultural registrations. The first inscription was the historical city of Sukhothai and its associated historical cities. Sukhothai is a popular tourist attraction. The historic city is home to numerous ruins, temples and Buddha statues. In 1991, the historic city of Ayutthaya was also added to the list. Famous in this city are the three chedis of Wat Phra Si Sanphet. The wildlife park of Thungyai Huai Kha Khaeng also came under the protection of UNESCO in this year. Tigers and elephants live in this area. In 1992, the Ban Chiang archaeological site was credited. The site was discovered in 1966. Finds from different periods have been made on this site. From the Neolithic to the Iron Age. An exceptionally large number of earthenware pots have been found at this location.
In 2005 the forests of Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai came under the protection of UNESCO.
Climate
There are three clearly distinguishable climate types in Thailand. The northern part of the country has a tropical savanna climate. In this part of the country, the average rainfall is much lower than in the other parts of the country. The south of Thailand has a tropical monsoon climate. The average precipitation in this part of Thailand is quite high, but there are also relatively drier periods. This also applies to the average humidity in this area. In addition, there is still a tropical rainforest climate in some places. With this climate type it rains almost daily and the month with the least precipitation has at least sixty millimeters of precipitation.
The temperatures in Thailand are around thirty degrees Celsius all year round. April is on average the hottest month of the year. The average daytime temperature in this month is around thirty-four degrees Celsius.
On average, the period between May and September is the wettest. In these months, more than 200 millimeters of precipitation can fall per month. The average humidity in this period is therefore very high.
Thailand is located in an area where many hurricanes occur. However, the country is rarely hit by a hurricane, these usually bend towards the China Sea. Tsunamis can occur, these can cause a lot of misery. Many precautions were taken after the 2004 tsunami. For example, warning systems have been installed.
Geography
Thailand is located in southeastern Asia and has land borders with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Malaysia. The Southern part of Thailand consists of an elongated peninsula that lies on one side on the Andaman Sea and on the other side on the Gulf of Thailand. Off the coast of this peninsula are hundreds of islands, several of which are inhabited. One of these islands, Phuket is connected to mainland Thailand by a bridge. Phuket is also the largest island that belongs to Thailand. Other large and well-known islands are Ko Chang, Koh Samui, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lipe, Koh Phangan, Koh Tao, Koh Samet and Koh Chang.
The Thai landscape is very diverse. The northern part of the country mainly consists of mountains. The highest point in the country can also be found here. Mount Doi Inhanon is the highest point in Thailand at 2590. The northeastern part of the country consists of the Khorat Plateau. This part of Thailand is also called the Weeping Plain as it is very inhospitable and barren.
Central to the south is the river area in this part of the country, where the capital Bangkok can be found. The country’s main river is the Chao Phraya. This river starts in the Thai highlands and eventually flows into the Gulf of Thailand. The southern peninsula mainly consists of tropical rainforest and special limestone rocks.
In addition to the capital Bangkok, there are a few other major cities in the country. These are Hat Yat, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Phitsanulok and Pattani. The most popular beach resorts in Thailand are Pkuket, Hua Hin, Cha-am and Pattaya.
Travel advice
The travel advice for Thailand has been vigilant for several years now. This is mainly due to a number of unsafe areas that exist in Thailand. As a tourist it is best to avoid these. This concerns the four southern provinces of Thailand: Yale, Narahiwat, Pattani and Songkhla, the provinces of Sisaket and Surin in the border area with Cambodia and the entire border with Myanmar.
Traffic in Thailand is known to be very dangerous. The road surface in Thailand is in very bad condition. Tourists are advised not to go on the road after sunset. There are many fatalities in traffic in Thailand. It is therefore wiser not to rent a motorbike or moped yourself. These are in most cases uninsured. The use of moped taxis is also not recommended. There is a special tourist police for tourists in Thailand. They can be reached at 1155.
There are no mandatory vaccinations for a trip to Thailand except yellow fever. Recommended vaccinations are the DTP vaccination and a hepatitis A vaccination.
Travel documents
For a visit to Thailand you must be in possession of a passport that is valid for at least six months after departure. You do not need a visa for a stay shorter than thirty days. However, if you want to stay in Thailand for longer than thirty days, you must apply for a visa at the Thai embassy in The Hague. Note that if you enter Thailand by land you will need a visa if you stay in Thailand for more than 15 days. Children under the age of 16 are only allowed to travel through Thailand accompanied by one adult. If this is not the parent, they must have a copy of the birth certificate and a letter from the parents.
Info table
| Capital city | bankok |
| Phone (country code) | 66 |
| Internet domain | .th |
| Language(s) (official) | Thai |
| Language(s) (colloquial) | Thai, Akha, Lahu, Khmer and Mon |
| Religion(s) | Buddhism |
| Time zone(s) | UTC+7 |
| Time difference summer | In Thailand it is 5 hours later than in the Netherlands |
| Time difference winter | In Thailand it is 6 hours earlier than in the Netherlands |
| Daylight Saving Time Control | no |
| Currencies | Bht |
