Inside Thailand

Thailand is a magnificent place to visit if you have a special interest in temples, ruins, deserted cities, and various ancient sites. Although there are some warnings for Thailand and certain areas that require caution, much of the country is safe and the beaches and islands are truly special slices of heaven. The great thing about going to this country is that you can choose to get off the beaten track where life is quiet or hit some of the major cities such as Bangkok where you see chaos on a major scale.

In addition to the wonderful history, Thailand also offers travelers clean, affordable hotel accommodations, reliable and efficient transportation, and incredible national cuisine. The people of Thailand are among the friendliest you will ever have the honor of meeting. Even with this fun loving spirit and warm hospitality, these people are typically strong-minded but only because they have had to fight so hard to gain independence and now, to preserve it.

Unfortunately, about five years ago, the border areas of Cambodia and Myanmar were a place of danger to include land mines, rebels, smugglers, and bandits. Even today, you are highly recommended to avoid any of the border areas or other locations known for current unrest. If you are not sure where those locations are, you can check with a reputable travel agent or contact the Thailand embassy for current reports. Keep in mind that common sense and following the rules of safety are typically all you need to have an enjoyable and safe trip.

The country of Thailand has around 62 million people with Bangkok, the capital city, being home to six million. This country has a wonderful ethnic blend consisting of Thai, Chinese, Malay, Khmer, Mon, Karen, and Phuan. Even so, the primary language spoken is Thai. This country’s history begins when the Mons lived in the central region, a civilization responsible for introducing Buddhism from India. Then in the 12th century, the Khmer culture came from the east, the Srivijaya culture moved north, and people of Nan Chao, the Thai state that is today’s southern China, moved south. With this, the first Siamese capital was created by the princess.

When Siam was invaded during both 16th and 18th centuries by the Burmese, Chiang Mai was captured and the capital city of Ayuthaya was destroyed. However, the Burmese were expelled and Thailand’s capital was moved to Thonburi. By 1782, the current dynasty of Chakri had been founded and again the capital was moved, this time on the other side of the river to Bangkok, which is where it remains as the capital city.

In the 19th century, Siam had been able to hold on to her independence by staying close to Europe’s power but when the country was converted into a constitutional monarchy in 1932, Siam fell under Thailand just seven years later. When World War II broke out, Thai’s government gave permission to Japan to use the country for their military troops. However, at the end of the war, the Japanese military dominated Thailand, experimenting with democracy. With democratic elections in 1979, the country enjoyed many years of prosperity and stability as power begin to change from a military hold to one of elite business practices.

Thailand moved forward, maintaining a secure economy until 1997 when the economy dropped. The country was left in a devastating state until the summer of that same year the Monetary Fund came in with an offer to improve the country’s growth. The plan was proven successful just seven years later. Today, we see a stronger Thailand with a new coalition government formed and many exciting things transpiring. For tourists, the country offers so much, which makes this an excellent vacation destination.

The language of Thailand is unique, comprised of its own alphabet. Because the spoken language is used with various tones of rising, falling, low, high, and so on, one specific word could have five different meanings depending on the tone in which it is said. For this reason, most people visiting the country do not even attempt it but if you want, locals would be happy to teach you a few words, although they may snicker at your weak attempt. This country also has an art culture although it consists primarily of architecture and sculpture.

As far as local cuisine, the food is most definitely spicy, usually heaped with chilies and garlic, and often enhanced with peanuts. Other common ingredients include lemon grass, coriander, limejuice, basil, tamarind juice, ginger, galangal root, and coconut milk. For the main dishes of Thailand, you will often find a shrimp or fish sauce or paste used and just about every meal includes rice. Additionally things to enhance the flavors include dipping sauces. During the day, people will snack on foods such as peppers, lime slices, fried peanuts, chicken, and chopped pieces of ginger. The fruit of Thailand is delicious and widely available, which is used to eat or in the case of sugar cane, used for making rice whiskey.

Because Thailand is hit hard by the monsoon season, you will see a huge variety of trees, plants, and flowers. For example, tropical hardwoods, fruit trees, and bamboo are all grown throughout the country. Because of a good water and food source for wildlife, and the fact that Thailand boasts 80 national parks and 32 nature sanctuaries, you will find more than 850 species of birds, as well as animals such as black bear, elephant, tiger, and leopard, although some of these are starting to disappear.

As you can see, Thailand is an exciting place to visit. This country has so much to offer visitors and with all its natural beauty, you will walk away feeling blessed for having had the opportunity to be among it. However, do not forget that if you like great shopping, dining out, dancing, and the fast pace of the city, Thailand offers this as well. Therefore, when you get ready to plan your next vacation, remember the beautiful country of Thailand, which offers plenty to do and see for people of all ages.

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Last Updated: 10/19/2006 3:14:00 PM

Inside Thailand

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