The Bell Phuket

Geography
The Kingdom of Thailand, formerly known as Siam, is in South East Asia. Its land borders are with Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia. Its sea borders are with the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.

Bangkok, a major port, is also the capital city. Chiang Mai is the second largest city.

Thailand has a central plain, the Khorat Plateau in the east, and mountains in the north and west. The Chao Phraya is Thailand's most important river and flows through Bangkok.

The climate is tropical with rains brought with the southwest monsoon in mid May.

Environment
In 1961 the National Park Act was passed to protect Thailand's natural resources. A number of Parks including Doi Luang National Park and the Tarutao National Marine Park were established.

The Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex, which contains important tropical forest ecosystems, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2005.

Forests cover over a quarter of the country and trees include teak, mangrove, rattan and palm. Bright yellow bua tong flowers grow in the mountains; other flowering plants are the hibiscus and orchids.

Elephants are a symbol of Thailand; the white elephant being highly prized. Today, due to loss of habitat, the elephant population has fallen from hundreds of thousands to thousands. Animals in the National Parks and sanctuaries are tigers, leopards, bears, panthers, monkeys and barking deer.

Architecture
Thailand has many monasteries, temples and shrines. Bangkok, alone, has over four hundred Buddhist buildings such as Wat Phra Kaeo and Wat Arun. Other architecture of note is the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

Wood and stone have traditionally been used in construction but most of the wooden buildings have perished with time. Some ancient carved wooden buildings still exist in Chang Mai, famous for its beautiful temples - the most sacred is Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. Examples of Thai architecture can also be seen in the historic towns of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya.

Population
Thailand's population was estimated at 65,068,149 in 2007.

Languages
Thai is the official language. English is also used in business.

Religion
The majority of the people are Buddhist. Less than five percent are Muslim. There is still a following in the animist religion that believes there is a spirit in everything.

Food
Thai cuisine is spicy using ingredients such as coriander, turmeric, mint, ginger, chilli pepper, garlic and coconut milk. Seafood and shredded meat, often chicken, is eaten with rice or noodles. Favourite sauces are fish sauce and satay. Salad, sometimes sprinkled with peanuts, is served with the main meal.

Thailand has a variety of tropical fruit including the durian, jack fruit, bananas and mangoes. Fruit carving is an art form and is practised for special occasions.

Popular drinks are iced water, tea and coffee. Alcoholic drinks are beer and rice-based whiskey.

History
Early man settled in a number of areas in Thailand. Ban Chiang is the site of one of the oldest civilizations in Southeast Asia. Archaeological evidence shows that the ancient town of Sri Thep was also inhabited from prehistoric times. These early people were followed by the Mon, the Khmer (Cambodians) and the Thai.

The first Thai city of Sukhothai was built in the early thirteenth century. This was followed by the founding of Lanna Thai, Chiang Mai and Ayuthaya. The city of Ayuthaya survived for over four hundred years but was destroyed by Burmese invaders in the eighteenth century.

From the thirteenth to the nineteenth century the Thai kings had close ties with China. The Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, French, English and Japanese all traded with Thailand. The French tried to take control of the country but Thailand resisted European control. In 1826 the British negotiated the Treaty of Amity and Commerce with Thailand increasing British influence in the country until the end of the century.

Thailand was an absolute monarchy until 1932 when a bloodless coup led to the country becoming a constitutional monarchy.

During the Second World War Thailand was occupied by the Japanese. By the end of the War Thailand had established a relationship with the USA and was used as an aircraft base by the Americans during the Vietnamese War (1961-1975).

Thailand is a member of the United Nations and ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Economy
Thailand's industrial sector provides a greater proportion of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) than agriculture. The services sector is the largest earner of GDP.

Agricultural products are rice, cassava, corn, sugarcane, soybeans, coconuts and fruits. Thailand is a major world supplier of orchids. The fishing industry provides food for the population as well as exports.

Thailand is an important world producer of tungsten and tin. Other resources include rubber, timber and natural gas.

Industries are cement, light manufacturing, computers and electronics, furniture, plastics, textiles, clothes, tobacco, food processing and beverages. Tourism is an important earner of foreign currency. (2007)

Arts
Art in Thailand has developed from the country's religion, for example, sculptures of the Buddha and the murals in the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.

Crafts include weaving, wood carving, pottery, lacquerware, nielloware (made from sheets of metal) and silverware.

Thai theatre relies on epic stories such as The Ramayana. Shadow puppets or Nang Yai are a traditional art form.

Sport
Thai boxing (Muey Thai) is accompanied by traditional music, usually an ensemble consisting of a drum, small brass cymbals and a Thai clarinet.

The game of takraw is played with a wicker ball that has to be kept in the air using any part of the body except the hands.

Kite fighting involves teams of kite flyers and is a popular spectator sport.

Long boat racing, another traditional sport, takes place on rivers near towns and cities.

The Thai coastline provides opportunities for water-sports such as swimming, sailing and sail boarding. Deep-sea fishermen fish for tiger sharks, tuna and sailfish.

Holidays
Independence Day is in memory of the traditional founding of Siam in 1238.

The King's birthday is celebrated as a national holiday.

Buddhist holy days are observed and there are a number of regional festivals including the Vegetarian Festival on Phuket when islanders of Chinese origin eat vegetarian food for nine days.