Thailand Facts

The Kingdom of Thailand was known as Siam until 1939.

The name Thailand means Land of the Free.

King Ramkhamhaeng ruled at the termination of the thirteenth century and originated the first Thai alphabet.

King Phra Buddha Yodfa Chulaloke(Rama I), the originator of the Chakri Dynasty that still rules today. He was also celebrated as the founder of Rattanakosin (now Bangkok) in 1782 as the new capital of the reunified kingdom.

White elephants were greatly valued by the kings of Thailand.

The largest reclining Buddha image (151 feet long) can be found in the temple, Wat Phra Chetuphon.

Wat Phra Chetuphon is oldest and largest temple in Bangkok.

Doi Inthanon (Chiang Mai Province) is the highest (8,415 ft, 2,565 m) mountain in Thailand.

The Tee Lor Su Waterfall (Tak Province) is the highest waterfall in Thailand.

The Mekong River is the longest river in Southeast Asia and the 7th-longest in Asia, forms a border between Thailand and Laos.

The Lang Rongrien rock shelter in the southwestern Thailand (Krabi Province) was inhabited around forty thousand years ago.

Phuket,formerly known as Tha-Laang or Talang, is Thailand’s largest island.

The Siamese cat was brought to Great Britain from Thailand as a gift from the consul of Siam.

During the World War II, Allied prisoners of War (POWs) held by the Japanese in Thailand, built the Burma-Siam railway.

The story of the Bridge over the River Kwai was made into a film in 1957. (The bridge on the river Kwai film by David Lean)

The Golden Triangle where is the meeting of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar on the Mekong River, was a center of opium poppies cultivation.

The Beach, is a novel by Alex Garland, is about backpackers in Thailand. The story was later made into a film in 2000.

On 26 December 2004, the Indian ocean earthquake occurred under the sea near the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia (8.9 Richter); this made tsunamis causing flooding and demolition in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Thailand.

In December 2008 Suvarnabhumi airports in Bangkok were blockaded for eight days by anti-government protesters.

Thailand, or the “Land of Smiles”, as it is also called, is one of the most famous traveler targets. When you ask someone what are his best journey destinations, Thailand will regularly be the answer. What makes Thailand such a famous traveler destination? We will see that there are certainly a few contributing factors that make Thailand such a renowned country.

First of all, Thailand isn’t called the “Land of Smiles” for nothing; there is a great reason why it has that name. Thailand has the renown of being a country that is exceptionally hospitable for visitors. Thais are such kind people, always smiling and trying to assist whenever they can. They are sincerely interested and have at heart that everybody who visit’s Thailand appreciates their stay. Even though this is a very good reason to call on Thailand, there are a few more that make’s it a must for any tourist.

Another reason would be the affluent culture and history of the country. When you visit Thailand, you will be astonished at the quantity of excellent temples that you can find a bit every place. While in Bangkok, everybody should visit by the Grand palace and the temple of the Emerald Buddha. After that, whether you go up North towards Chiang Mai or down south towards Phuket, you will see multitudinous temples and a opulent culture that is exactly unique. Ayutthaya is such a splendid sight to behold and is an UNESCO world heritage site. But there are not only superb temples and ruins to visit in Thailand; the unaffected beauty of the country is one of its greatest assets.

Splendid seashores in the South, mountains and rainforest to the North, there is absolutely something for everybody in Thailand. Phuket is one of the best destinations in South East Asia and for proper reasons. The beaches are outstanding, the weather is excellent, and what can you ask more? In Thailand there are more attractive beaches than you can perchance wish to visit during your voyage, so you should select carefully. Koh Phi Phi is one of the most famous and became illustrious after the movie The Beach. There are hundreds of travelers that visit Koh Phi Phi every day. But the North also has its glamour, although a various kind of charm. If you want to do some jungle trek, you will be very appropriate by going around Chiang Mai. It is a very fulfilling experience to do a jungle trek in the mountains around Chiang Mai and to visit some tiny villages.

Shopping is another reason why so numerous people go to Thailand. Bangkok is hastily becoming a shopper’s heaven. There are immense shopping centers being built around the city and the costs are very nice. You can discover many transactions if you look around and can also find the top brands in the bigger shopping centers such as Siam Paragon and Central World. If you drop in Bangkok, you should absolutely go to the Chatuchak weekend market, the largest open market in the world. There are over 15,000 stalls and each day hundreds of thousands of visitors go to the market.

Thai food is another reason why people desire to go to Thailand. Everybody knows about Thai food, it is totally well-known and gaining in fame in Europe and North America. In Thailand, Thai food is much greater than what you will discover anywhere else and there are restaurants everywhere. There is so much alternative of food that when arriving in Thailand you won’t know where to eat. Thai cookery is very varied, as there are peculiarities form the North of Thailand and also form the South. You should absolutely taste a Pad Thai when you come in Thailand, you will fall in love with that food.

Ultimately, the last reason is the price. Aside from the air ticket, staying in Thailand is very inexpensive. You can find good guest houses for about 30$ US and if you eat in smaller restaurants it will cost you around 2$. Activities are also very inexpensive, as is journey. Staying in Thailand won’t cost you as much as the air ticket if you need to stay on a budget. You could simply waste a lot of money if you stay in the top hotels, as there are costs for everybody, but you can also simply expend very little each day.

So with all these good factors that make Thailand exactly incomparable, it is no surprise that it is such a famous destination. Everybody should come to see Thailand at least once in their lifetime. All of these factors severally could be sufficient to visit this prodigious country, but when you add them in unison, you get a destination that you won’t want to depart.

Bangkok hospitality is popular, and its people are absolutely welcoming and kindly. With so many hotels, restaurants bars and other entertainment alternatives you absolutely are spoilt for alternative, even on a budget. Bangkok tonight has something for all, and it’s well known the world over. In this section we detail the nicest bars, eateries, nightspots, spas and shopping, as well as providing scores of hotel suggestions.
If you are preparing on going out tonight in Bangkok, you can elect from any one of the many outstanding Thai or international restaurants offering remarkable value for money. Or if you desire to do things the Thai way, there are countless street booths in Bangkok offering some very appetizing food to suit a small budget.
Trippers actually come to Bangkok to pamper in the city’s buzzing and sometimes hedonistic nightlife – and it’s not all go-go girls and massage parlors – as some very sophisticated night spots and live music venues can be found in the city including themed pubs, sports bars and live music galore in the hotels districts. Then there are flicks, concerts, shows, shopping even Thai boxing bouts.
Of course, you can’t imply the Bangkok nightlife without describing the red light districts with their varied go go bars and sociable, anxious, hostesses. Like it or abhor, it’s really a Bangkok attractiveness and you’ll see more details in this division on how to enjoy this viewpoint of Bangkok safely and respectfully.