Thailand Facts
There are lots of interesting and useful articles about Thailand in this Thai travel guide but here you will find some quick facts about this "Land of Smiles".
Thailand (meaning free-land) or in it's official name of The Kingdom of Thailand.
Thailand has a population of approximately 60 million.
The majority live in rural areas, mostly in the central plains, but the largest cities are Bangkok (the capital) and Chiang Mai in the north.
Among Thailand's most important resorts are Phuket in the south, Koh Samui, an island in the south towards the Gulf of Thailand, Pattaya, Cha Am/Hua Hin, Khao Lak and Krabi.
Thais are genuinely friendly people for whom smiling is second nature.
Thai is the official language. Spoken and written Thai remain largely incomprehensible to the casual visitor, because it is a tonal language with 5 tones, 20 vowels and 44 consonants.
However, English is widely understood in most tourist areas, particularly Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Phuket where it is an important language for commerce. English is spoken in most hotels, shops, restaurants, banks, international offices and car rental offices in major destinations. Road signs throughout the country are in both Thai and English.
A little knowledge of the Thai language however, can go a long way.
Thailand is one of the most strongly Buddhist countries in the world. Some 92% of the population are Buddhist. There are 32,000 monasteries in Thailand. Buddhism is a very liberal religion and there is a natural acceptance of foreign holidaymaker's.
Christianity, Hinduism and Islam are all practiced to a lesser extent throughout Thailand, and are allowed to flourish and coexist alongside the main religion.
Buddhist monks are highly respected and revered members of Thai communities. They have special areas reserved for them at airports and on buses, and receive alms from the public as a sign of giving and devotion. In towns and villages, the temple (wat) is the heart of social and religious life.
This traditional lifestyle has survived for centuries almost unchanged, a sign of the peace and calmness that many Thai people enjoy.
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