History of Thailand:
From the 800s through the 13th century, the Khmer Empire governed Thailand for a considerable amount of time. The indigenous Thai Chiefs banded together in the thirteenth century and drove out the Khmer Empire. In 1238, they founded the Thai Kingdom.
The Thai Kingdom of Ayutthaya was established in 1350. Rama Thibodi was the country’s first king. King Thibodi founded the Dharamshastra code of law and proclaimed Theravada Buddhism the state religion.
Over 400 years were spent under the authority of the Kingdom of Ayutthaya. Burmese troops invaded and set fire to its capital in 1767. The Chakri dynasty was established in the city of Chao Phraya, which is now Bangkok, in 1782. The Chakri dynasty’s first monarch was Rama I. Thailand is still ruled by the Chakri family, and King Adulyadej has been in power since 1946. European explorers referred to Thailand and its people as Siam and Siamese, respectively. During the colonial era, Thailand was not colonized by any European nation.
Thailand supported Japan during World War II but switched allegiances with the US in 1954. In the Korean War, Thailand fought alongside the US. Thailand’s government has seen some upheaval in recent years, including a military coup in 2006.
Information about Thailand:
| Capital | Bangkok |
| Population | 71,817,710 (Source: 2023 worldometer) |
| Major Cities | Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Ayutthaya, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Nakhon Ratchasima, Krabi, Udon Thani |
| Borders | West and northwest by Myanmar (Burma), in south west by the Andaman Sea, in east and north east by Lao PDR, in south east by Cambodia, in south by the Gulf of Thailand (an inlet of the South China Sea), and by Malaysia. |
| Gross Domestic Product (GDP) | $495,341,000,000 (2022 worldometer) |
| Currency | baht (THB) |
Flag of Thailand:
Thailand Economy Key Industries:
Thailand Major Industries: tourism, textiles and garments, agricultural processing, beverages, tobacco, cement, light manufacturing such as jewelry and electric appliances, computers and parts, integrated circuits, furniture, plastics, automobiles and automotive parts; world’s second-largest tungsten producer and third-largest tin producer
Thailand Agricultural Products: rice, cassava (tapioca), rubber, corn, sugarcane, coconuts, soybeans
Thailand Natural Resources: tin, rubber, natural gas, tungsten, tantalum, timber, lead, fish, gypsum, lignite, fluorite, arable land
Thailand Major Exports: textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances
Thailand Major Imports: capital goods, intermediate goods and raw materials, consumer goods, fuels
The Geography of Thailand:
Total Size of Thailand: 513,120 km2 (source: wikipedia)
Geographical Low Point of Thailand: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
Geographical High Point of Thailand: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m
Climate of Thailand: Tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid
General Terrain of Thailand: central plain; Khorat Plateau in the east; mountains elsewhere
World Region or Continent of Thailand: Southeast Asia
Geographical Coordinates: 15 00 N, 100 00 E
The People of Thailand & Culture
Thailand Government Type: constitutional monarchy
Thailand Nationality: Thai (singular and plural)
Thailand National Holiday: Birthday of King PHUMIPHON, 5 December (1927)
Thailand Independence: 1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)
Thailand National Symbol: garuda (mythical half-man, half-bird figure); elephant
Thailand National Anthem or Song: Phleng Chat Thai (National Anthem of Thailand)
Thailand Languages Spoken: Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects
Thailand Religions: Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census)
Interesting Facts about Thailand:
Thailand’s official population is comparable to the United Kingdom’s. In the 2020 census, Thailand’s population was predicted to be 66.19 million. As of 2019, there were 66.79 million people residing in the UK.
Thailand’s coastline stretches about 2815 kilometers, or 1,750 miles.
There are 77 provinces in Thailand. This includes 76 provinces, sometimes referred to as Changwat in Thai and resembling counties. Bangkok is considered a unique administrative region. Samut Songkhram, in the southwest of Bangkok, is the smallest province while Nakhon Ratchasima, in the north-east, is the largest.
The colors red, white, and blue make up the Thai flag. Red denotes the people, blue the ruler, and white the religion.
The region of Chiang Mai is home to Doi Inthanon, Thailand’s tallest peak, which reaches 2,565 meters above sea level.
In Thailand, where 90–95% of the population self-identifies as a Buddhist, Buddhism is the most common religion.
Thailand knows how to party because it holds three different New Year’s celebrations. in addition to whatever events you may have planned for December 31. In order to celebrate the customary Thai New Year, Thailand also hosts the Songkran Water Festival in April. Since an estimated 14% of Thais claim Chinese ancestry, the Chinese New Year, which falls in January or February, is also frequently observed by Thais.
In text messages and on social media, Thai people use the term “ha” for the English phrase “lol” to indicate laughter.
The number three is lucky in Thailand because of its association with the three jewels of Buddhism. The number nine is particularly fortunate because it is a multiple of three and also has sounds in common with two other important Thai words.
The Thai elephant, also known as Chang Thai, is Thailand’s national animal. Its historical effects on the country have been significant. The national elephant day in Thailand is observed on March 13.
Thailand’s national tree and bloom is the magnificent Cassia fistula, often known as the Ratchaphruek.
Thailand’s national sport is Thai boxing, also known as Muay Thai. The traditional “art of the eight limbs” is what the country is known for and has had a huge influence on, but football is quite popular there. National Muay Thai Day is celebrated annually on March 17 to recognize the importance of the sport.
Thailand’s national bird is the Siamese Fireback.
It is improper to touch someone’s head in Thailand.
Thailand is one of the top orchid growers in the world.
Whistling in the dark considered unfortunate in Thailand.
There are more than 40,000 temples in Thailand.
Red Bull, a well-known energy drink, was first produced in Thailand. It is based on Krating Daeng, a drink that has become popular in Thailand (and eventually throughout all of Asia) since 1976. Red Bull was altered to “fit western preferences.”
In Thai tradition, each day of the week corresponds to a particular color. Despite its waning popularity, wearing the day’s color is still a tradition in some settings. But almost everyone in Thailand is aware of the “lucky” day of the week and color that corresponds to their birth.