Thailand: The Country
Historical background
There are conflicting opinions as to the origins of the Thai. It now appears that the Thais might have originated here in Thailand and later scattered to various parts of Asia, including some parts of China, though as yet the matter is far from settled. Those living in Thailand nowadays are the mixture of different peoples who were gradually integrated into Siamese people: Tai peoples, Mon, Khmer, Malays, Chinese, Persians and even Europeans.
Thai Kingdoms were established in the areas of the present Thailand’s territory, where there had been traces of Khmer, Mon and Srivijaya civilisations. As the Thai communities expanded along the Malay peninsular and on the mainland Indochina, they were nominally united first under the Kingdom of Sukhothai in the 12th century and the Kingdom of Ayutthaya in the 14th century. The Kingdom of Ayutthaya emerged as a prosperous international trade center with communities of foreigners, before being completely destroyed in 1767 by the Burmese troops. The restoration of national unity and independence in the subsequent decades went hand in hand with the reattachment of Siam’s economy to global economy through its gradual opening up. Under the guidance of King Rama VI, V and IV, Siam became a respected partner in international community, being able to preserve its independence from colonial powers through diplomacy and modernization. The absolute monarchy was replace by parliamentary monarch in a bloodless coup of 1932. On 11 May 1949, an official proclamation changed the name of the country to "Prathet Thai", or Thailand. The word "Thai" means "free", and therefore "Thailand" means "Land of the Free." The recent decades have brought an enormous economic development and democratization. Nowadays, Thailand’s economy is considered a newly industrialized economy which is closely integrated into regional and global trade and finance.
Geography
Situated in the heart of the Southeast Asian mainland and covering an area of 513,115sq.km. Thailand borders the Lao People's Democratic Republic and Myanmar to the north, Cambodia and the Gulf of Thailand to The east, Myanmar and the Indian Ocean to the west, and Malaysia to the south. Thailand has maximum dimensions of about 2,500 km. north to south and 1,250 km. east to west, with a coastline of approximately 1,840 km. On the Gulf of Thailand and 865 km. along the Indian Ocean
Thailand is divided into four natural regions: the North; the Central Plain, or the Chao Phraya River Basin; the Northeast, or the Korat Plateau' and the South, or the Southern Peninsula.The North is a mountainous region comprising natural forests. ridges, and deep, narrow alluvial valleys. The leading city of this region is Chiang Mai. Central Thailand, the basin of the Chao Phraya river, is a lush, fertile valley. It is the richest and most extensive rice-producing area in the country and has often been called the "Rice Bowl of Asia." Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, is located in this region. The northeast region, or the Korat Plateau, is as arid region characterized by a rolling surface and undulating hills. Harsh climatic conditions often result in this region being subjected to floods and droughts. The southern region is hilly to mountainous, with thick virgin forests and rich deposits of minerals and ores. This region is the centre for the production of rubber and the cultivation of other tropical crops.
Climate
Thailand is a warm and rather humid tropical country. The climate is monsoonal, marked by a pronounced rainy season lasting from about May to October and a relatively dry season for the remainder of the year. Temperatures are highest in March and April and lowest in December and January. The average temperature is 23.7°C to 37.5°C.
Population
The population of Thailand is approximately 64 million (2008), with an annual growth rate of 1.1 percent. The population includes descendants of ethnic Chinese, Malays, Khmer, Lao, Vietnamese, Indians, and others.
Religion
Buddhism is the professed faith of 95 percent of the population. Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, and others are embraced by the rest of the population. There is absolute religious freedom. The King of Thailand, under the constitution and in practice, is patron of all major religions embraced by the people.
Language
The official national language, spoken by almost 100 percent of the population, is Thai. It is a tonal language, uninflected, and predominantly monosyllabic. Most polysyllabic words in the vocabulary have been borrowed, mainly from Khmer, Pali, or Sanskrit. Dialects are spoken in rural areas. Other languages are Chinese and Malay. English, a mandatory subject in public schools, is widely spoken and understood, particularly in Bangkok and other major cities.
Government
Thailand is governed by a parliamentary monarchy with a bicameral parliamentarian form of government. The country is divided into 76 provinces, each administered by an appointed governor, and subdivided into districts, sub-districts, tambons (groups of villages), and villages. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is administered by and elected governor and divided into 50 districts.
Economy
The GDP (2008) at the current price was approximately € 200 billion. Thailand’s open-economy policy has been responsible for a strong growth in its international trade in recent years. An expansion in export value in long term will continue to fuel national economic growth. Total exports for 2008 amounted to approximately € 145 billion compare with the import values of € 140 billion. Main export markets are the EEA, the US, Japan, ASEAN, while new fast-growing markets include China, South Asia, Africa, Indochina and the Middle East. Thailand as a staunch advocate of free trade has been actively participating to multilateral and bilateral trade negotiations and has concluded FTAs with Australia, China, India, Japan and New Zealand. Thailand as a member of the ASEAN Free Trade Area also supports ASEAN trade negotiations with other parties in order to create more opportunities for doing business with and in Thailand.
Symbols: Flag, Anthems and National Day
Thailand's national flag is composed of five horizontal bands of red, white, and blue. Outer bands of red representing the nation enclose equal inner bands of white evoking religion. The blue band, occupying the central on-third of the total area, symbolizes the monarchy. The harmony of the design expresses the complementary nature of these three pillars of the Thai nation. This tricoloured flag, first introduced by King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) in, 1917, replaced an earlier design in which a white elephant was placed against a red background.
The national anthem is played on all ceremonial occasions of national importance and while the national flag is being raised and lowered. The royal Thai anthem, acclaiming the Chakravatin ideal King Bhumibol Adulyadej embodies, is played during state occasions and public meetings-sports events, cinema shows, concerts, etc. Unlike those anthems whose lyrics are often archaic or obsolete, the sentiments expressed in the royal Thai anthem precisely mirror the feelings of the Thai people towards their King. December 5, the birthday of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, is the Thai national day. It is a public holiday.
Public Holiday
Most public holidays and festivals are of religious nature and serve to evoke a sense of devotion to the monarchy, the religion, and the nation. Some are celebrated by the lunar calendar and thus their dates vary from year to year, while others are celebrated according to the solar calendar.