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Thailand Cities
Thailand Tours
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The Kingdom of Thailand pulls tourists
from all accross the globe because of its irresistible combination of
enticing natural beauty, splendid temples, recognized hospitality, delicious
cuisine and remains of fabulous ancient kingdoms.
The country offers a lot to the visitors from the stupa-studded mountains
of Mae Hong Son and the amazing limestone islands of the Andaman Sea, to the
mind blowing dance clubs of Bangkok and the serene villages moored along the
Mekong River.
Thailand, despite the advent of the foreign culture but the never-changing
character of Thai culture has remained prevalent, even in modern city life.
The county can be described as a fun-loving place with carefree people.
Nevertheless, the Thais are proud and strong, as they have struggled for
centuries to preserve their undying zeal and ever lasting enthusiasm.
Thailand can be marked as one of the best destinations in South east Asia
for lovely and memorable vacations.
Fact File
Official name : Kingdom of Thailand
Government : Constitutional Monarchy
Nationality : Thai
Capital city : Bangkok
Ethnic
groups : 75% Thai, 11% Chinese, 3.5% Malay; also Mon, Khmer, Phuan and
Karen minorities
Location : Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf
of Thailand, southeast of Burma
Continent : Asia
Currency : Baht (THB); 1 THB = 1.0541 Indian Rupee = 0.02420 US $ =
0.02011 Euro( subject to change)
Population : 62 million
Languages : Thai, English
Religion : 95% Buddhism, 4% Muslim
Area : 517,000 sq km
Famous for : Beaches, Thai Cuisine is famous all over the world,
rubber plantations
Major cities : Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket
Clothing : Light cotton clothing, use a good sun screen.
Major events : New Year/Songkran (mid-April); Rocket Festival (May
);The Vegetarian Festival in Phuket and Trang (from late September to early
October), The Elephant Roundup in Surin (November), Loi Krathong Festival
(usually in November)
Things to Buy : Thai silk and cottons, modern and traditional
jewellery featuring precious gemstones, semi-precious gemstones, silverware,
nielloware, pewterware, ceramics, celadon, woodcarvings, paintings, and
clothing.
Things to do : Eating is one thing which you should not miss here,
Shopping, sightseeing, enjoying the beaches are other things to do here.
Cuisine : The Thai cuisine is pungent and spicy, containing heaps of
garlic and chillies and a characteristic mix of lime juice, lemon grass and
fresh coriander. Galanga root, basil, ground peanuts, tamarind juice, ginger
and coconut milk are other common additions. Fish sauce rice hot and sour
fish ragout, green and red curries, various soups and noodle dishes. Snacks
and appetisers include fried peanuts, chicken, chopped ginger, peppers and
slices of lime.
Visa Permit
Most visitors can stay for 30 days without a visa. For longer stays one
should apply for a visa before leaving home. A tourist visa allows the
visitor to stay for 60 days, and a non-immigrant visa for 90 days. You
should enter Thailand within 90 days of the visa being issued otherwise it
will be invalid. Tourist and non-immigrant visas may be extended after you
have arrived in Thailand but this is strictly at the discretion of the
immigration office and is not guaranteed. The 30 day visa cannot be
extended, but this rule may be relaxed in the near future.
Culture
Religion
and monarchy are the pillars of Thai culture, and they are part of everyday
life. Buddhism is the most commanding religion here and orange-robed monks
and gold, marble and stone Buddhas are the common sights in Thailand. One
should make sure about the dress when visiting a temple - no shorts or
singlets are allowed in the places of worship.
Thai art, principally sculpture and architecture, is divided into a number
of historical styles beginning from Mon (6th-13thC), Khmer (7th-13th C),
Peninsular (until 14th C) and so on.
Classical Thai music has closeness to Chinese, Japanese, Indian and
Indonesian music. The traditional Thai orchestra includes woodwind, string
and percussion instruments. The most eminent is a double-handed drum; seen
often before a performance.
There are various dance forms where most are closely linked to drama. The
epic Ramayana in particular forms the basis for most of the dances and
dramas. The performers are elaborately dressed with heavy costumes and
decoarted masks.
When to Go
The best time to visit is from February to March when the weather is good
and the beaches are at their finest.
The best seasons are August, November, December, February and March, with
secondary ideal months in January and July. If your main aim is to avoid
crowds and to take advantage of low-season rates, you should plan travelling
during the least crowded months (April, May, June, September and October).
Climate
Thailand's climate is tropical, with high temperature and high humidity,
and is dominated by monsoons. Summers lie between April and May. June marks
the onset of the South West Monsoon, and brings with it the rainy season,
which continues until the end of October.
From November to the end of February the climate is much less due to the
the cooling North East breeze and a reduction in the humidity level. This is
also the main tourist season, and the best time to visit Thailand.
The north and north-east are generally cooler than Bangkok in winter, and
hotter in summer. In the far north, around Mae Hong Son temperatures can
occasionally drop as low as 2 degree C.
Getting there
By Air : Bangkok’s Don Muang International Airport is located
25 kilometres (16 miles) north of the city of Bangkok. It serves the city
and surrounding areas and acts as a principal hub for Thailand and other
parts of South-East Asia.
A
second Bangkok international airport, Suvarnabhumi Airport, is set to
receive passenger traffic from 2006. Suvarnabhumi Airport is approximately
25 kilometres (16 miles) from downtown Bangkok in the Bang Phli district.
Getting around
By Air : Thailand has a total of 28 commercial airports , 7 of which
are international and 21 are domestic.
Serveral airlines operate out of Bangkok’s Don Muang International
Airport and offer daily flights to most cities in Thailand.
By Train : The train network in Thailand is efficient,economical and
rail connections link northern and northeastern towns with Bangkok (terminus
is Hualamphong Station). Regular western and southern routes out of Bangkok
(Thon Buri) Station enable travel by train to Kanchanaburi province and to
southern Thailand.
By Road : Buses are an economical and easy way to travel in
Thailand. They leave Bangkok every day for all corners of the country.
Major attractions
Bangkok(capital city) : Bangkok rules the country’s urban
hierarchy as well as it is the political, commercial and cultural centre of
the country. It is one of the most interesting travel destination for the
whole Southeast Asian region and also the other parts of the world.
At the end of 2000, the new Sky Train has gone into service and new roads
have been built which has augmented the infrastructure of the country.
Bangkok is also a very safe city and has one of the lowest crime rates in
the world. In this 'City of Angels', one discoveres that walking, instead of
taking a taxi or bus, is often the quickest option.
Phuket : It is Thailand's largest, most populous and most visited
island. This is a colourful place with cosmopolitanism and thrives solely on
tourism. The island owns some interesting markets, temples, examples of
Sino-Portuguese architecture and nature reserves.
Ayuthaya Historical Park : Located along the encircling rivers,
Ayuthaya Historical Park is Unesco World Heritage Site, the temples of which
are spread throughout this once lively city. Several of the ruins – Wat
Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Mongkhon Bophit, Wat Na Phra Meru, Wat Thammikarat, Wat
Ratburana and Wat Phra Mahathat – can be visited on foot.
Chiang Mai : With over 300 temples and an old-world aura, Chiang Mai
has a spectacular mountain background. Chiang Mai is also a modern,
welcoming city with global flavour. This place is most ideal for food
lovers, accommodation and shopping. With a plethora of temples, soothing
gardens, great night bazaar, striking musuems, the city is a great place to
spend the leisure hours.
Ko Samui : This enigmatic island off southeastern Thailand is full
of coconut plantations and encompassed by palm-fringed beaches. Once an
unexplored spot with untouched surroundings, this place is now almost a
complete tourist resort. The most popular beaches are Hat Chaweng and Hat
Lamai with facilities like swimming, snorkeling and much more.
Nakhon Pathom : Nakhon Pathom, located west of Bangkok, is
considered to be the oldest city in Thailand. This city is host to the 127m
(417ft), orange-tiled Phra Pathom Chedi, the tallest Buddhist monument in
the world. The original monument raised in the 6th century by Theravada
Buddhists is now buried under the huge dome.
