All An Adventurer Must Know About Thailand

All An Adventurer Must Know About Thailand Essay, Research Paper Geography Thailand is approximately the size of France with a land area of 513,115 sq.km. bordered by Malaysia (South), Myanmar (West and North), Laos (North and East) and Cambodia (Southeast). It has five distinct regions: the mountainous north, the fertile central plains, the semi-arid northeast, and the eastern sea-shore provinces and the tropical south. There are 76 provinces. Population Total 59,095,419 (end 1994), including 29,552,978 males and 29,542,441 females. Of the total, 9.45% lived in Bangkok. Language Thai is the national language, spoken throughout the Kingdom, with some variations in the north and the south. English is widely understood in major cities. Major road and street signs are in English

and Thai for convenience. Religion Theravada Buddhism is the State Religion and embraced by 90% of all Thais. Practically all Thai males enter the monkhood once in their life-time to study the teachings of the Lord Buddha. Buddhist 94.82%, Muslim 4.00% (concentrated mostly in the south), Christian 0.55%, others 0.63%. Time Time in Thailand is 7 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+ 7). Climate Thailand enjoys a tropical climate with 3 distinct seasons summer from March through May, rainy with plenty of sunshine from June to September and cool from October through February. The average annual temperature is 28.C (83.F), ranging, in Bangkok, for example, from 30.C in April to 25.C in December. Government A constitutional monarchy headed King Bhumibol Adulyadej, with 76

provinces, each sub-divided into umper, tambon and moobarn (as similar to district, county and village). Health Regulations No inoculations or vaccinations are required unless you are coming from or passing through contaminated areas, Yellow fever certificates are required for those who are coming from 14 following countries; Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Angola, Barkina Faso, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mauritania, Mali, Nigeria, Sudan and Zaire. Note: Please check the latest regulations with your local Health Office. Clothing Normally the tropical climate calls for washable-cotton, light and loose dresses with comfortable shoes or sandals. During the Cool Season visitors are advised to bring a sweater or a jacket. Umbrellas are necessary during the Rainy Season. Electricity 220

volts 50 cycles throughout the country. Tipping It is not necessary to tip taxi drivers and cinema ushers. It is customary to tip hotel personnel who have given good personal servi ce. A 10% tip is appreciated in restaurants, particularly where service charge is waived. How to get to Thailand By Air Bangkok is Thailand’s major gateway. Most visitors arrive through Bangkok’s Don Muang International Airport which is connected by daily flights to Europe, North America, Asia and Australia aboard the world’s major airlines. Further international flights, mostly from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Hong Kong, land on a less regular basis at the southern airports of Phuket and Hat Yai and Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. Charter flights from Europe and the Orient sometimes

land in Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai and at U-Taphao for Pattaya. By Rail Regular rail services link Singapore and Bangkok. Intermediary stops include Kuala Lumpur, Butterworth and major southern Thai towns. By Road Overland entrance to Thailand is restricted to three road crossings on the Thai-Malaysian border in Songkhla, Yala and Narathiwat. By Sea There are no regular steamship connections with Thailand. Cargo ships calling at Bangkok’s Klong Toey port sometimes have passenger cabin facilities. Cruise ships, such as Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth II, Royal Viking, or Pearl of Scandinavia periodically visit Pattaya. Travel within Thailand Domestic air, rail and road transport in Thailand is surprisingly inexpensive. By Air Thai Airways International, Thailand’s