Thailand Information
General Information
Thailand is a country in South-East Asia with coasts on the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. It borders Myanmar (Burma) to the north-west, Laos to the north-east, Cambodia to the south-east and Malaysia to the south.
With great food, a tropical climate, fascinating culture and, hey, great beaches, Thailand is a magnet for travellers the world over.
History
A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only South-East Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power, and fiercely proud of the fact. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally following the conflict. After a string of military dictatorships and quickly toppled civilian presidents, Thailand finally stabilized into a fair approximation of a democracy and the economy, hobbled by the 1997 Asian economic crisis, is booming once again. Above it all presides the King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), the world’s longest-reigning monarch and a deeply respected figure of near-mythic proportions.
In September 2006, a swift and bloodless military coup endorsed by the King overthrew the previous democratically elected but widely criticized government, promising elections in late 2007. Although martial law still applies and political gatherings are limited to five people, there has been no violence, no curfews are in effect, there is no longer any significant military presence in public places, and all services are functioning normally.
Regions
Thailand’s 76 provinces can be conveniently divided into five geographic and cultural regions.
* North - Chiang Mai, hill tribes, and the Golden Triangle
* Isaan - the great undeveloped north-east - get off the beaten track and discover backcountry Thailand and some magnificent Khmer ruins
* Central - Bangkok, lowlands and historic Thailand
* East - beaches and islands within easy reach of Bangkok and Pattaya
* South - hundreds of kilometers of coastline and countless islands on both the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, plus Phuket, Krabi, and many more of Thailand’s famous beach spots