| The Kingdom of Thailand is a country in
Southeast Asia, bordering
Laos and
Cambodia to the east, the
Gulf of Thailand and
Malaysia to the south, and the
Andaman Sea and
Myanmar
to the west. Thailand is also known as Siam, which was the
country's official name until
May 11,
1949. The
word Thai (ไทย) means "freedom" in the
Thai language. It is also the name of the
Thai people - leading some inhabitants, particularly the sizeable
Chinese minority, to continue to use the name Siam. Thailand is
home to several distinct geographic regions, partly corresponding to the
provincial groups. The north of the country is mountainous, with the
highest point being the
Doi Inthanon at 2,576 m. The northeast consists of the
Khorat Plateau, bordered to the east by the
Mekong
river. The centre of the country is dominated by the predominantly flat
Chao Phraya river valley, which runs into the
Gulf of Thailand. The south consists of the narrow
Kra Isthmus that widens into the
Malay Peninsula.
The local
climate
is tropical and characterised by
monsoons.
There is a rainy, warm, and cloudy southwest monsoon from mid-May to
September, as well as a dry, cool northeast monsoon from November to
mid-March. The southern isthmus is always hot and humid. Major cities
beside the capital
Bangkok
include
Nakhon Ratchasima,
Udon Thani,
Nakhon Sawan,
Chiang Mai,Surat
Thani,
Phuket and
Hat Yai(Songkhla).
The standard greeting in Thailand is a prayer-like gesture called the
wai. Taboos include touching someone's head or pointing with the
feet, as the head is considered the highest and the foot the lowest part
of the body. Stepping over someone, or over food, is considered
insulting. Books and other documents are considered the most revered of
secular objects - therefore one should not slide a book across a table
or place it on the floor
Source: Wikipedia
- Hotel Guide
|
|