The Buddhist Kingdom of Thailand is situated in Southeast Asia. The country has a peculiar shape, resembling an elephant. The northern and central part being the elephant’s head and the southern shores being the elephant’s trunk. Thai people call their home country Prathet Thai, which means, "Land of the Free". The etymology refers to Thailand’s history as, in contrast to all other South-Asian countries, has never been colonized by a European country. Thailand shares borders with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Malaysia and combines many different landscapes varying from fruit plantations, tropical rainforests and beautiful beaches in the south to mountain chains at the borders with Myanmar in the north. Thai are mainly Buddhist, some Chinese and a small percentage in the south Muslims. Both public and private live evolve around the Buddhist religion and its traditions. Thailand is one of the biggest tourist destinations in Asia, due to its rich culture combined with the warm hospitality of its people. Many hotels in Thailand and especially hotels in Bangkok are among the top-rated in the world.

History

The earliest known civilization in Thailand comes with the Mons, who brought their Buddhist culture from the Indian subcontinent. The first official name of Thailand was Siam with Sukhothai as its first capital, followed by the capitals of Chiang Mai and Ayuthaya. The Burmese invaded Siam during the 16th and 18th century, annexing Chiang Mai and destroying Ayuthaya. However, in 1782, King Rama I expelled the invaders and founded the Chakri dynasty, establishing Bangkok as the country’s capital. During the 19th century Siam kept its independence by smartly outplaying the European powers against each other. The modern history of the country is dominated by coups and a great number of military and political changes. With a peaceful coup in 1932 Siam became a constitutional monarchy and in 1939 it was named Thailand. From 1979, when power shifted from the military to the business elite, Thailand experienced a long period of stability and prosperity. Currently, the head of state is King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), honoured by his people as highly as Buddha.

Art and Culture

Thai culture has highly been influenced from India, China, Cambodia and Malaysia and it is immensely bonded to Buddhism. The great Buddhist temples throughout the country declare the strong relation between religion, art, culture and everyday life. Particularly, art is traditionally Buddhist of origin as sculpture and painting were mainly reserved for Buddhist images and the decoration of palaces and temples. However, some Western influences are also apparent, imported from the era of King Rama V, who invited several artists from Europe for the decoration of the spectacular Grand Palace. In particular, the royal residencies of the Grand Palace comprise a unique demonstration of the changes in the perception of art throughout the Kings’ dynasties. Each region of Thailand has its own artistic traditions, with the hill tribes of northern Thailand to constitute the most distinguishing example. Today, there are many museums that preserve the rich cultural past of the country. The Bangkok National Museum for instance or the Royal barges National Museum in Bangkok and the Chaosampraya National Museum in Ayuttaya exhibit a number of ancient art objects and royal treasures that comprise Thailand’s art legacy.

Gastronomy

Thai kitchen is one of unique traditional flavors combined with other Asian cuisines such as the Indonesian, Indian and Chinese. Religion plays also a significant role in Thai gastronomy. Buddhism has a strong focus on balance, a fact that is also apparent in Thai gastronomic norms, such as harmony of taste. Thai food is therefore all about taste experience. Salty, sweet, bitter, sour and spicy flavors complete each other in a perfect sequence giving an exquisite flavor to every dish.  Pineapple curry for instance should begin with a sweet taste and end up with a spicy one. However, not only the taste is important but also the way dishes are presented and served. If anywhere in the world they know the craft of food decoration that would be in Thailand. Peppers are cut into flowers and even snacks on the street should please the eye decorated with nuts and fresh spices. The main ingredients are fresh vegetables, fresh or dried fish, meat, many kinds of tofu combined with fresh spices as chili peppers, tamarind and coriander served with noodles or rice. Popular delicacies include grilled fish and noodle soup. However, the most famous Thai dish is the ever-present Pad Thai, a delicious combination of fresh wokked vegetables, egg, noodles and spices, topped with nuts, small dried shrimps and of course fish sauce. In restaurants you can also eat many different kinds of curry dishes, known for their particular spicy taste. Nevertheless, always ask about the spiciness of a dish, as Thai people have a strong preference in hot dishes.

Places to visit

Bangkok is certainly one of the places you need to see in Thailand. The capital and biggest city of the country presents a unique amalgamation of customs, traditions and peculiar lifestyle. The dazzling rhythm of Bangkok with its tuktuk taxis, open markets and vivid atmosphere capture the imagination and make time loose its essence. Visit the Grand Palace with its stunning gold decorations and take a boat towards the Klongs, which are traditional Thai villages built on the water. After a busy day of overwhelming experiences take the opportunity to visit a Thai dance show or try a relaxing Thai massage in one of Bangkok’s hotels or spas. Bangkok is a city with the lifestyle of a metropolis, keeping at the same time its authentic culture. Holiday resorts and hotels in Bangkok for instance, while being highly modernized and westernized, preserve their Asian architecture and atmosphere.

Besides bangkok, do not leave Thailand without visiting one of its beautiful tropical islands with their white-sanded beaches and crystal blue sea. The islands of Phuket and Krabi are among the most popular tourist destinations of the country, with cozy resorts and apartments next to small quiet beaches and palm trees. Hotels in Phuket and Hotels in Krabi offer unique facilities to the visitors including diving lessons to the islands’ splendid tropical waters. A destination famous for its rich culture and fantastic old palaces is Ayuthaya. Reserve a hotel in Ayuthaya and take a bike tour along its palaces and numerous Buddhist temples. Other popular destinations are Kanchanaburi with its famous Bridge over the River Kwai and Chiang Mai, the second largest city of Thailand. Chiang Mai is the north of the country, surrounded by great tropical mountains that comprise home of Thai hill tribes. Should you reserve a hotel in Chiang Mai, it is suggested that you take a tour to the mountains, seizing the unique opportunity to visit these authentic people.