THAILAND Country Profile
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Info4Migrants THAILAND Country profile Project number: UK/13/LLP-LdV/TOI-615 AREA 513,120 km2 POPULATION 66,720 mln GDP per capita $ 5,675 CURRENCY Baht (฿) (THB) Language THAI 2 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileTHAILAND COUNTRY BACKGROUND BURMA LAOS THAILAND Bangkok CAMBODIA Official name: the Kingdom of Thailand. The country’s offi- cial name was Siam until 23 June 1939, when it was changed to Thailand; it was renamed Siam between 1945 and 1949, after which the name Thailand was once again adopted. Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma National Flag Capital: Bangkok Climate: tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (No- vember to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid Ethnic Make-up: Thai 75%, Thai Chinese 14%, other 11% (Malay, Mon, Khmer, mountain folks) Religions: Buddhism 94%, Islam 4.6%, Christianity 0.7%, Hin- National emblem duism 0.1% 3 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileTHAILAND THAILAND FACTS Languages The Thai language is comprised of 44 consonants, 32 vow- els and five tones in Thai pronunciation, along with a script that has Indian origins. The Thai language, belonging to the Tai family, is the main language in Thailand, although there are several regional dialects as well. Other languages spo- ken in Thailand are Chinese, Lao, Malay and Mon-Khmer, while using English is becoming more prevalent in govern- ment and commerce. English is also being taught as a sec- ond language in secondary school and universities, which means that an English-speaking visitor in Thailand has little trouble conversing. Buddhism Thailand is a stronghold of Buddhism. Buddhists believe that life does not begin with birth and end with death, but rather that every person has several lives based upon the lessons of life not yet learned and acts committed (karma) in previous lives. Buddhists believe that selfishness and craving result in suffering and that compassion and love bring happiness and well-being. The true path to peace is to eliminate all desire, a condition which Buddhists define as ‘nirvana’, an inde- scribable state free of desire, suffering, or further rebirth, in which a person simply is, and is completely unified with his surroundings. Siamese cats Siamese cats are native to Thailand. In Thai they are called wichen-maat, meaning “moon diamond.” A 14th-century book of Thai poems describes 23 types of Siamese cats; today only six breeds are left. Giving a pair of Si Sawat cats (a type of Siamese cats) to a bride is supposed to bring good luck to the marriage. 4 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileTHAILAND THAILAND FACTS National Emblem The national emblem of Thailand is called the Phra Khrut Pha, literally “Garuda as the vehicle” . The Garuda was of- ficially adopted as the national emblem by King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) in 1911. However, the mythical creature had been used as a symbol of royalty in Thailand for centuries. The Garuda is depicted on seals, which are used by the King of Thailand and the Government of Thailand to authenticate official documents and as its primary emblem. The Garuda is a mythological beast in the Hindu and Bud- dhist tradition. According to Hindu mythology, the Garuda is the vahana (vehicle) of the god Vishnu (more commonly known in Thailand as Narayana). The ancient kings of Thai- land believed in divine kingship, and considered themselves the incarnation of the god Narayana. Thus the Garuda came to symbolize the divine power and authority of the king. Unique flora and fauna One of Thailand’s most curious creatures is the mudskipper, which is a fish capable of walking on land and climbing trees. It uses its fins to “walk” and can absorb oxygen through its skin and lining in its mouth. It spends most of its time out of the water, eating the algae in tidal pools. More than 1,500 species of orchids grow wild in Thai forests. Thailand is the world’s number one orchid exporter. Thailand is home to what may be the world’s longest snake, the reticulated python. The length of the largest one ever found exceeds 10 metres. The country is also home to the world’s longest poisonous snake, the king cobra. The cobra can be over 6 metres long, and one bite from it can kill an elephant. The world’s smallest mammal, the bumble bat, also lives here. 5 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileTHAILAND THAILAND FACTS Nest soup Swiftlet nests are made from strands of saliva from the male swiftlet bird. Swiftlet nests collected from Thai caves can costmore than $900 per pound. It is one of the world’s most coveted and expensive food items. The nests used in bird’s nest soup are composed almost entirely of saliva with little or no plant material. The soup is made by soaking and steaming the nests in water and is said to be an aphrodisiac and to have various medicinal qualities. The nests can gain high prices and many colonies are har- vested commercially. Flag The national flag was introduced in 1917 by King Vaji- ravudh (Rama VI). Its two horizontal red stripes symbolize the land and its people. The white horizontal stripes rep- resent the purity of Buddhism, the nation’s main religion. The wide blue band across the center stands for the monarchy. Before 1917, the flag had a picture of a white elephant against a red background. Name Thailand’s name in the Thai language is Prathet Thai, which means “Land of the Free.” It is the only country in Southeast Asia that was never colonized by a European nation. Thailand has had several names over the centuries. For hundreds of years, it was known by the names of its dominant cities, such as Sukhothai, Ayutthaya, and Thon- buri. Since the 1800s, it has repeatedly switched back and forth between Siam (Sanskrit meaning dark or brown) and Thailand. 6 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileTHAILAND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS 1 January: New Year’s Day tion of King Bhumibol Adulya- 23 October: Celebrates the start of the dej in 1950. Chulalongkorn Day solar and Gregorian year. Commemorates the passing of Moveable date during May: King Chulalongkorn in 1910. 1st day of the Chinese calen- Royal Ploughing Ceremony dar (February): and Farmer’s Day 5 December: Chinese New Year Ceremonial blessing of the King’s Birthday Observed by Thai Chinese, country’s farmers. Commemorates the birthday usually celebrated for three of King Bhumibol Adulyadej in days. Full moon, 6th Thai lunar 1927. Also observed as Na- month (May): Vesak tional Day and National Fa- Full moon, 3rd Thai lunar Buddhist observance com- ther’s Day. month (February): memorating the birth, en- Magha Puja lightenment and passing of 10 December: Buddhist observance com- the Buddha. Also observed as Constitution Day memorating the Buddha’s National Tree Day. Commemorates the promul- teaching of Ovada Patimok- gation of the first permanent kha. Full moon, 8th Thai lunar constitution in 1932. month (July): Asalha Puja 6 April: Chakri Memorial Day Buddhist observance com- 31 December: Commemorates the establish- memorating the Buddha’s first New Year’s Eve ment of the Chakri Dynasty discourse. The last day of the Gregorian and the founding of Bangkok year. by King Buddha Yodfa Chu- First waning moon, 8th Thai laloke in 1782. lunar month (July): Moveable day during winter: Beginning of Vassa Eid ul-Fitr 13-15 April: Buddhist observance marking Muslim holiday celebrating Songkran Festival the beginning of Vassa, also the end of the fasting month Traditional Thai New Year, and known as Buddhist Lent of Ramadan. the major holiday of the year. Many people return home for 12 August: Queen’s Birthday Moveable day during winter: family reunions during this Commemorates the birthday Eid al-Adha period. of Queen Sirikit in 1932; also Muslim holiday commemorat- observed as National Mother’s ing the willingness of Ibrahim 5 May: Coronation Day Day. to sacrifice his son Ismael as Commemorates the corona- an act of obedience to Allah. 7 Learnmera Oy www.thelanguagemenu.com Country profileTHAILAND POPULAR ATTRACTIONS Ko Tarutao Ko Tarutao is one of the 51 islands that belong to the Tarutao National Marine Park archi- pelago in southern Thailand. One of Tarutao’s greatest attractions is its wildlife; the island and its surroundings are home to sea turtles, whales, monitor lizards, crab-eating ma- caques, mouse deer and others. Ayuthaya Ayuthaya was founded in 1350 AD by King U Thong as the second capital of Siam after Sukhothai. Throughout the centuries, the ideal location between China, India and the Malay Archipelago made Ayutthaya the trading capital of Asia. By 1700 Ayutthaya had become one of the largest cities in the world with a total of 1 million inhabitants. In 1767, the city was destroyed by the Burmese army, resulting in the collapse of the kingdom. The city was re-founded a few kilometers to the east of the ruins, which now form the Ayut- thaya historical park. Most of the remains are temples and palaces, as those were the only buildings made of stone at that time. Ko Chang Located near the border with Cambodia, Ko Chang is the second largest island in Thailand and the biggest in the Ko Chang Marine Park archipelago. Ko Chang is one of Thailand’s most beautiful islands with several waterfalls, thriving coral reefs, rainforests and long white sandy beaches. The island is also home to a wide range of wildlife, including birds, snakes, deer and a number of elephants. Grand Palace The construction of the Grand Palace started in 1782 when the capital of Siam was moved from Thonburi to Bangkok.