Khun sa bai dee mai? The Buddhist serves many purposes in aiding the

How are you? aspiree in his or her search for nirvana. The wat is also Khrob khrua sa bai de mai? a village inn, a school, a hospital (many Buddhist monks How is the family? practice herbal medicine), and a community center. La kon In its purest form, is a way of life. The Goodbye Buddha was not a god but a teacher. After living Koop khun as a privileged but careless youth, Prince Gautama Thank you Siddhartha abandoned his life of luxury in a search for insight through solitude and fasting. It was through Holidays meditation that Siddhartha achieved liberation from all sorrow—nirvana—and became “Buddha” (one Celebrations are very important to your sponsored child completely awakened). In nirvana, it is believed that and family. The most important ones have religious all passion, hatred, and delusion die out and the soul is significance: released from the body. Buddha also understood the January 1 New Year’s Day constant motion of the universe and that everything in it is subject to birth and decay. This motion is part of February* Makha Bhucha the Dharma, the laws of nature. One of these laws is of cause and consequence, or karma, which implies that May 5 Population 66.7 million all actions have a corresponding effect. In essence, the Coronation Day Capital City force generated by a person’s actions is a determining July* factor in the nature of his/her next life. Buddhism Official Language Thai Asalha Buch (start of Buddhist Lent) emphasizes five regimens: striving not to kill, not to December 10 Per Capita Income US$5,210/year steal, not to engage in sexual misconduct, not to speak Constitution Day falsehoods, and not to use drugs. Buddhist holidays Youth Literacy Rate 97% male/98% female *date varies include Bodhi Day (December 8), which celebrates Access to Safe Water 97% urban /95% rural the enlightenment of Buddha under the Bodhi tree; Under 5 Mortality Rate 13/1,000 live births in Thailand Buddha Day (April 8), which commemorates the birth of Gautama in Lumbini Garden; and Wesak (April/May), Source: The State of the World’s Children 2014 (UNICEF) The great majority of Thais are Buddhist (about 95 the holiest of Buddhist holy days, which celebrates percent). Another 4 percent are Muslim. There are an Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and death. Thailand in the means “Land of the Free.” The fact that Thailand is the estimated 28,000 Buddhist (temples) in Thailand. only southeast Asian country that has never been under colonial rule is a tremendous Additional sources include the CIA World Factbook and State Department websites. source of pride for the . The country has continually developed during more

Plan International USA is part of a global organization that works side by side with communities in 50 developing countries to than 700 years of cherished independence. Thailand is a kingdom where the Buddhist end the cycle of poverty for children. We develop solutions community by community to ensure long-term sustainability. Our religion predominates, and its cultural roots grow deep in the historic tapestry of this level of community engagement, long-term outlook, and constant focus on the needs and priorities of children is unique among unique society. Almost three-quarters of the size of Texas, Thailand is divided into four international development organizations. Our solutions are designed up-front to be owned by the community for generations to come, and range from clean water and health-care programs to education projects and child-protection initiatives. regions: the mountainous north; the very fertile central region; the south, an isthmus of hills descending to the coastal plains on the east and west; and the semi-arid plain of the Promising Futures, Plan International USA northeast, commonly known as the Issan. Thailand has a tropical monsoonal climate, with a Community by Community 155 Plan Way • Warwick, RI 02886 1-800-556-7918 • planusa.org pronounced dry season from March to May. Most of the rains fall from June to September during the southwest monsoon. A Brief History Protection

Recent archaeological discoveries suggest that one of We promote child-safe environments, free from the world’s oldest civilizations flourished in Thailand. abuse, neglect, and exploitation, by lobbying for the King Ramkhamhaeng instituted Buddhism in implementation of national policies on child protection; the 13th century, and over the next 100 years it became training teachers and child caregivers on child the dominant religion. The written Thai alphabet that protection; and training children on how to protect is used today was also created during this time. In the themselves. 14th century the capital moved to Ayutthaya. During the Ayutthaya period (14th to 18th centuries), Thailand Education rose to become the central and most powerful kingdom of southeast Asia. In 1767, the city was utterly destroyed Our early childhood care and development (ECCD) and by the invading Burmese army. The Thai people education programs establish child-friendly learning eventually revolted against the Burmese and moved environments and methods for children to gain quality of Thai society, the role of agriculture is declining in have surnames, these surnames are never used on their their capital to what is now Bangkok (City of Angels), education. This approach helps to improve community comparison to other sectors. The country’s main crops own. Even in the telephone directory all personal entries where the process of nation-building continued. The and family health, hygiene, and nutrition. are rice, cassava, sugarcane, maize (corn), and rubber, all are listed alphabetically according to the person’s Kingdom of Thailand, known up to 1939 as Siam, of which are exported. Rice is the country’s staple food first name. Every Thai’s first name has meaning, and was transformed from an absolute to a constitutional Household economic security and largest agricultural product. With only one rainy names for children are chosen by parents according to monarchy in 1932. Beginning in 1932, Thailand was season, there is only one rain-fed rice crop per year, inspiration, auspicious circumstances, or on the advice This program helps families to provide for their children ruled by military regimes, with short periods of and it is dependent upon the seasonal rain to soak the of a learned Buddhist monk. The vast majority of Thai and become resilient to economic shocks, such as the democratic governance and several uprisings affecting paddies and feed the recently planted rice. first names denote gender, but there are also several loss of a job or a natural disaster. We help expand national affairs. hundred that can be either a male or female name. livelihood opportunities through a number of initiatives, One of the most common types of Thai first names is a from providing vocational-skills training and agricultural Family Structure compound name with “good” or “holy” introducing the Plan’s work in Thailand covers five support, to promoting microfinance associations and In Thailand—especially among rural people—the name. core areas, all of which are rooted in cooperatives. family is very important, representing security and the rights of the child: stability. Buddhist teachings emphasize harmony Language Child participation HIV and AIDS awareness and cohesiveness, not individualism. Children are the center of attention for the first two to three years of Thai is the official language spoken by most literate Protection Plan promotes HIV and AIDS prevention programs life. Beginning at age 4, children are given increasing people in Thailand. It is very likely that you will Education for youth by supporting sex education curricula responsibilities and are expected to help care for the encounter a language barrier in communicating with Household economic security activities and strengthening youth groups to serve as younger children. The elderly are respected and revered. your sponsored child, as the majority of the children do HIV and AIDS awareness peer educators in their communities. We also develop Later in life, children are expected to care for their not know English to enable them to write a letter. Those livelihood programs for people living with HIV and help elderly parents. The opinions of elder family members who do not know English will be assigned to community Child participation them obtain better access to health services. are sought after and valued by younger people. workers or volunteers who will explain your letters and We promote child-rights activities, including youth help the children compose their responses. camps on child rights and awareness, as well as child-led Economic Security Naming Traditions clubs, government child councils, and youth networks. Here are a few phrases in Thai that you might want An economic boom since 1987 has put Thailand on the Plan also helps children to speak out by supporting In 1913 King Kajiravudh introduced surnames to Thailand to use in your correspondence with your sponsored fast track to industrialization, but millions of people them in producing their own media, such as films and in order to make social issues easier. Prior to his royal child: do not reap the rewards: a quarter of the population journalism articles. edict, Thai people had only one name, and this led to Sawaddee lives below the poverty line. Traditionally the backbone Hello much confusion. In spite of the fact that now all Thais