 |
| Learn Thai Language Thai Basic Phrases Thai for Travelers Useful Thai Phrases for Travelers |
Whenever
you speak Thai, if you are male, you should end the sentence with “Krab” and
“Kha” if you are a female. Thai Language has five tones, which are low, middle,
high, rising, and falling. Vowel length is important when speaking Thai,
because if you speak the word longer, it will change the meaning of the word.
The best way to learn a language is through listening to native speakers.
If you’re heading to Thailand on vacation and want to learn Thai you’ve come to the right place - have a go at the ten Thai phrases & words below to get you started. Keep in mind that to make a request or greeting sound more polite, male people should add 'khap' to the end of a sentence and female 'kha'.
Examples
Sa-wat dee (hello) - Used for both hello and goodbye.
Khop koon (thank you) - How to show your appreciation once you’ve been handed your Singha beer and pad Thai.
Gee baht? (how much) - Essential for all the shopping you’ll be doing, or when haggling with tuk-tuk drivers.
Yoo tee nai...? (where is...) - Invaluable when lost! Just point at a place on your map or in your guidebook and say ‘yoo tee nai’. Also useful when you are trying to find the right bus to go to Phuket or otherwise.
Mai ow (don't want) - Useful for fending off persistent street vendors.
Khor tort (sorry) - Stood on someone’s foot at the Chatuchak market? Now you can apologise.
Neung, song, saam, see, haa, hook, jet, baat, gow, sip (one to ten) - Impress the locals by reciting one to ten.
Lot noi dai mai? (can you make it cheaper?) - If you are doing a lot of shopping then try this handy phrase. By speaking a little Thai you might just get a better discount.
A-roi (delicious) - Show your appreciation for that delicious Thai meal! You never know, if you go back to the same place you might get an extra helping.
Mai pen lai (never mind) - A common phrase in the Thai language – if someone apologises to you (khor tort) then reply with ‘mai pen lai’. If someone thanks you (khop koon) say ‘mai pen lai’. If there’s a mix up (which invariably happens with a language barrier) have a chuckle and say ‘mai pen lai’!
Language and Communication
While the official Thai language is
widely spoken throughout Thailand, many Thais also speak and understand
English, though more so in Bangkok and the major tourist areas. As
visitors to Thailand also include many Europeans and other Asians, Thai people's language
skills often also include these other languages to varying degrees. The
Thai language itself is challenging to master, but Thai people are happy to
help foreigners learn a few words to help them get around. However,
English is typically the common currency for cross-cultural conversation as
Thailand hosts visitors from around the world.
With so many visitors, the Thailand communications system has many features that make it very accessible to foreigners. In regards to telephone use, it is possible to get a Thai SIM card at most international airports and both rental mobile phones and SIM cards are readily available in destinations including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket. Workers in post offices generally speak some English, and there are internet cafes throughout Thailand that feature Skype headsets specifically to cater to visitors wishing to communicate with friends and family back home. The Thailand communications system is both modern and convenient for visitors to use.
With so many visitors, the Thailand communications system has many features that make it very accessible to foreigners. In regards to telephone use, it is possible to get a Thai SIM card at most international airports and both rental mobile phones and SIM cards are readily available in destinations including Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket. Workers in post offices generally speak some English, and there are internet cafes throughout Thailand that feature Skype headsets specifically to cater to visitors wishing to communicate with friends and family back home. The Thailand communications system is both modern and convenient for visitors to use.
Thai Language
While the Thai language is the
official language of Thailand, one could say English is its unofficial second
language. As tourist and business visitors from around the world have
traveled to Thailand, English naturally has become the common linguistic “currency”
even while many of those visitors learned how to speak Thai. Consequently,
population centers that host many foreigners, such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and
the islands have many people who can speak both Thai and English quite
well. That said, visitors may experience difficulty picking up the Thai
language as it is considerably different from many foreign languages. The
Thai language features five tones: high, mid, low, rising, and falling, each of
which changes the meaning of particular ‘words’. Visitors unfamiliar with
tonal languages often have difficulty pronouncing even the most basic terms
when learning to speak Thai, but with some practice visitors find that Thai
people enjoy helping them with their pronunciation of the Thai language. Written
Thai is based on an alphabet adopted from the Khmers of Cambodia and is said to
have become standardized during the reign of King Ramkhamhaeng during the
Sukhothai period. The Thai alphabet consists of 44 consonants, 18 vowels,
and 4 diphthong (tonal) notations. Learning to read Thai can be more
complicated than learning to speak it as the pronunciation of written words
does not follow a straightforward progression of letters and written Thai does
not place spaces in between words. Fortunately, road signs are written in
both Thai and English, and many tourist areas provide maps, menus, and other
literature in both Thai and various other foreign languages. One problem
that does occur for foreigners trying to pronounce Thai words correctly is
caused by the transliteration of Thai words into Romanized characters. An
obvious example would be the island of Phuket, pronounced “poo-ket” rather than
“foo-ket” as it would be pronounced in English. Furthermore, there is no
official standard for the transliteration of words and thus many Thai words are
spelled differently on different maps or street signs (i.e. Even the BTS
Skytrain features both Chitlom and Chidlom stations). In addition, while most
Thai’s speak and understand the central Thai dialect, there are various
regional dialects, including those of Southern Thailand and Northeastern
Thailand, the latter of which is essentially just the Lao language (as most of
the population is of Lao descent). In northern Thailand, which had
been the independent kingdoms of Lan Na and Chiang Mai from 1259-1939, a
distinctive form of Thai is still spoken by the local inhabitants, all of whom
can also speak central Thai. All variants of Thai use the same alphabet.
Thai Important Phrases
The difficulty in trying to learn
some Thai from the written English (often called - Thinglish) word is that the
various transliterations cannot communicate the correct tones. Without knowing
the tones or inflections, almost anything you try to say beyond the most basic,
may make no sense to the Thai ear. Words like "soi" (lane/small
street), "BTS" (Bangkok Mass Transit System), "Sukhumwit"
(name of Bangkok's main road) and "Su-wan-napoom" (Suvarnabhumi
- Bangkok International Airport) are straightforward, but that's not
usually the case.
The only way to progress beyond the
Thai "baby" stage, is to listen and mimic.
View some simple Thai phrases here.
Listen and learn the Thai alphabet,
consonants, vowels and tonal marks here.
If you are travelling in the major
tourist areas of Thailand you will have little trouble finding locals who speak
a little English. However, a few handy phrases can go a long way to getting a
friendly reception wherever you go in the country. Plus, the more you try to
speak it, the more you’ll learn, and Thai people really DO appreciate visitors
that attempt their language.
The first thing you need to know is
that the Thai language changes a bit depending on whether the speaker is a man
or a woman. The addition of the word Krub/khrup (male speaker) and Kah/kaa
(female speaker) makes what is being said "polite". Personal pronouns
also change according to the gender of the speaker.
A few
handy phrases:
Mai Aow (krub/kah) - I don't want it. (smile when you say this, it is polite, yet
will dissuade any street seller from pursuing you further).
(In some areas "R" words
take an "L" sound. i.e. "roi" (100) becomes
"loi" and "Chiang Rai" sounds like "Chiang Lai".
The Rs and Ls may also be dropped altogether; i.e. Sri Racha is
pronounced "See Rachaa". "Pla" (fish) becomes
"Pah" and, "Krub/Khrup" sounds more like "carb".
Numbers
Neung = 1, song = 2, sam
= 3, see = 4, haa = 5, hok =6, jet = 7, paed = 8, gow = 9, sip = 10, sip-et
= 11, sip-song =12, yee-sip = 20, saam sip = 30, and roi/loi = 100Useful Phrases
Sawatdee (krub/kah)
|
Hello
|
Sabai dee ru (krub/kah)
|
How are you?
|
Sabai dee (krub/kah)
|
Fine
|
Khob Khun (kup/kaa)
|
Thank you
|
chai
|
Yes
|
mai chai
|
No
|
dai
|
(you/ I) can
|
mai dai
|
can not
|
mai pen rai
|
never mind (handy all purpose
phrase to express the Thai go-with-the-flow attitude)
|
pood Thai mai dai
|
I can not speak Thai.
|
kow jai mai
|
do you understand?
|
mai kow jai
|
I do not understand
|
nee Tao Rai?
|
How much?
|
pang
|
expensive
|
pang mak
|
very expensive
|
lot noi dai mai
|
can you give a little
discount
|
took
|
cheap
|
naam
|
water
|
chok dee
|
good luck
|
sanaam bin
|
Airport
|
ron
|
hot
|
nao
|
cold
|
hong naam
|
toilet
|
naam keng
|
ice
|
nit noi
|
small - not much - a little
bit
|
yai
|
large
|
bia
|
beer
|
soopburi
|
smoke (inhale cigarette
smoke)
|
Search For Economics Books
Book Reviews:
By Jim
Clifton
What everyone
in the world wants is a good job...
Definitive
leadership strategy for fixing the American economy, drawn from Gallup’s
unmatched global polling and written by the company’s chairman.
Understanding
Thailand: History, Geography and Economy
Thai Conversational: Learn to Speak and Understand Thai
Explorations
in Thai Tourism (Tourism Social Science)Thai Conversational: Learn to Speak and Understand Thai
12 Magical Places to See in Thailand
About Thailand
The national emblem, adopted in 1910, shows the garuda, a birdlike creature of Southeast Asian mythology.
Thailand's flag was adopted in 1917. The red represents the nation;
the white, purity; and the blue, the monarchy.
Thailand is a country that lies mostly in mainland Southeast
Asia. Southern Thailand extends down the Malay Peninsula.
Thai boxing, known as muay Thai or kickboxing, is the national sport. Opponents fight with their
feet as well as their hands.
Thai classical dancers act out traditional stories with religious themes.
Jewels and embroidery decorate their costumes.
The Mountainous North region includes Thailand's highest peak, 2,595-metre Inthanon
Mountain. In the foreground is a dwelling of the region's among people.
Chinteik Electronic Industries Co., Ltd. - Electronic
equipment is
manufactured in Thailand. A worker operates machinery that produces integrated
circuits— devices used in such equipment as computers and televisions.
Charles Marden Fitch - Tin mining contributes
greatly to Thailand's international trade. Most of the country's tin mines, are in the mountains of the Southern Peninsula
region.
Facts in brief
Official language: Thai (Central dialect).
Official name: Pratet Thai.
Area: 513,115 km2. Greatest distances— north-south, 1,770 km; east-west, 772 km. Coastline— 2,615 km.
Elevation: Highest—
Inthanon Mountain, 2,595 m. Lowest— sea ;jj
level.
Population: Estimated 1996 population—58,836,000; density, 114 people per km2;
distribution, 75 per cent rural, 25 per cent. urban. 1990 census—54,532,300. Estimated 2001 population—1,765,000.
Chief products: Agriculture—cassava, maize, pineapples, rice, rubber, sugar cane. Manufacturing—cars, cement, electronic goods, food products, plastics,
textiles. Fishing— herring, tuna, shrimp and other shellfish. Mining-copper,
iron ore, lead, natural gas, precious stones, tin, zinc.
Thailand is a tropical country in Southeast Asia. The people of
Thailand are called Thai. Most are farmers and live in small, rural villages.
However, Thailand has one of the fastest growing economies in the world, and
its urban centres have expanded rapidly. Almost 6 million people live in
Bangkok, Thailand's capital and largest city.
Thailand is the only nation in Southeast
Asia that has never been ruled by a Western power. The Thai people date their
history from A.D. 1238, when the Sukhothai Kingdom was founded in what is now
Thailand. For most of its history, the country was called Siam. In 1939, it
officially adopted the name Thailand.
National government. Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, a form of
government in which the constitution limits the power of the king or queen.
The nation's Constitution provides for a monarch, a prime minister, and a
legislature called the National Assembly. The monarch has an advisory role as
head of state, and the prime minister heads the government.
The National Assembly consists of the
House of Representatives with 360 members and the Senate with 270 members. The
House members are elected by the people of Thailand and serve four-year terms.
The senators are chosen by the ruling parties in the House and are formally
appointed by the monarch. Senators serve six- year terms. The National Assembly
selects the prime minister, who is then formally appointed by the monarch. The
prime minister selects the Cabinet, which has a maximum of 48 members
Local government Thailand is divided into more than 70 provinces. The
provinces are subdivided into more than 600 districts, about 6,600 units of
local government called tambons, and about 60,000
villages. Each province has a governor, and every district has a distri
officer. These officials are appointed by the minister of the interior. Thai
villages range in size from a few hundred to a few thousand people. Each
village elects a headman to be its leader. The people within each tambon
then select from among the village headmen a nan,
or chief administrator, for their tambon.
Politics. Thai citizens 20 years old or older have the right to
vote. Thai political parties, however, have most often come to power through a
military coup (revolt against the ruling party) rather than through
popular elections. Traditionally, Thai political parties have been organized
around leaders rather than common political philosophies, and few parties have
had lasting strength.
Courts. The Supreme Court, the highest court, consists of a
chief justice and 21 judges. The entire court meets only for special cases. The
Court of Appeals, the second highest court, reviews decisions made by lower
courts. A panel called the Judicial Commission chooses all Thai judges. The
judges are approved by the prime minister and formally appointed by the king.
The armed services of Thailand consist of an army, a navy, and an air
force. The forces have a total membership of about 300,000. Men from 21 to 30
years old may be conscripted for at least two years of military duty. Women may
serve on a voluntary basis.
People
Population and ancestry. For the total population of Thailand, see the Facts in brief table with this article. About 75 per cent of the
people live in rural areas, and only about 25 per cent live in towns and
cities. In addition to Bangkok, which has almost 6 million people. Thailand's
largest cities include Khon Kaen, Nakhon Ratchasima, Nanthanburi, and Songkhla,
each with a population over 200,000.
Most of Thailand's people belong to the
Thai ethnic
Tourism Authority of Thailand
Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep is a Buddhist temple near Chiang Mai. Its gilded tower
dates from the 1300's.
group. Chinese people make up the second
largest population group. The next largest groups consist of Malays and
Khmers. Small ethnic groups include the Hmong, the Karen, and other isolated
hill peoples, as well as a number of Indians and Vietnamese.
Way of life. Each Thai village has a wat
(Buddhist temple-monastery), which serves as the religious and social centre of
the community. Village life in Thailand traditionally has been organized around
religious and agricultural rituals and festivals. But now radio and television
also have a strong influence.
Since the early 1960's, large numbers of
Thai—especially young adults—have moved from rural areas to cities in search
of jobs and educational opportunities. As a result, a large educated middle
class has emerged in Bangkok and other cities. However, Thai cities have had to
cope with serious problems caused by rapid population growth. Such problems
include crowded living conditions, traffic jams, pollution, the growth of
prostitution, and the spread of AIDS.
Most Thai people wear the same clothing
styles worn in Western countries. For special or formal occasions, however,
they often wear traditional Thai clothing made of such fabrics as Thai silk, Hmong embroidery, and batik (a special dye
process). See Clothing (Traditional costumes).
Housing. Most Thai villagers live in traditional wood houses
that are on stilts. The houses are built 2 to 3 metres above the ground mainly
for protection against floods. In towns and cities, houses are typically made
of stucco or concrete and are not on stilts. Middle-class Thai, especially in
Bangkok, live in apartments, or large developments of single-family homes. Some
shop owners live above their shops. The government provides limited housing
for the urban poor, many of whom end up living in slums.
Food. Thai people eat rice with almost
every meal. Favourite foods to accompany the rice include hot, spicy stews called
curries; salads of meat, fish, and vegetables; stir-fried dishes; and broiled
or fried fish with sauces. Delicately flavoured, spicy Thai food has become popular
in many parts of the world.
Recreation. Thai
people prize the art of sanuk, or having fun. The
national sport is muay Thai (Thai boxing), also
known as kickboxing, in which opponents use a variety of strikes with their
feet and legs, as well as boxing With their fists. In another popular sport,
called takraw, the players try to keep a ball made of rattan
(woven palm stems) in the air by using their heads, legs, and feet.
Many Thai enjoy gambling on the lottery,
cockfights, and fightingfish contests.
Languages. Thai, the language spoken by almost ail people in
Thailand, has four main dialects. The Central Thai dialect is the official
language and is taught in the schools. Many people in Thailand speak the
Central Thai dialect in addition to their own regional or ethnic dialect Many
people also speak Malay or Chinese. English is taught in many schools and is
often used in business and government affairs.
Religion. About 95 per cent of the Thai people are Buddhists.
Generally, Buddhists believe that people can obtain perfect peace and happiness
by freeing themselves from worldly desires. Most Thai people follow the Theravada
(Way of the Elders) tradition, an ancient form of Buddhism that emphasizes the
virtues of monastic life. According to custom, many Thai men become monks for
at least a short period, from about one week to several months. They wear
yellow robes and lead lives of poverty, meditation, and study.
Most Chinese in Thailand follow
Confucianism in addition to practising other religions. The majority of Thailand's
Malays are Muslims. Hinduism is the main religion among Indians in Thailand.
Only about 1 per cent of the nation's people are Christians.
Education. More than 85 per cent of Thailand's people 15 and
older can read and write. Thai law requires children to attend school from age
7 to 14. The government provides free public education, but some students
attend private schools. Only a small percentage of Thai students continue
schooling beyond the required years. Thailand has 15 universities, several
large institutes of technology, dozens of teachers' colleges, and numerous
vocational colleges.
Arts in Thailand are greatly influenced by Buddhism. The
country's Buddhist temples display some of the finest Thai architecture. The
image of Buddha appears in many Thai paintings and sculptures. Modern Thai
painting includes traditional religious themes and international styles.
Traditional Thai literature was written
and performed for royalty and consisted of classical dramas and epic poems.
Today, Thai classical dancers wear spectacular costumes and act out such
traditional legends in performances called khon
drama.
Land
Thailand covers 513,115 square kilometres.
The country has four main land regions: (1) the Mountainous North, (2) the
Khorat Plateau, (3) the Central Plain, and (4) the Southern Peninsula.
The Mountainous North. Mountains occupy part of northern Thailand and extend
along the country's western border to the Malay Peninsula. Inthanon Mountain,
Thailand's highest peak, is in this region. The mountain rises 2,595 metres
above sea level. Forests of evergreen trees and some broadleaf trees, such as
teak, cover most of the region. The mountains are broken by rivers running
south. These rivers form narrow, fertile valleys where farmers grow rice and
other crops.
The Khorat Plateau, also known as Isan, lies in the northeastern part of Thailand
and makes up about one-third of the country's land area. Mountain ranges separate
the plateau from central Thailand to the west and Cambodia to the south. The
Mekong River forms the region's northern and eastern boundaries. Two other rivers,
the Chi and the Mun, also run through the region. But generally, the area is
dry with sandy soil that makes poor farmland.
The Central Plain extends from the foothills of the north to the Gulf of
Thailand. Its soil is so fertile that farmers raise more rice there than
anywhere else in
Thailand. Four rivers—the Nan, Ping, Wang,
and Yom-i unite in the plain and become the Chao Phraya River.
The Chao Phraya, Thailand's main river,
provides both irrigation and transportation.
The Southern Peninsula shares its northwestern border with Burma and extends
south to Malaysia. This1 region of Thailand consists mainly of jungle
and mountains. Narrow plains run along the coast. Fishing, rubber! production,
and tin mining in the region contribute much to the Thai economy.
Animal life. Thailand's forests once abounded with til gers, wild
pigs, deer, crocodiles, king cobras and other! snakes, and many varieties of
birds. But since the mid- 1900's, many species of wildlife in Thailand have become
endangered. These animals are threatened with extinction, in part because
thousands have been killed for profit. In addition, agriculture and industry
have destroyed many of Thailand's forests. In the past, many elephants lived in
the wild in Thailand. Today, however, most of the country's remaining elephants
live in captivity. Some Thai families make pets of such wild animals as
monkeys, catlike mammals called civets, and squirrels.
Climate
Thailand has a tropical climate. Most of
the country has three seasons—a hot, dry season from March to May; a hot, wet
period from June to October; and a cool, dry season from November to February.
Bangkok has an average temperature of 25 °C in December and 30 °C in April. The
mountain areas are cooler.
From late May to October, winds called monsoons cause
heavy rains throughout Thailand. The Southern Peninsula region may receive more
than 250 centimetres of rain in one year. Bangkok has an average annual rainfall
of 140 centimetres.
Economy
Thailand's economy developed rapidly in
the 198(Js and early 1990's. Today, Thailand has one of the fastest growing
economies in the world.
The Thai economy is based on free
enterprise, in which businesses operate largely free of government control.
About 65 per cent of the nation's workers make their living by farming or
fishing, and only about 10 per ’4 cent work in manufacturing. However, manufactured
goods contribute more to the national income than agricultural products do.
Government, education, trade, transportation, and other service industries
employ large numbers of people in Thailand. Other Thai people work in
construction and mining. Forestry, especially the harvesting of teak, was
formerly important to Thailand's economy. But the government banned logging in 1988
because too many trees had been removed.
Agriculture. Farmland makes up about 45 per cent of the nation's
land. The chief crop is rice. Other leading farm products include cassava
(a potatolike plant used to make tapioca), cotton, jute
(a fibre plant used in making rope and sacks), maize, pineapples, rubber, silk,
soybeans, sugar cane, and tobacco. Farms in Thailand average about 4
hectares, and about 75 per cent of the fanners own their land.
Manufacturing first gained importance in Thailand in the 1970's,
when the Thai government began expanding industries that would increase
international trade, particularly with Japan. Thailand's main manufactured
products include cars, cement, electronic goods, food products, plastics, and
textiles.
Fishing has always been a mainstay of the Thai economy. Many
farmers raise fish in ponds. Commercial fisheries in the south and southeast
fish by trawling, pulling a funnel-shaped net through the sea.
Fisheries also raise shrimp and other shellfish for sale worldwide.
Mining. Tin and zinc are Thailand's most important minerals.
The nation ranks among the world's leading tin producers. Thailand also has
copper, iron ore, and lead. Large amounts of natural gas lie under the Gulf of
Thailand. Rubies and sapphires are mined in central Thailand, and many other
precious stones are brought in from Cambodia and Burma.
Tourism contributes greatly to Thailand's national income.
Millions of tourists visit each year to see the country's magnificent temples,
interesting historical sites, beaches, and exciting night life.
International trade. Chief
exports of Thailand include electronic goods, fish products, precious stones,
rice, rubber, sugar, tapioca products, textiles, and tin.
The nation's major imports include car
parts, chemicals, fertilizers, fuels, iron and steel, and machinery. In the
past, Thailand relied on the United States for much economic support. But
today, Thailand carries on brisk trade with other Asian nations as well.
Germany, Japan, Singapore, and the United States rank as its main trading
partners.
Transportation in Thailand includes extensive road and railway
systems. Bus lines reach nearly every part of the country, and the state-owned
railways fan out in all directions from Bangkok. Rivers and canals in Thailand
provide local transportation for passengers and cargo. Bangkok is the country's
largest and busiest port. The city struggles with major traffic problems caused
by rapid population growth.
Bangkok International Airport provides
daily flights between Thailand and other Asian nations, the United States,
various European countries, and Australia. Several other Thai cities have
international as well as domestic air service.
Communication. Thailand has dozens of daily newspapers, many of
which are published in Bangkok. Most of the newspapers are published in the
Thai language. Several are in Chinese, and a few are in English. The newspapers
are privately owned. However, the government runs nearly all of the television
and radio stations. Telephone services link most cities and towns, but many
rural residents still lack phones.
History
People have lived in what is now Thailand
for thousands of years. By the A.D. 1000's, people known as the Tai had begun
migrating from what is now southern China into mainland Southeast Asia. There,
the Tai came in contact with Mon and Khmer peoples who had long lived in the
region. The Tai adopted Buddhism from the Mon and many Hindu practices from the
Khmer. Foreigners began calling this region Syam as early as the 1000's.
Later, the area became known as Siam and its people Siamese, still hundreds of
years before the country officially adopted that name.
Early kingdoms. The people of Thailand date their history from the founding
of a kingdom called Sukhothai in 1238. The Tai people who had established the
kingdom began calling themselves the Thai, meaning free.
Sukhothai's most famous ruler, King Ramkhamhaeng, reigned from about 1279 to
1317 and greatly expanded the Thai territory. Historians also credit Ram-
khamhaeng with developing a writing system for the Thai language. A form of his
alphabet is still used today.
In 1350, the Thai kingdom of Ayutthaya was
established. The capital, also called Ayutthaya, sat on an island in the Chao
Phraya River, an ideal place for trade and defence. Within a century, Ayutthaya
became more powerful than the kingdom of Sukhothai.
European contact began for the Thai in 1511, when Portuguese traders
settled in Ayutthaya. During the next century, Dutch, English, Spanish, and
French traders and missionaries entered the area. Ayutthayan kings also allowed
settlements of Chinese and Japanese and sent government representatives to
countries as distant as France and the Netherlands. However, many Thai became
alarmed at the foreigners' growing influence in their kingdom. Partly as a
result Ayutthaya began to limit its relations with the West after 1688.
Throughout much of its over 400-year rule,
Ayutthaya was at war with its neighbours—the Khmer to the east and the Burmese
to the west. The Burmese, Ayutthaya's chief enemy, destroyed the capital in
early 1767.
The Bangkok era. In late 1767, a military commander named Taksin drove
out the Burmese and established a new Thai capital at Thon Buri, on the west
bank of the Chao Phraya River. Taksin brought to the region many Chinese
traders who helped rebuild the country's economy. After Taksin was overthrown
in 1782, a general known as Chaophraya Chakri became king and ruled for 27
years. The new king took the name Rama I and established the Chakri dynasty
(line of rulers), which still reigns today. During his reign, the capital was
moved across the Chao Phraya River to Bangkok.
Modernization gained speed under two of the Chakri dynasty's most influential
monarchs, King Mongkut and King Chulalongkorn. Mongkut, also known as Rama IV,
ruled from 1851 to 1868. Before taking the throne, Mongkut had served as a monk
for 27 years and had led a movement to reform Thai Buddhism. He also studied
Western languages and science and, as king, appointed Western advisers to his
court. The musical comedy The King and I
is based on the journals of a British governess whom Mongkut hired to teach
his children. The musical portrays Mongkut as a comic figure, and most Thai
people consider it a distortion of history.
Mongkut signed many treaties with Western
powers, greatly expanding trade and other relations that had been severely
limited for over 100 years. The Western powers established several colonies in
Southeast Asia. Siam was never colonized, but Mongkut was forced to grant the
Western countries extraterritorial rights.
These rights allowed them to set up courts of law for their people in Siam.
King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), who reigned
from 1868 to 1910, is regarded as one of Thailand's greatest kings. With the
help of several of his brothers in key government positions, Chulalongkorn
furthered Thai modernization. He oversaw a complete reorganization of the
government, which included establishing a cabinet to help the monarch rule. He
also abolished slavery in Siam, introduced a modern school system, and built
railways and telegraphs linking the country.
King Vajiravudh, or Rama VI, succeeded
Chulalongkorn in 1910. Under him, Siam entered World War I in 1917 to help
France, the United Kingdom, and the other Allies against Germany and
Austria-Hungary. In return for Siam's support, Western powers gradually agreed
to give up their extraterritorial rights. When King Vajiravudh died in 1925,
the throne passed to his brother Prajadhipok, or Rama VII.
Changes in government. In mid-1932, a group of Thai, many of whom had been
educated in Europe, revolted against King Prajadhipok. Pridi Phanomyong, a
lawyer, and Phibun Songkhram, an artillery officer, led the revolt. They forced
the king to change the government from an absolute monarchy to a
constitutional monarchy in late 1932, thus limiting the power of the king.
After the coup, a civilian government
initially ruled Thailand. But from 1933 to 1938, the military increased its
power. King Prajadhipok gave up the throne in 1935 to his nephew, Ananda
Mahidol (Rama VIII). Phibun became prime minister of Thailand in 1938 and ran a
military government. The country's name was changed to Thailand in 1939.
In World War II (1939-1945), Germany, Japan, and other Axis powers fought the Allies, who
included China, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
In 1341, Japan invaded Thailand. Japan planned to use Thailand as a base to
attack Burma, Malaya (now part of Malaysia), and Singapore, three countries
then under British rule. At first, Thailand resisted. But Phibun decided to
cooperate, and Japan took over Thailand's harbours, airports, and railways.
As the war progressed, the Thai people
began to resent Japanese control. Thailand's external trade halted and the Thai
economy suffered. In 1942, some Thai officials began a Free Thai Movement to
work against the Japanese. With the support of Allied countries, the Fret Thai
gained influence within the Thai government. The National Assembly forced
Phibun out of office in 1944.
Opposition to Communism. From 1944 to 1947, Thailand had civilian-led
governments. The country's name was changed back to Siam for a few years after
World War II ended. In 1946, King Ananda Mahidol was found dead of a gunshot
wound. Some people believe his death was an accident, and others believe he was
assassinated. His brother Bhumibol Adulyadej, also called Rama IX, became king.
Thailand came under military dictatorship
from 1948 to 1973. During this time, Phibun and a series of other military
leaders ruled. Worldwide, this period marked the height of the Cold War, an
intense rivalry between Communist and non-Communist nations. Under military
rule, Thailand increased its opposition to Communism and strengthened its
alliance with the United States. The United States provided Thailand with much
economic and military aid, and Thailand allowed the United Stated to use
military bases on Thai territory. The United States used these bases to attack
Communist forces in North Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos during the Vietnam War (1957-1975).
Also during this war, Thailand sent troops to fight on the side of the United
States.
In 1967, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia,
the Philippines, and Singapore formed the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN). ASEAN promotes economic, cultural, and social cooperation among
its members.
Democracy gains strength. In 1973, university students in Thailand led a
successful revolt against the Thai government. They demanded democratic rights
and an end to military dictatorship. For the next three years, Thailand
experimented with parliamentary democracy. 3 However, in October 1976, the
military again seized power after violent student demonstrations took place in
Bangkok. Numerous students were killed, and many others fled to the jungle,
where they joined Communist forces. From 1976 to 1979, the military continued
to rule Thailand, but with more openness to democratic policies.
From 1980 to 1991, Thailand's governments
were democratically elected, but the military maintained much power. General
Prem Tinsulanonda became prime minister in 1980 and continued Thailand's openness
to democracy. About a million refugees had fled to Thailand from Cambodia,
Laos, and Vietnam after the Vietnam War ended in 1975. Prem's government provided
Thailand with the political stability it needed to temporarily shelter these
newcomers until many of them returned to their homes in the early 1990's.
Political stability also helped Thailand develop a strong, rapidly growing
economy. In the late 1980's, the Thai economy grew by an average of 12 per cent
per year, one of the highest growth rates in the world.
In February 1991, the military took
control of the government, dissolved the National Assembly, and suspended the
Constitution. Thailand adopted a new constitution later that year. In March
1992, a group of promilitary parties won control of the National Assembly in
parliamentary elections, and a general was appointed prime minister. Many Thai
protested at this appointment. New elections took place in September, and the
leader of a group of civilian parties became prime minister.
In 1994, the Friendship Bridge opened
between Thailand and Laos. It is the first international bridge to span the
Mekong River.
Related articles:
Outline
Government
National government, Local government, Politics,
Courts, and The armed services.
People
Population and ancestry, Way of life,
Housing, Food, Recreation, Languages, Religion, Education, and Arts.
Land
The Mountains North, The Khorat Plateau,
The Central Plain, The Southern Peninsula, and Animal life.
Climate
Economy
Agriculture, Manufacturing, Fishing,
Mining, Tourism, International trade, Transportation, and Communication.
Questions
How does Buddhism influence the arts in
Thailand?
What are some popular Thai dishes?
How did Mongkut change the culture of
Thailand?
What types of problems have Thai cities
faced?
What industry contributes most to the Thai
national income?
How have political parties most often come
to power in Thailand?
What is a wat? What
is batik? Muay Thai? Sanuk?
What is Thailand's major rice-producing
area?
What are Thailand's chief minerals?
Manufactured products?
How do most Thai people earn a living?
Bangkok, a booming metropolis on the Chao Praya River, is
Thailand's capital and largest city. Its landmarks include the ornate towers of
the Grand Palace.
Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, is
located on the Chao Phraya River. The city has many ancient temple among its
modern buildings.
The Temple of the Emerald Buddha is one of the many colourful buildings in Bangkok. Most
of these buildings date back to the late 1700's and the 1800's.
Bangkok
(pop.
5,876,000) is the capital and largest city of Thailand, and the only large city in that
country. Thailand is a nation of small towns and villages, and Bangkok's
population is more than 10 per cent of the country's inhabitants.
The city lies on the delta of the Chao
Phraya River. An area called Thon Buri, once briefly the nation's capital in
its own right, stands on the west bank of the river. Krung Thep, which stands
on the east bank, now comprises about four-fifths of the total metropolis. For
location, see Thailand (political map).
Bangkok is Thailand's major port and
commercial and cultural centre, with an area of about 1,565 square kilometres.
Thai people usually call the city Krung Thep, which
means City of Angels or Heavenly City.
But that is only the first part of its official name, which runs to 27 words.
Bangkok was once called the "Venice of the East" because it had so
many canals.
The city is a sprawling, fast-growing metropolis. The finest of
Bangkok's many magnificent temples and palaces stand near the river. The
original Grand Palace, once the home of Thai kings, overlooks the river, but is
now used only on formal occasions. Today, the royal family lives in the
Chitlada Palace, about 2 kilometres to the northeast.
In spite of its apparent shapelessness,
Bangkok does have a number of distinctive districts, each with its individual
character. The older part of Krung Thep lies to the west, between the river
front and a north-south line running through the railway station. The newer
residential and industrial areas, which cover an area twice as large as the old
city, have developed to the east of the station. About 5 kilometres east of the
Grand Palace, the streets are lined with modern hotel and office buildings,
fine shops, nightclubs, and cinemas. The national Assembly Hall is surrounded
by military camps.
The main commercial district is located in
Sam Peng, the Chinatown area. In this crowded region, the population reaches a
density of 15,000 people per square kilometre. Pahurat, the Indian quarter,
noted for its textile shops, is nearby. The wealthier families live at Bang
Kapi, on the eastern fringe of the city. To the south of this prosperous
region, crowds of poor slum-dwellers and migrants live in shacks around Khlong
Toei, the port area overlooking the Gulf of Thailand.
People. About 97 per cent of Bangkok's inhabitants are Thais.
They run the government. Chinese make up the largest minority of the population
and they traditionally own the city's businesses. Many Thais and Chinese
have intermarried, and many Chinese have
taken Thai names and become Thai citizens. There are also small communities of
Indians and Westerners. Three out of every five of Bangkok's inhabitants are
under 30 years of age.
Education and culture. Bangkok's population explosion has put tremendous
pressure on the city's educational system. The government, Christian missions,
and the Chinese community all provide schools of various kinds. In addition,
special institutions teach traditional arts and crafts, dancing, and cookery.
There are also 13 universities and a Catholic college. Seven of the universities
are government institutions, the other six are private.
The temple dominates Bangkok culture.
There are more than 400 temples in the city, most of them enclosed by walls.
Many of them have become tourist attractions, but they also continue to
perform their traditional functions as religious, educational, and social
centres.
The oldest and largest of the temples is
Wat Pho. It contains Thailand's biggest reclining Buddha (46 metres long and 15
metres high) and largest collection of Buddha images. Wat Pho was also the first
centre for public education. Wat Traimit, another temple, has a Buddha of solid
gold, standing 3 metres high and weighing more than 5 metric tons.
Thailand's brilliant heritage can be
traced in the National Museum (the largest in Southeast Asia), at the National
Library, and in the National Theatre, which features dance, drama, and music.
About 30 kilometres from Bangkok, at Samut Prakarn, is Muang Boran (the Ancient
City). This is an 80-hectare exhibition of scale models of Thailand's most
famous monuments. In Bangkok itself, Timland (Thailand in Miniature) offers
visitors a brief overview of the whole country. Other major tourist
attractions include the Dusit Zoo with its famous white elephants, the Rose
Garden Country Resort with its Thai cultural village, and the floating markets in Thon Buri. In the floating markets, the boats of
both merchants and shoppers meet in a canal, while fruit, noodles, rice,
vegetables, and other items are bought and sold.
Some of the more curious sights of the
city include the Pasteur Institute, where venomous snakes are
"milked" of their poison twice a day in order to produce snake-bite
antidotes. At a farm near Muang Boran, crocodile wrestlers are faced with a
choice of 30,000 crocodiles as opponents. Thai boxing, the national sport, in which
feet as well as fists can be used, is a twice-weekly live television
spectacular broadcast from Bangkok.
Economy. Bangkok is Thailand's capital, chief port, and main
centre of communication by road, rail, and air. Most of its people are engaged
in government service, finance, transportation, and tourism. One age-old specialist
industry is the trade in jewellery, especially silver, bronze and precious
stones. Textiles, building materials, food processing, and electronics are the
city's major industries.
Most factories are small, except near the
port. There, imported raw materials are processed and foreign- made components
are assembled in large complexes. Since 1976, the official policy has been to
locate industry on new suburban sites away from the overcrowded city centre.
Bangkok houses about one-third of all Thailand's banks, and between them they
hold three-quarters of all the country's financial deposits.
Bangkok's transportation system was
originally based on a maze of canals, which caused Western visitors to call the
city "the Venice of the East." But the vast increase in motor traffic
forced the authorities to fill in many of the smaller canals and so provide
extra roads. As a result, Bangkok's drainage system has suffered, and during
the rainy season low-lying areas of the city are regularly flooded. The
enormous volume of daily traffic threatens to bring the city to a standstill,
in spite of the best efforts of the Expressway and Transit authority.
The port at Khlong Toei handles almost all
of Thailand's foreign trade. It imports manufactured goods. It exports gold,
hides, rubber, silver, and tin. Food exports include processed fish, maize,
rice, sugar, and tapioca. The export of manufactured goods, including vehicles
and electrical goods, is increasing.
Government Bangkok's governor is elected by popular vote. Many
agencies struggle to meet the rapidly growing demands of a city that already
consumes more than half the entire nation's output of electrical power. There
are shortfalls in some departments. Water supplies are sometimes irregular.
Raw sewage flows through canals and open drains. Other municipal problems
include widespread pollution and an acute housing shortage.
Bangkok houses the regional headquarters
of a number of important United Nations and other international agencies, such
as UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization),
UNICEF (United Nation's Children's Fund), WHO (World Health Organization),
World Bank, and ESCAP (Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific).
History. Until the late 1700's, Bangkok was little more than a
riverside village. Then, in 1782, General Chao Phraya Chakri became King Rama
I, and moved his stronghold from the west to the east bank of the Chao Phraya
River. This meant that he was protected on three sides by a bend in the river.
A vast muddy swamp protected the open eastern side. The new monarch was determined
to build a city worthy of a new dynasty. By the time he died, King Rama had
established the palace complex. The area around it was surrounded by a wall 4
metres high, 3 metres thick, and more than 7 kilometres long. It contained 63
gates and 15 forts. Thais believed that the king's palace was the symbolic
centre of the universe, and the city's layout reflected that traditional belief.
As a result, major temples and government buildings were located close to the
palace, to bask in its glory. Less important buildings were constructed in more
distant locations.
Rama II (1809-1824) and Rama III
(1824-1851) built additional impressive temples to serve as monasteries, libraries,
schools, and hospitals. Rama IV (1851-1868) began to lay out major streets, as
well as improving the Grand Palace and extending the canal system. But it was
Rama V (1868-1910) who made the capital a visibly modern city along Western
lines. He became well-known in the West as the hero of the story of Anna and the King of Siam, which was later transformed into the musical The King and /. Rama V demolished much of the obsolete city wall
to make room for new roads and bridges.
In 1892, he inaugurated an electric tram
service, and in 1900, he opened the first line of the state railway system. He
also built himself a superb three-storey, 81-roomed mansion, the largest golden
teak building in the world.
King Rama VI (1910-1925) continued this
public works programme, establishing Chulalongkorn University in 1916 and
creating Lumphini Park as the city's first public recreational area, in 1937,
the capital was formally divided into two municipalities: Thon Buri, which had
briefly been the capital from 1769 to 1782, and Krung Thep. Both these
townships were then of roughly the same area, together covering about 100
square kilometres. Butfoiir-fifths of the population lived in Krung Thep. in
1955 and 1966, Thon Buri was extended. Similarly, in 1942, 1955, and 1965,
Krung Thep was greatly enlarged. The two municipalities were reunited in 1971,
and a year later Bangkok and two neighbouring provinces merged to form a
single province—Krung Thep Maha Nakhon.
No comments:
Post a Comment