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Saturday 14 May 2016

Thailand

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.
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 = 100

Useful 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) 

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12 Magical Places to See in Thailand
Nothing says “exotic” quite like Thailand. This magnificent country in Southeast Asia is home of glittering Buddhist temples, ancient ruins, scenic beaches, lush landscapes and delicious Thai food. If you are looking for a spiritual development or a tropical getaway away from tourist traps, take notes, because we are about to show you 12 Magical Places to satisfy your hedonistic desires.

 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
Capital: Bangkok.
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.
Money: Currency unit— baht. One baht = 100 satang.
Language: Thai for Beginners 

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.
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