- Thailand, formerly Siam, is an independent country in the heart of Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Myanmar, formerly Burma, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and the southern extremity of Burma. Its maritime borders consist of Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea to the southwest.
Thailand, which has been in the news often recently because of political upheaval, is actually a constitutional monarchy, and by right of birth, the current king, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, is an American citizen. He was born in Boston while his father was attending Harvard University and is the ninth king of the House of Chakri. King Bhumibol has reigned since 1946; he is the longest serving monarch in the kingdom's history and the longest current serving head of state in the world.
The largest city in Thailand, which consists of 75 provinces, is Bangkok. Locals refer to it as Krungthep although its full name is actually: Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Phiman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit. - Thailand has been heavily influenced by several different cultures. First and foremost during the Paleolithic period, about 10,000 years ago, Thailand was inhabited by indigenous peoples. Recent genealogical research presented in a documentary on the Discovery Channel proved that some of the earliest inhabitants were in fact from Africa. In more recent times the influences have mainly been Indian, with the adoption of Buddhism as the main religion and retaining many linguistic traits of Sanskrit. It has also been heavily influenced by the Chinese and neighboring Asian countries, including Burma, now known as Myanmar. Throughout Thailand you will find people of all colors and sizes, with a vast range of Asiatic features, from Chinese to Indian in appearance.
- Thailand is a Theravada Buddhist country, and approximately 97 percent of the population follows this tradition although remnants of the native animism remain as well. Buddhism is not a very dogmatic religion, and thus the people of Thailand tend not to be overly judgmental. It is also a pacifistic religion, and the Thais, despite some recent clashes brought about by class tensions, are generally pacifistic.
There is also a Muslim population concentrated mainly in the south of Thailand. In 2007 a bomb exploded at one of the airports on the southern border near Malaysia, a predominantly Muslim country. - If you are in Thailand, it will not take long to figure out why the nickname is Land of Smiles. People are extremely nice, and if you befriend a Thai, you will have friend for life. Although many Thais are relatively poor, there are some extremely wealthy Thais who own a large portion of the largest industries. The Issara family is one such family, of Chinese Thai descent, which owns a great deal of property development and industry. Thais do not begrudge anyone wealth, but they often have to to to other regions or abroad in search of work.
A great example of Thai benevolence was the response to the tragic 2004 tsunami. During the tsunami there were many cases in which Thai hotel employees and citizens gave their own lives rescuing tourists.
One thing you may notice in Thailand is a rather unique phenomenon, the prevalence of "Katoeys." A Katoey is a man who is living as a woman. Oftentimes they are indistinguishable from the general population. It is believed in Thailand that these people were bad men in their last lives, sent back to live in a limbo situation. The Thai government and the Buddhist Temples do not recognize Katoeys, or ladyboys, as "real women." They have very few rights and cannot ever change their birth certificates or their papers, even to travel and even if they have have full sex changes. To the outside observer the Thais seem very tolerant of Katoeys, but they are often corrected and cued to speak with the phrases of a male rather than a female. This is because the Thai language is gendered. For example, a male would say "Sawatdee khrap" for "How are you?" and a female would use "Sawatdee kha." - Although the people day to day are very nice and warm and will welcome you readily, there is a shady side of Thailand as well. Child prostitution and prostitution in general, although illegal, remain prevalent in most large Thai cities and holiday resorts. The majority of prostitutes come from Isan to escape the abject poverty of the region and send money home. Child prostitution has been more or less eradicated in recent years, but bar girls and Katoey prostitutes are commonplace.
Because of their harsh lifestyle, the prostitutes have been known to rob tourists and lie to them, for instance asking for money for "an operation for their sick mother"--and may well have several different men they are doing this with at the same time. A general rule of thumb is that if you are paying for sex, even via gifts, then you stand a chance of being scammed. The Katoey prostitutes, who can pass off as women, often do work as female "bar girls," many times to the chagrin of their clients.
Thailand is also famous for its massage parlors. Many are legitimate, but many are not and will offer the proverbial "happy ending." This happens to both men and women. If you want a massage, ask your hotel for a reputable place to go or go where you see a good mix of men and women--and remember that you can always say no to the "happy ending."
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