Thailand is a fascinating and exotic country to explore. Come and discover Thailand's scenic and cultural treasures with our team of locals and long-time residents. We all live and work here and share a love of Thailand, its people, culture, scenery, cuisine and overall lifestyle. Thailand Thai means "Prathet" / "land of the free". The land covered is 198,455 sq mi (514,000 sq km), Southeast Asia with a population of est. 65,444,000. It is occupied by central position on the Southeast Asia peninsula, Thailand is bordered by Myanmar on the west and northwest, by Laos on the north and east (the Mekong River forms much of the line), by Cambodia on the southeast, and by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia on the south. A southward extension into the Malay Peninsula gives Thailand a long coastline on the Gulf of Thailand and on the Andaman Sea. Bangkok is the capital and by far the largest city.

Thailand is considered to be the world's 50th largest country in terms of total area, with a surface area of approximately 513,000 km² (198,455 sq mi). The climate of Thailand is tropical, monsoonal climate. Thailand is about the size of France. The fertile and thickly populated central plain is found with numerous rice paddies, it is entirely flat and rarely more than a few feet above sea level. It is watered by the Chao Phraya and lesser rivers and is elaborately veined by a system of canals (called klongs) for irrigation and drainage. Bangkok is the capital of Thailand and Ayutthaya the old capital is in this basin.

The north is mountainous, with peaks rising to c.8, 500 ft (2,590 m); mountains stretch south along the boundary with Myanmar on the west. Forests in the north yield teak, although over cutting has decreased Thailand's forest reserves severely. Although the population in the north is relatively sparse, rice is intensively cultivated in the river valleys, and one of the country's major cities, Chiang Mai, is in that area.

Most of North East and East Thailand is occupied by the Korat (Khorat) plateau, which is cut off from the rest of the country by highlands and the Phetchabun Mts. It is a hilly, dry, and generally poor region, where livestock raising is dominant. Chief towns are Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat), Udon Thani, and Ubon Ratchathani.

Peninsular Thailand in the south (which includes Phuket and other offshore islands) is largely mountainous and covered with jungles. It is the principal source of the rubber and tin that make Thailand a major world producer of both. Chief towns of the peninsula are Hat Yai and Songkhla, the second largest port of the country.

Thais are well-known for their friendliness and hospitality. A large majority of over 62 million citizens of Thailand are ethic Thai, along with strong communities whose ethnic origins lie in China, India and elsewhere. About 7 million people reside in the capital city of Bangkok. The world's 20th largest country in terms of population with approximately 63 million people.

Majority of people are Chinese here with a approximately of 15% of the population. Thai people are 75% ethnically. But the trade is chiefly with in the hands of the Chinese, and as a consequence there has been substantial tension between Thais and Chinese. Other sizable minorities include the Muslim Malays, concentrated in the southern peninsula; the hill tribes of the north; the Khmers, or Cambodians, who are found in the southeast and on the Cambodian border; and the Vietnamese, who live along the Mekong River. While the ethnic minorities generally speak their own languages, Thai (linguistically related to Chinese) is the official tongue; English predominates among the Western languages. Theravada Buddhism is the state religion; some 95% of the people are Buddhists, while about 5% are Muslims.

The History of Thailand starts from 1238. Sukhothai was the first Thai Kingdom and it was founded in 1238 by two Thai Governors Khun Bang Klang Thao (Sri Inthrathit) and Khun Pha Muang who rebelled against the Khmers; and brought independence to the region. It is called as Golden Age of Thai Culture. This is the time "There where fishes in the water and rice in the fields". The boundary of Sukhothai stretched from Lampang in the north to Vientiane, in present day Laos and the south to the Malay Peninsula. It had a strong friendship with neighboring countries. It absorbed elements of various civilizations which they came into contact. Thai maintained and advanced their culture with China. The potters entered Thai artistry and extensive trade was established with Cambodia and India.

After the death of Khun Pha Muang in 1279, Ramkhamhaeng King, the third son of Sri Inthrahit, ascended to the throne. Under the Ramkhamhaeng King, Sukhothai had strong friendship with neighboring China. Ramkhamhaeng King organized a writing system which became the basis for writing and eventually developed to be the modern Thai alphabet.

Ayutthaya, the capital of the Thai Kingdom was found by U-Thong King in 1350. Ayutthaya as an island is formed by the gathering of three rivers, the Chao Phraya, the Pasak, and the Loburi and surrounded by rice terraces.

Portuguese embassy was established in 1511. Portugal's powerful neighbor Spain was the next European nation to arrive in Ayutthaya forward the end of the 16th century. In early 17th century they saw the arrival of two northern European, the Dutch and the British, and France in 1662.

The Burmese invaded Ayutthaya again in 1765. This time Burmese caused much fear to Thais. Burmase soldiers destroyed everything, including temples, manuscripts, and religious sculpture. After the capital fell in their hands for two years, the Burmese effectiveness could not further hold the kingdom. Phaya Taksin, a Thai general, promoted himself to be the king in 1769. He ruled the new capital of Thonburi on the bank of Chao Phraya River, opposite Bangkok. Taksin eventually turn himself to be the next Buddha and was dismissed and executed by his ministers who did not approve his religious values.

After the fall of Ayudthaya, General Taksin, a general of Aydthaya, drafted an army of patriots to take revenge for his country. He successfully chased away the Burmese troops. After the Burmese were gone, he decided to build a new capital along the Chaopraya River and named it "Thonburi". King Taksin has reined a peaceful country for over 15 years and extended diplomatic relationship with many countries from overseas including China. Unfortunately, King Taksin, who devoted his life to protect his beloved country, was over stressed from the wars and eventually became insane. Thonburi was collapsed in 1782 by General Chakri. King Taksin's achievements have caused prosperity to bestow on him the epithet "the Great".

Rattanakosin Period 1782--After Taksin's death, General Chakri became the first king of the Chakri dynasty, Rama I, ruling from 1782 to 1809. His first action as king was to transfer the royal capital across the river from Thonburi to Bangkok and build the Grand Palace. Rama II (1809-1824) continued the restoration begun by his predecessor.

King Nang Klao, Rama III (1824-1851) reopened relations with western nations and developed trade with China. King Mongkut, Rama IV, (1851-1868) of "The King and I" concluded treaties with European countries, avoided colonialization and established modern Thailand. He made many social and economic reforms during his reign.

King Chulalongkorn, Rama V (1869-1910) continued his father's tradition of reform, abolishing slavery and improving the public welfare and administrative system. Compulsory education and other educational reforms were introduced by King Vajiravudh, Rama VI (1910-1925). During the reign of King Prajadhipok, (1925-1935), Thailand changed from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. The king abdicated in 1933 and was succeeded by his nephew, King Ananda Mahidol (1935-1946). The country's name was changed from Siam to Thailand with the advent of democratic government in 1939.

Absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy: The politics of Thailand took some significant turn on 24 June 1932 when a group of young intellectuals, educated abroad and imbued with the concept of Western democracy, staged a bloodless coup, demanding a change form absolute to a constitutional monarchy, Determined to avoid any bloodshed, His Majesty King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) agreed to the abolition of absolute monarchy and the transfer of power to the constitution-based system of government as demanded.

To some, this demand was premature, but fortunately with the far-sightedness of King Prajadhipok and his predecessors in particular King Chulalongkorn the Great (Rama V) and King Vajiravudh (Rama VGI), Thailand was not unprepared for this transition. While continuing the process launched by the two previous kings, King Prajadhipok had every intention of accustoming the Thais to the Western system of constitutional monarchy and had considered the eventuality of altering such form of government to the people at an appropriate moment. Popular readiness, the King believed, was an important Ingredient to success for such transition. It was only a matter of waiting for the right time.

On 10 December 1932, His Majesty King Prajadhipok signed Thailand first constitution and thus ended 700 years of Thailand absolute monarchy. Despite the number of successive constitutions that followed in the span of just over half a century, the basic concepts of constitutional government and monarchy laid down in the 1932 constitution have remained unaltered.