All an adventurer must know ab
All an adventurer must know abGeography
Thailand is approximately the size of France with a land area of 513,115 sq.km. bordered by Malaysia (South), Myanmar (West and North), Laos (North and East) and Cambodia (Southeast). It has five distinct regions: the mountainous north, the fertile central plains, the semi-arid northeast, and the eastern sea-shore provinces and the tropical south. There are 76 provinces.
Population
Total 59,095,419 (end 1994), including 29,552,978 males and 29,542,441 females. Of the total, 9.45% lived in Bangkok.
Language
Thai is the national language, spoken throughout the Kingdom, with some variations in the north and the south. English is widely understood in major cities. Major road and street signs are in English and Thai for convenience.
Religion
Theravada Buddhism is the State Religion and embraced by 90% of all Thais. Practically all Thai males enter the monkhood once in their life-time to study the teachings of the Lord Buddha.
Buddhist 94.82%, Muslim 4.00% (concentrated mostly in the south), Christian 0.55%, others 0.63%.
Time
Time in Thailand is 7 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+ 7).
Climate
Thailand enjoys a tropical climate with 3 distinct seasons – summer from March through May, rainy with plenty of sunshine from June to September and cool from October through February. The average annual temperature is 28�C (83�F), ranging, in Bangkok, for example, from 30�C in April to 25�C in December.
Government
A constitutional monarchy headed King Bhumibol Adulyadej, with 76 provinces, each sub-divided into umper, tambon and moobarn (as similar to district, county and village).
Health Regulations
No inoculations or vaccinations are required unless you are coming from or passing through contaminated areas, Yellow fever certificates are required for those who are coming from 14 following countries; Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Angola, Barkina Faso, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mauritania, Mali, Nigeria, Sudan and Zaire. Note: Please check the latest regulations with your local Health Office.
Clothing
Normally the tropical climate calls for washable-cotton, light and loose dresses with comfortable shoes or sandals. During the Cool Season visitors are advised to bring a sweater or a jacket. Umbrellas are necessary during the Rainy Season.
Electricity
220 volts 50 cycles throughout the country.
Tipping
It is not necessary to tip taxi drivers and cinema ushers. It is customary to tip hotel personnel who have given good personal servi ce. A 10% tip is appreciated in restaurants, particularly where service charge is waived.
How to get to Thailand
By Air
Bangkok is Thailand's major gateway. Most visitors arrive through Bangkok's Don Muang International Airport which is connected by daily flights to Europe, North America, Asia and Australia aboard the world's major airlines. Further international flights, mostly from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Hong Kong, land on a less regular basis at the southern airports of Phuket and Hat Yai and Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. Charter flights from Europe and the Orient sometimes land in Bangkok,...
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