By Kent Ninomiya
Thailand is a unique country with stunning sights and a fascinating culture. The Thai people have customs and habits that Americans find both strange and interesting. Traveling to Thailand can feel like traveling to another world. However, it is easy for visitors to adjust if they know the facts. Here are 10 facts about Thailand.
Size
Thailand is about the same size as Texas. It covers about 200,000 square miles on the Malay Peninsula in Southeast Asia. The land is diverse with beaches, plains, mountains and rainforests.
People
The population of Thailand is approximately 65 million. Ten million of them live in the capital city of Bangkok. The population is remarkably uniform. About 90 percent of the people are ethnic Thai. About 95 percent of the population is Buddhist. About 85 percent of the people speak only the Thai language.
Buddhism
The Buddhist religion is so revered in Thailand that it is against the law to perform sacrilegious acts against images of the Buddha. Visitors should never touch, spit near or throw things at Buddha images or statues.
King
Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. The people of Thailand revere their king as much as their religion. King Bhumibol Adulyadej has ruled since 1946. Visitors should never say anything negative about the King of Thailand while in the presence of a Thai person.
Thai "Wai"
The people of Thailand perform a gesture called a "wai." The palms are pressed together with the fingers on the chin, then the head is bowed. It is used to say hello and show respect. A wai is first performed by the person of inferior social status. This is almost always the younger person. The proper response is to wai back or just smile.
Smiling
In Thai culture it is considered very bad manners to lose your temper. You will rarely see a Thai person angry. In fact, the more angry a Thai person gets, the broader their smile becomes. Visitors find that losing their temper gets them nowhere in Thailand. Better results can be achieved with a big smile masking extreme anger.
Body Parts
Different parts of the body have different significance in Thailand. The head is considered noble since it is the highest part. You should never touch a Thai person on the head. This includes children. The feet are considered lowly since they are the lowest part of the body. The feet should never be used to point, and the soles of the feet should never be shown to anyone.
Gender Treatment
Men and women are kept separate in public in Thailand. Men are forbidden to touch a woman in any way without her permission. This includes a handshake or tapping her on the shoulder. Women are not allowed to touch a Buddhist monk at any time. They are not even allowed to hand something to a monk. Public displays of affection are considered improper in Thailand.
Sex Industry
Thailand has a notorious sex industry. Its very existence is a contradiction to the otherwise conservative Buddhist society. The two worlds coexist with the understanding that each stays in its designated areas of town. Some sexual things that are illegal in most parts of the world are not illegal in Thailand. There are significant risks to partaking in these activities. These include sexually transmitted diseases and violent crime.
Tourism
Thailand is a popular travel destination because of its friendly people, beautiful scenery and favorable exchange rate. It is one of the cheapest places to travel in Asia. Bangkok is a major airline hub, so flights there tend to be cheap. Thailand's highlights include the thriving metropolis of Bangkok, the ancient temples of Chiang Mai, the beaches of Phuket and the hill tribes of the Golden Triangle.
About the Author:
Kent Ninomiya is a veteran journalist with over 23 years experience as a television news anchor, reporter and managing editor. He traveled to more than 100 countries on all seven continents, including Antarctica. Ninomiya holds a Bachelor of Arts in social sciences with emphasis in history, political science and mass communications from the University of California at Berkeley.
