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Travel to Thailand
Thailand is a constitutional monarchy with His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, or King Rama IX, the ninth king of the Chakri Dynasty, the present king. The King has reigned for more than half a century, making him the longest reigning Thai monarch. Thailand embraces a rich diversity of cultures and traditions. With its proud history, tropical climate and renowned hospitality, the Kingdom is a never-ending source of fascination and pleasure for international visitors.
Capital: Bangkok
Location: The Kingdom of Thailand lies in Southeast Asia, with Laos and Cambodia to its east, the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia to its south, and the Andaman Sea and Myanmar to its west.
Climate: Thailand enjoys a tropical climate with three distinct seasons-hot and dry from February to May (average temperature 34 degrees Celsius and 75% humidity); rainy with plenty of sunshine from June to October (average day temperature 29 degrees Celsius and 87% humidity); and cool from November to January (temperatures range from 32 degrees Celsius to below 20 degrees Celsius with a drop in humidity). Much lower temperatures are experienced in the North and Northeast during nighttime. The South has a tropical rainforest climate with temperatures averaging 28 degrees Celsius almost all year round.
Terrain: Dominating Thailand's terrain are mountainous areas, which can be found all through the country. Taking up a third of Thailand is the Khorat Plateau, a flat, barren plateau that borders the Mekong River valley. The main river in Thailand, Chao Phraya, goes through an alluvial plain that is sandwiched between the central and western mountains. This plain, along with a fertile delta near Bangkok, which was created by the Chao Phraya, is the most productive agricultural part of Thailand, and is the most densely populated.
Language: Spoken and written Thai is largely incomprehensible to the casual visitor. However, English is widely understood, particularly in Bangkok where it is almost the major commercial language.
Currency: Baht (THB)
Time zone: GMT +7
Internet TLD: .th
Calling code: +66
A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally following the conflict. Thailand is currently facing armed violence in its three Muslim-majority southernmost provinces.
More facts about Thailand:
Thailand, country profile
Local Travel News:
ike hotels expands Thailand Hotel Portfolio 
ike hotels expands Thailand Hotel Portfolio.
DTCM's Far East Road Show heads to Bangkok, Hong Kong and Guangzhou
DTCM's Far East Road Show heads to Bangkok, Hong Kong and Guangzhou.
'Thailand tops for tourists'
Thailand is set to be Asia's top tourism destination during 2007, according to a new report.
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 Scuba diving in Thailand |
