Thai Traditional Clothes Most traditional Thai clothing is made from silk and is only worn for special days like Songkran, Father's day, Mother's day, Loy Krathong etc. For normal days, Thai men wear suits to work. Thai children wear uniforms to school. On the weekend, normal clothing such as jeans and T-shirts are most commonly seen. Thai Baht Thai unit of currency is the baht. One hundred satang equals 1 baht. Paper money is made in amounts of 10, 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1,000 baht. Coins are 1, 5 and 10 baht pieces and also 25 and 50 satang. The king's face is pictured on the front of every coin and every bill. At the moment, it's about 33-34 baht per One US Dollar. Thai Dance
In Thailand there are five regions. Each region has a specific dance with its own name.
- Central has "Rum Wong"
- Northern has "Fon Leb"
- Southern have "Rum Nora" and "Taloong"
- Eastern has "Rum Seang"
- Western has "Rum Put"
Thai Buddhist
Buddhism is the national religion of Thailand. Approximately 95% of the people in Thailand are Buddhist. It is a way of life as opposed to a religion. To follow the tradition, young Buddhist men go into the monastery for a period of time. The Buddha is seen as a person who reached enlightenment through meditation practice and living a good life rather than being a God.
Thai Monks
Every man in Thailand has to be a monk when they reach the age of 20. Thai men believe that it is one important way to create merit for their parents. Also, it will help their parents go to the heaven after they die.
Rice
Thailand is an agricultural country. Rice is the most important thing for Thai people. Everyone in Thailand has rice as their main source of food. Rice and Thai Ways of Life" published by Office of the National Culture Commission
The rural family in the typical village setting is an extended family with many generations living in one house, or many houses within the same compound. It is here that the Thai child learns codes of behavior that will guide him throughout much of his later life, whether it is spent in the village or beyond.
In the village, home is usually a simple house raised on posts; domestic animals, like buffaloes, chickens, etc. are kept below, and the family lives above, often in a single room. There is little privacy, though this is not as important as in Western countries, and the communal life style instills a strong sense of social harmony in which tact, compromise, and tolerance are essential. The father is regarded as the leader, but the mother also plays a significant role, particularly in the family finances.
Respect for elders in the family is taught very early. This same delineation of roles also applies to the wider world outside the family and will remain deeply ingrained throughout life, thus explaining the reluctance of younger Thais to oppose or confront a senior during their subsequent careers in business or government. A sense of responsibility is also inculcated in early childhood. Each child is assigned certain duties according to age and ability.
One of the prime responsibilities is to take care of their parents in their old age. It is a prominent feature of the Thai concept of family. There is no feeling of being inconvenienced by this duty of caring for aged parents; on the contrary, their acquired wisdom gives them an honored place in the household and their counsel is sought in teaching their grandchildren to be responsible adults with the same traditional values |
Thai words "Sawatdee Khrab!" That is how we say hello. "Kobkun Khrab" means Thank you. If you are a female, you will say "Sawatdee Kaa"(Hello) "Kobkun Ka" (Thank you) when you are on holiday in Thailand, you will find many young people who speak English. Grand Palace This is the home of the King and Queen. It is a massive structure, ornate and very beautiful. This is the most popular tourist attraction in the country. The King's Birthday His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulated the Great was born on December 5, 1927. His Majesty is the ninth King of the Chakri Dynasty and the longest-reigning monarch in the history of Thailand.
His Majesty the King is well recognized as the heart and soul of the Thai nation. He is held in high esteem by his subjects and commands enormous respect from people in all parts of the world.
The manner in which His Majesty conducts himself, giving his whole heart and attention to the people, links the living symbol of the nation to the people in a bond of mutual understanding and personal affection.
The main concern of His Majesty is uplifting the general well-being of the people. Evidence of this can be drawn from his ceaseless efforts to visit his subjects in the rural areas and learn of their needs.
His Majesty travels many thousands of kilometers throughout the kingdom and, whenever possible, suggests ways to overcome the difficulties.
His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulate the Great came to the throne on June 9, 1946. The meaning of his name is "Strength of the Land, incomparable Power". Since that date he has reigned over the Kingdom of Thailand as a constitutional monarch. At the Coronation Ceremony on May 5, 1950, His Majesty the King pronounced the traditional Oath of Accession which stated: "We will reign with righteousness for the benefit and happiness of the Siamese people". His Majesty's actions since then have thoroughly reflected those words and have always been directed towards increasing the welfare and prosperity of the Thai nation.
On his birthday, which is observed as a National Holiday, all his subjects rejoice in demonstrating once more their affection and loyalty to him. Religious rites are held, houses and buildings are decorated with flags, lights and his portraits.
Elephants
This is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Thailand. The most elephants are in Surin Province. Many tourists go there to ride on an elephant, through the jungle.
Tuk Tuk
It is the different kind of taxi in Thailand. The reason we call it Tuk Tuk is because the noise of the engine. It has three wheels with no doors and windows. At the back there is a long seat for about three people to sit on. Muay Thai (Thai Boxing) Thai boxing originated as a mode of self defense and developed to become a sport. It is well-known for its various types of forward and backward elbow strikes, Knee strikes, swing and reversing kicks, foot jabbing and all types of fist blows. A great deal of training and coaching is required to develop this skill.
In the old days, Thai traditional boxers "had their fists and the lower arms wrapped in strings and then soaked in a starchy liquid, granulated glassy material was sprinkled on to lend additional devastating effects. When dry and hard, the pair of dress fists becomes a deadly lethal weapon." (Chaleo Mailer 1980: 23)
Thai boxers of today wear regular gloves and rattan headbands entering a ring with much ceremony - typical of Thai folk beliefs associated with martial sports. At every event of Thai boxing, there is a traditional musical band to provide traditional martial music for the fight. The band consists of Javanese pipe, a pair of two face drums and cymbals. Any tune can be played and varies with the phases of the fights. There is a tune for the ritual, for shadow boxing. During the fighting, the piper can change the tune or the tempo to suit the action of the fighting.
For physical protection, a Thai boxer wears boxing trunks with a protective cup sewn on inside to prevent injury from kicks and kneeing. As for spiritual protection, Thai boxers believe in all kinds of charms and talismans. That is the reason for wearing lustral thread around the head and rings of charms around the biceps. No woman is allowed to go into the canvas ring for fear that her influence should destroy the strength and skill of the boxers.
Thai boxers are graded from fly weight to heavy weight, but welter, middle and heavy weight fights are rare. As with other styles of boxing, a referee controls the fight inside the ring and there are two judges who keep score outside the ring. At the opening sound of music, the two boxers in the ring will perform a short ritual of "Wai Khru" (paying homage to the teachers) and this quite often proceeds to a staging of the Four-faced Brahman dance which symbolizes four virtues: compassion, temperance, prudence and justice. Upon the completion of the preflight rites, boxers return to their respective corners to have their ceremonial headband removed and receive the last preflight instruction from their trainers. At the signal from the ring referee to fight, both boxers go into action. They fight 3 minutes rounds alternated by 2 minutes rest periods.
For foreign visitors, even if you are not interested in boxing and have never seen it before, you are almost certain to enjoy a Thai boxing match for the enthusiasm of the crowd is infectious. Thai Massages
"Nuat phaen boran" is the Thai name for a type of body work native to Thailand (nuat=massage, phaen=manner, boran=ancient). Thai massage is also known as northern-style Thai massage, Buntautuk style, Old Medicine Hospital Style, traditional Thai massage, Traditional Thai Medical Massage, Thai Yoga, Thai Yoga Massage, yoga massage, Thai classical massage, Thai bodywork, passive yoga, or assisted yoga.
Songkran Festival
Of all the feasts and festivals in Thailand, which are many, the Songkran Festival is the most striking, for it is widely observed not only in this country but also in Burma, Cambodia and the Lao State.
Songkran is a Sanskrit word in Thai form which means the entry of the sun into any sign of the Zodiac. But the Songkran in this particular instance is when the sun enters the sign of Aries or the Ram. It is their traditional New Year when they can enjoy their holidays to the full with no economic hindrance. Songkran is a fixable feast on the solar calendar. It begins on the 13th April and ends on the 15th April, but occasionally in certain years on the 16th April. Loy Krathong The full moon night of November is "Loy Krathong Day". Loy is "to float" and Krathong is a "leaf cup" usually made of banana leaf as one often sees in the market. The leaf cup is used to hold something. Loy Krathong is, therefore, the floating of lights in a leaf cup. During October and November, all the rivers and canals in the lowlands are flooded and the waters in some places overflow their banks. It is the time of rejoicing for the weather is fair after the rains. The sky becomes bright and clear, but without its dampness. After the strenuous labor of plugging and planting rice for the last three months at a stretch from dawn till dusk, for the country-folk the heavy work is now over. The peasants have only to wait a month or more for the time of reaping. During this interval they have nothing much economically to do, but to spend a comparative time of leisure with feasts and festivals, of which there are many in the months of October and November.
In the evening, when the full moon begins to rise in November, the people carry one or two krathongs to the edge of brimful running water. After the candle and incense sticks in the krathong are lit, they let it go gently on the surface of the placid waters. They watch the krathong as they float along the water until they are out of sight.
It is an aesthetic please sure to see many krathongs with their flickering candle lights bobbing gently up and down, borne along the silent and placid flooded waters under the light of a full moon. Geography:
The kingdom of Thailand lies in the heart of Southeast Asia, making it a natural gateway to Indochina, Myanmar and Southern China. Its shape and geography divide into four natural regions : the mountains and forests of the North; the vast rice fields of the Central Plains; the semi-arid farm lands of the Northeast plateau; and the tropical islands and long coastline of the peninsula South. The country comprises 76 provinces that are further divided into districts, sub-districts and villages. Bangkok is the capital city and center of political, commercial, industrial and cultural activities. It is also the seat of Thailand's revered Royal Family, with His Majesty the King recognized as Head of State, Head of the Armed Forces, Upholder of the Buddhist religion and Upholder of all religions. 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. Neighboring countries:
1) Myanmar - west and north,
2) Lao P.D.R. - north and northeast,
3) Cambodia - southeast and
4) Malaysia - south.
Area: 513,115 sq. km.
Topography: Thailand is divided into 4 natural regions:
The mountainous North, with its profusion of multi-colored orchids, fascinating native handicrafts and winter temperatures are sufficiently cool to permit cultivation of temperate fruits such as strawberries and peaches;
The high Northeast Plateau, which still jealously guards its many archaeological and anthropological mysteries;
The Central Plain, one of the world's most fertile rice and fruit-growing areas with colorful traditional culture and way of life as well as the sandy beaches of the East Coast and vibrant cosmopolitan Bangkok;
The peninsular South is where the unspoiled beaches and idyllic islands complement economically vital tin mining, rubber cultivation and fishing.
Population:Thais are well-known for their friendliness and hospitality. A large majority of over 62 million citizens of Thailand are ethnic 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.
People: Thai (80%), Chinese (10%), Malay (3%), and the rest are minorities (Mons, Khmers, hill tribes) Ethnic Thais form the majority, though the area has historically been a migratory crossroads, and has thus produced a degree of ethnic diversity. Integration is such, however, that culturally and socially there is enormous unity.
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. English and some European languages are spoken in most hotels, shops and restaurants in major tourist destinations, and Thai-English road and street signs are found nationwide.
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Tom Yam Kung
Kaeng Khiao Wan Kai 
Phat Kaphrao
