People
The vast majority (roughly 80%) of Thailand’s nearly 65 million
citizens are ethnically Thai. The remainders consist primarily of
people of Chinese, Indian, Malay, Mon, Khmer, Burmese, and
Lao decent. Of the 7 million citizens or more who live in the
capital city, Bangkok, there is a greater diversity of ethnicities,
including a large number of expatriate citizens from across the
globe. Other geographic distinctions of the population include
a Muslim majority in the south near the Malaysian border, and
hill tribe ethnic groups, such as the Hmong and Karen, who live
in the northern mountains.
Religion
94.6% are Buddhist, 4.6% are Muslim, 0.7% are Christian, the
remainder are mainly Hindus and Sikhs.
Government
Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, not dissimilar to England,
whereby an elected Prime Minister is authorized to be the head
of government and a hereditary King is head of state. The
constitution of Thailand allows for Thais to democratically elect
their leaders in the form of a parliament, with a bicameral
legislature consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives, and executive authority in the hands of the Prime Minister. A Judiciary, overseen by the Supreme Court, was designed
to act independently of the executive and the legislature.
Economy
The economy of Thailand is reliant on exports, which account
for 60% of Thailand’s approximately US$ 200 billion GDP. The
economy of Thailand is the 2nd largest in Southeast Asia.
Thailand’s exports consist primarily of agricultural products including fish and rice, of which it is the largest exporter in the
world, as well as textiles, rubber, automobiles, computers and
other electronic appliances, and jewelry. Although one of the
premier tourist destinations in the world, tourism provides only
7 % of Thailand’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Weights and Measures
Thailand uses the metric system for all weights and measurements with the exception for area, which Thais divide into
Wa and Rai.
Electricity
Electrical outlets in Thailand are charged to 220 volts at 50
cycles per second, which is compatible with appliances from
the U.K. but not those from the US and many other countries.
While most computer cables have adaptors, visitors from the
U.S. and those not on the 220/50 volts will have to bring adapters to run most other appliances. Outlets in Thailand generally
feature flat, two-pronged plugs, though some feature holes
for round plug ends. Few outlets feature three holes (grounded
outlets) so it is often necessary to have a three to two prong
adapter when using notebook computers in Thailand.
Accommodation
Thailand hotels are some of the finest in the world, whether
they are five star luxury spa retreat centers or a quaint familyrun beachfront bungalow. There is a hotel in Thailand for every
type of traveler on every budget. That being said, the best
prices are during Thailand’s off-peak season (May to August),
while the most expensive prices are typically during the cool
season (December to February). Whether your accommodation choices is a home stay with local villagers, a guesthouse in
a backpacker district, a beach bungalow, or in a five star hotel,
unless you have booked ahead, settle for nothing less than the
warmest “land of smiles” hospitality.
Telephone
The Thai phone system is both modern and widespread, with
comprehensive coverage for cell phones. Emergency numbers
are often three or four digit numbers, including Tourist Police,
which is 1155.
Currency
The currency of Thailand is the Thai Baht. Baht comes in both
coin and banknote form. The size of Thai currency, both coins
and bills increases with value and varies in color.
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