9781422275573

T H A I L A N D

ASIAN  COUNTRIES TODAY

ASIAN  COUNTRIES TODAY

CHINA INDONESIA JAPAN MALAYSIA

PHILIPPINES SINGAPORE SOUTH KOREA THAILAND VIETNAM

T H A I L A N D

ASIAN  COUNTRIES TODAY

CATRINA  DANIElS-COwART

MASON CREST

PHIlADElPHIA MIAMI

MASON CREST 450 Parkway Drive, Suite D, Broomall, Pennsylvania 19008 (866) MCP-BOOK (toll-free) • www.masoncrest.com Copyright © 2020 by Mason Crest, an imprint of National Highlights, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Printed in the United States of America First printing 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

ISBN (hardback) 978-1-4222-4271-1 ISBN (series) 978-1-4222-4263-6 ISBN (ebook) 978-1-4222-7557-3 Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file with the Library of Congress

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Thailand at a Glance ....................................................................6 Chapter 1: Thailand’s Geography & landscape.........................11 Chapter 2: The Government & History of Thailand................... 19 Chapter 3 : The Thai Economy.................................................... 35 Chapter 4 : Citizens of Thailand—People, Customs & Culture...49 Chapter 5: Famous Cities of Thailand........................................65 Chapter 6: A Bright Future for Thailand.....................................77 Thai Food .................................................................................... 82 Festivals & Holidays .................................................................. 86 Series Glossary of Key Terms...................................................... 88 Chronology.................................................................................. 90 Further Reading & Internet Resources....................................... 91 Index............................................................................................ 92 Organizations to Contact............................................................ 95 Author’s Biography & Credits...................................................... 96

KEY ICONS TO lOOK FOR: WORDS TO UNDERSTAND: These words with their easy-to-understand definitions will increase the reader’s understanding of the text while building vocabulary skills. SIDEBARS: This boxed material within the main text allows readers to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. EDUCATIONAL VIDEOS: Readers can view videos by scanning our QR codes, providing them with additional educational content to supplement the text. Examples include news coverage, moments in history, speeches, iconic sports moments, and much more! TEXT-DEPENDENT QUESTIONS: These questions send the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there.

RESEARCH PROJECTS: Readers are pointed toward areas of further inquiry connected to each chapter. Suggestions are provided for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis.

SERIES GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS: This back-of-the-book glossary contains terminology used throughout this series. words found here increase the reader’s ability to read and comprehend higher-level books and articles in this field.

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The Geography of Thailand

Location: South Eastern Asia, on the border of the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, south of Burma  Area:         Around three times larger than                       Florida total :         318,837.98 square miles                       (513,120 sq. km) land:          317,452.32 square miles                       (510,890 sq. km) water:       1,385.66 square miles                       (2,230 sq. km) Borders:   The closest neighbors to Thailand                       include: Burma, laos , Malaysia,                         Cambodia  Climate:   Tropical climate with a cloudy                       southwest monsoon season from                       mid-May through September.                       Rainy and warm. A cool, dry                       northeast monsoon season from                       November through mid-March. The                      southern isthmus is always humid                       and hot  Terrain:   Khorat Plateau in the east,                       mountains surrounding the central                      plain Elevation Extremes: lowest        point:        Gulf of Thailand (sea level) highest     Doi Inthanon 8,415 feet   point:        (2,565 meters) above sea level  Natural Hazards: droughts, land subsidence in Bangkok region as a result of the depletion of the water table. Source: www.cia.gov 2017

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The flag of Thailand is called the “tricolour flag,”                            which is trairanga in Thai. It has five horizontal stripes                            in the order of red, white, blue, white, and red. The                            central stripe is blue and is twice the width of the red and white stripes, which are equal in width to one another. The original flag of Thailand had a white elephant in its center, which is why the Kingdom of Thailand is known as the “Country of white Elephants.” The elephant has not been present on the current flag since 1917, when it was replaced with the blue stripe. The use of red, white, and blue is a reference to Thailand’s solidarity with the Allies throughout the First world war. It had particularly close ties with France. Despite changing Thailand’s name from Siam to Thailand in 1939, the flag has not been altered since the First world war. when interpreting the flag of Thailand, remember that blue represents the monarchy; white represents the purity of the nation, along with Buddhism; and red represents the blood that was shed while the Thai fought for their freedom.

F L A G O F T H A I L A N D

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The People of Thailand Population: 68,615,858 Ethnic Groups: Thai (97.5%),               Burmese (1.3%) Other (1.1%) Age Structure:              0–14 years: 16.73%                (11,478,637)              15-24 years: 13.83%                (9,489,892)               25-54 years: 46.12%               (31,646,135)              55-64 years: 12.35%                 (8,474,626)              65 years and over: 10.97%                (7,529,260) Population Growth Rate:              0.29% Death rate:              8.1 deaths/1,000 pop. Migration rate:              0 migrants/1,000 pop. Infant Mortality Rate:              9 deaths/1,000 live births Life Expectancy at Birth:              total population: 75.1 years              male: 71.9 years              female:  78.5 years Total fertility rate:              1.52 children born/woman Religions:              Buddhist (94.6 %), Muslim (4.3%),               Christian (1%) Languages:              Thai (90.7%), Other (6.4%,               including Malay and Burmese) Literacy rate:              92.9%                   Source: www.cia.gov 2018

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A view of Railay beach which is only accessible by boat because of its impressive limestone rock formations.

cyclones: systems of winds that rotate inward toward an area with low atmospheric pressure; rotations travel counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere

fantastic: extraordinary; extremely attractive humid: having a lot of moisture in the air oceanic: relating to the ocean

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C H A P T E R

1 THAILAND’S GEOGRAPHY & LANDSCAPE W elcome to Thailand! This tropical country has a beautiful layout filled with mountains, oceanic views and central plains. Enjoy the busy city life in Bangkok and relaxing tourist spots on the local beaches. With a variety of plants and animals, unique tourist destinations and various things to do and see, it’s a fantastic country to get to know. Geography Located in South Eastern Asia, Thailand is a tropical country with a hot, rainy, and humid climate. It borders Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, and Myanmar, taking up an area approximately three times the size of the state of Florida. The geography of Thailand is interesting, with the central area made up of plains, while the Khorat Plateau is in the east. Mountains account for all other areas within the country. The country borders the Gulf of Thailand, giving it exceptional beaches and marine access. The population of Thailand is generally found within and near Bangkok. There are some clusters of the population living in the extreme southern region of the country, as well as in north and northeast Bangkok. Perhaps most importantly, Thailand controls the only land route from Asia to Malaysia and Singapore, making it a vital destination for many people looking to

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travel to those destinations by land. There have been discussions about creating a bypass by way of a canal that would cross the Kra Isthmus to the Strait of Malacca, but it has yet to be created. The Climate Thailand’s climate is tropical. The country has only three seasons, the hot season, a rainy season, and the dry season. The hot season lasts from March until mid-May. The rainy season lasts from mid-May until October, and the dry season lasts from November to February. This is when the country is at its coolest, though it may still be hot in the south throughout the winter months.

Cyclones

Cyclones , which are also known as              “typhoons,” can come from the               Pacific Ocean or the Indian Ocean. They’re called typhoons when they come from the Pacific side and cyclones when arriving from the Indian Ocean. when they’re formed in the Pacific Ocean, the typhoons travel from east to west. They can affect the main continental areas in Thailand, but they usually impact Vietnam the most. On the other hand, cyclones arrive from east to west or from south to north. They often hit the continental section of Thailand, as well as Myanmar. Fortunately, Thailand is relatively sheltered from these storms, and severe natural disasters from them aren’t common.

In the capital, Bangkok, expect to find hot weather all year. The weather is usually good from mid-November through January. There are typically clear skies and warm weather, with temperatures around 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 degrees Celsius) on average. The temperatures rise in February, and it’s possible to see some thunderstorms at that time. From March through mid-May, the heat reaches intense levels. It averages 99 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius) through these months, and even nights remain hot at around 82 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius). The capital may

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not be as hot as some areas of the country, but it is humid , which is something tourists need to prepare for. When the monsoon season arrives, the temperatures decrease. Temperatures in May, for instance, average 79 degrees Fahrenheit (26 degrees Celsius) each day despite thunderstorms and showers. For those on the peninsula, the climate also remains hot all year, but it doesn’t have dramatic changes like in other parts of the country. Highs are around 91 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius), and the rainy season doesn’t affect the peninsula’s eastern coast as much as other parts of the country. Every year, Thailand sees around 57 inches (144 cm) of rainfall, most of which occurs in September and October.

A typhoon develops in the Anderman Sea, just off the Thai coastline. Storms of this nature can be dangerous.

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Fauna and Flora The fauna and flora of Thailand include distinctive plants and animals. Normally, the forests are filled with hardwoods such as teak, as well as plants like bamboo, pine, and betel. The lowlands are coastal, creating an ideal place for mangroves and rattan. Animal life is unique in Thailand, since the country’s forestlands and coastal regions support larger mammals such as the civet cat, otters, and bears. Gibbons and wild monkeys may also be found in Thailand. The country has over 600 breeding bird species, as well as several common reptiles including lizards, crocodiles, and turtles. Domestic animals—oxen, goats, and sheep—are found in Thailand alongside single-horned rhinoceroses, tapirs, wild hogs and cattle, snakes, and deer.

Watch this video to explore ten of the unique places you need to see if you go to Thailand.

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