See Bangkok, knows Thailand

Next to the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, there is a vast open ground called Sanam Luang or Thung Phra Men. There may not be much going on, but Sanam Luang has some historical significance. At the time when Bangkok was first established, the ground was a rice field and was sometimes used as a location for a royal crematorium, Phra Men in Thai. The ground was, thus, otherwise called as ‘Thung Phra Men’ which means the crematorium ground. In considering that the name was inauspicious, King Rama IV had the ground renamed as ‘Thong Sanam Luang’, or the Royal Ground, and the rice farming there cancelled. The area is used for various public events, most notably for political activities during election time. It is still also used as a crematorium for the high-ranking Royal family members.

If you have a few hours to kill in the afternoon, there are a few places around the Grand Palace that is worth seeing.

Wat Mahathat (วัดมหาธาตุ) This old temple was built in the reign of King Rama I. Located on Na Phrathat Road near Thammasat University, the temple houses Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist University, one of the two highest seats of Buddhist learning in Thailand and also offers meditation classes for foreigners. Open: Daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.Tel: 0 2222 6011; Meditation Centre Tel: 0 2623 6326

The City Pillar Shrine. (ศาลหลักเมือง)According to an old Thai tradition, a city pillar had to be built upon the establishment of a new city. King Rama I had the Bangkok city pillar erected near the Temple of the Emerald Buddha on Sunday, 21 April, 1782, with the city’s horoscope inside. The original pillar was made of cassia wood known as Chaiyaphruek, measuring 75 cm. in diameter and 27 cm. high. In the reign of King Rama IV, the old dilapidated pillar was replaced by a new one made of the same kind of wood, measuring 270 cm. high and standing on a base of 175 cm. wide, sheltered by a Prang-shaped shrine as it appears today. The shrine also houses images of protective deities including Thepharak, Chaopho Ho Klong, Phra Suea Mueang, Phra Song Mueang, Chaopho Chetakhup and Phra Kan Chai Si. Open: Daily Admission: Free

The National Theatre (โรงละครแห่งชาติ), located on Na Phra That Road next to the National Museum, is the official centre of Thai classical performance. Call 0 2224 1342, 0 2222 1092 for a current programme.

Patravadi Theatre (ภัทราวดีเธียเตอร์) is near Wat Rakhang, Thon Buri. Renowned for its lavish productions, this outdoor theatre has gained popularity through its modern adaptations of classical Asian literature, with each play demonstrating an ingenious blend of various theatrical techniques. The theatre also operate a riverside restaurant with some great view and tasty Thai food. Showtime is on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Call 0 2412 7287-8 or www.patravaditheatre.com for a current programme.

10 Things You Must See In Thailand

You just can’t escape the appeals of delicious food, tropical climate, fantastic culture, and gorgeous beaches of Thailand. Certainly, Thailand is one of the most appealing countries in Southeast Asia. Surely, one of the most exotic places, Thailand is a real magnet for the globetrotters from all over the globe.
Offering a number of vacation paradises on its wonderful arenas, Thailand is one of the most coveted vacation destinations in the world. It’s a fantastic destination for beach vacations. Thailand really has numerous tourist attractions, yet here are 10 things that you must see while in Thailand.

Grand Palace – the royal palace and the official residence of the king of Thailand, located on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. The Grand Palace is best known for Wat Phra Kaew, the temple featuring Emerald Buddha, Mythological Giant (Yak), Kinaree - Mythological Creature, Half Bird & Half Woman, Bell Tower, and Chakri Mahaprasad Hall. Wat Arun – the “temple of the dawn” – a surreal Buddhist temple (Wat) located on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River in Bangkok. The remarkable temple, featuring the central prang – Khmer-style tower, is one of the popular tourist attractions in Thailand.

Wat Pho – the temple of the reclining Buddha – a famous Buddhist temple in Phra Nakhon district of Bangkok. It’s also known as Wat Phra Chetuphon. The temple is known as the birthplace of traditional Thai massage. It’s one of the major tourist attractions.
Chiang Mai City Arts & Cultural Center – an ultra modern multimedia historic and cultural education centre, located in the very heart of the old city of Chiang Mai. The center documents the history & culture of the region from the pre-Muang period (7,000-12,000 years ago) to the early river civilizations.

Chaweng Beach – the largest & the most famous of Ko Samui’s beaches. The beach is beautiful and attracts youngsters and families alike. It has many restaurants, bars, souvenir shops, and fast food eateries. It’s a nice place for scuba diving, with many dive shops on the beach. Lamai Beach – a fantastic beach located on the east coast of Ko Samui, Thailand. The beach is a nice place for swimming and other water & beach sports. It’s a wonderful place for eating, drinking, and shopping. It’s a very popular beach vacation destination.

Hin Ta & Hin Yai – the “grandfather” and “grandmother” stones that look like human genitals, located south-west of the Lamai Beach in Ko Samui. The grandfather stone looks like an erect penis, and grandmother stone looks like a vagina. It’s a popular tourist attraction.
Ban Chiang – a famous archeological site located in Nong Han district of the Udon Thani Province of Thailand. The site is famous for the attractive red painted pottery discovered in 1957. The site has been listed in the UNESCO world heritage list. Khao Yai National Park – one of the first and the most famous national parks located in the Dong Phaya Yen Mountains in Thailand. The national park covering an area of 2,168 square kilometers has been listed in the UNESCO world heritage list.

Thungyai – Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuaries – the two famous wild life sanctuaries located in the provinces of Kanchanaburi, Tak and Uthai Thani in Thailand. The two adjoining sanctuaries have been listed in the UNESCO world heritage list.

Author writes for Holiday Velvet, a website providing listings for Hotels, Villas, Villas Koh Samui, and Beach Villa rental in Thailand.

Why is Thailand Such a Popular Travel Destination?

Thailand, or the "Land of Smiles", as it is also called, is one of the most popular tourist destinations. When you ask someone what are his top travel destinations, Thailand will often be the answer. What makes Thailand such a popular tourist destination? We will see that there are quite a few contributing factors that make Thailand such a popular country.
First of all, Thailand isn't called the "Land of Smiles" for nothing; there is a good reason why it has that name. Thailand has the reputation of being a country that is extremely hospitable for tourists. Thais are such nice people, always smiling and trying to help whenever they can. They are genuinely interested and have at heart that everyone who visit's Thailand enjoys their stay. Even though this is a very good reason to visit Thailand, there are a few more that make's it a must for any tourist.
Another reason would be the rich culture and history of the country. When you visit Thailand, you will be amazed at the number of great temples that you can find a bit everywhere. While in Bangkok, everyone should stop by the Grand palace and the temple of the Emerald Buddha. After that, whether you go up North towards Chiang Mai or down south towards Phuket, you will find many temples and a rich culture that is truly unique. Ayutthaya is such a grand sight to behold and is an UNESCO world heritage site. But there are not only nice temples and ruins to visit in Thailand, the natural beauty of the country is one of its greatest assets.
Beautiful beaches in the South, mountains and rainforest to the North, there is really something for everyone in Thailand. Phuket is one of the top destinations in South East Asia and for good reasons. The beaches are superb, the weather is great, what can you ask more? In Thailand there are more beautiful beaches than you can possibly hope to visit during your trip, so you should choose carefully. Koh Phi Phi is one of the most popular and became famous after the movie The Beach. There are hundred of tourists that visit Koh Phi Phi every day. But the North also has its charm, although a different kind of charm. If you want to do some jungle trek, you will be very happy by going around Chiang Mai. It is a very fulfilling experience to do a jungle trek in the mountains around Chiang Mai and to visit some small villages.
Shopping is another reason why so many people go to Thailand. Bangkok is quickly becoming a shopper's paradise. There are huge shopping malls being built around the city and the prices are very good. You can find many bargains if you look around and can also find the top brands in the bigger shopping malls such as Siam Paragon and Central World. If you stop by Bangkok, you should definitely go to the Chatuchak weekend market, the biggest open market in the world. There are over 15,000 stalls and each day hundred of thousands of people go to the market.
Thai food is another reason why people want to go to Thailand. Everyone knows about Thai food, it is very popular and gaining in popularity in Europe and North America. In Thailand, Thai food is much better than what you will find anywhere else and there are restaurants everywhere. There is so much choice of food that when arriving in Thailand you won't know where to eat. Thai cuisine is very diverse, as there are specialties form the North of Thailand and also form the South. You should definitely try a Pad Thai when you arrive in Thailand, you will fall in love with that meal.
Finally, the last reason is the price. Aside from the air ticket, staying in Thailand is very cheap. You can find nice hotels for about 30$ US and if you eat in smaller restaurants it will cost you around 2$. Activities are also very cheap, as is travel. Staying in Thailand won't cost you as much as the air ticket if you want to stay on a budget. You could easily spend a lot of money if you stay in the top hotels, as there are prices for everyone, but you can also easily spend very little each day.
So with all these nice factors that make Thailand truly unique, it is no wonder that it is such a popular destination. Everyone should visit Thailand at least once in their life. All of these factors individually could be enough to visit this wonderful country, but when you add them all together, you get a destination that you won't want to leave.

Please see http://i-shoptheworld.com/world/asia/thailand/ for More Information About Thailand

THAILAND -- CENTRE OF LEARNING AND BUDDHIST TRADITIONS

Thailand’s reputation as a safe and peaceful destination is attracting thousands of foreigners from all over the world to learn more about the 2,547-year-old Buddhist faith and one of its most famous practices, the art of meditation. At Wat Mahathat, the primary centre of meditation studies in Bangkok, nearly 4,000 foreigners have taken courses between 1998 and 2003, and monks are predicting steady growth in the years ahead.
Although Buddhism is the dominant religion in Sri Lanka, Bhutan, throughout the Mekong region, China and Northeast Asia, Thailand has gained an influential position as a centre of learning and knowledge. Major institutions like the World Fellowship of Buddhists and the Mahachulalongkorn-rajavidyalaya Buddhist University are located in Bangkok. Visits to prominent temples accompanied by laymen’s explanations of the faith are standard features of tours taken by the 10 million visitors who travel to Thailand each year.

The West is becoming increasingly enamoured with the ways of the East. Early interest in martial arts like karate and tae-kwon-do has matured to embrace more peaceful practices such as tai chi, yoga, Ayurveda, Thai massage and, of course, meditation. High-profile figures like the Dalai Lama, a Nobel Prize winner, have helped attract more interest in the faith.
The many students of Buddhism and meditation in Thailand range from local expatriate residents to passing visitors. Some seek to study the religion as a philosophy. Others come to learn meditation techniques in order to become instructors themselves in the proliferating number of schools and institutions in the west. Still others seek to become monks. Increasingly, many are studying Buddhist principles for use in business management techniques and conflict resolution. By far the vast majority, however, see Buddhist philosophy and meditation as a means of attaining good mental and physical health, personal fulfillment and satisfaction.
Seeking inner peace is becoming a powerful global phenomenon in the face of seemingly uncontrollable external conflicts and social mayhem. The pursuit of material wealth and bodies-beautiful is widely perceived as a short-sighted and short-term objective that does little to lift the human spirit. The breakdown of family values and the ruthless competition of political and economic systems only accelerate this search. Indeed, monks and meditation instructors note that meditation is non-denominational; by seeking to enhance concentration and mind-power, the technique can be used by anyone to enhance the practice of their own religion, whatever that may be.
Tak Bat Dok Mai Wat Phra Buddha Bat, Saraburi
This philosophy is indeed the bedrock of the Buddhist religion, which was founded by a prince who abandoned his legacy of riches in order to identify with those who were truly suffering, and to pursue Truth and Enlightenment. His simple formula for the alleviation of suffering, known as the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, imparts the message that every human being has it within him/herself to attain peace, starting first with the individual and then expanding, like ripples on a placid lake, to families, communities, even companies and countries.

Wat Mahathat, one of the few places in Thailand which keeps records of its students, says enrollments in its meditation courses rose from 540 in 1998 to 871 in 2002, falling back in 2003 to 596 due to global factors like the SARS crisis and the war in Iraq, which affected travel movements across the world. Women outnumbered men by a ratio of 52:48. Of the 659 students who signed up between March, 2003, and March, 2004, a total of 161 were from the United States, 87 from the UK, 78 from Germany and 45 from Canada. Altogether, there were students from 45 countries, including such distant places as Ecuador, South Africa and Scotland.
To capitalise on the trend and a growing number of inquiries, the Tourism Authority of Thailand recently produced a guidebook which lists places of Buddhist learning throughout Thailand. While many training centres are located in Bangkok, others are forest retreats. Courses range in length from just a weekend to 10 days and four weeks, depending on the level the individual wishes to attain. Students can also choose from a broad range of categories and techniques of learning meditation.
Certainly, the process is an intrinsic part of the search for enlightenment. According to Wat Mahathat’s Phra Suputh Kosalo, students seek to get away from the competitive stress of modern life. They dress in unadorned white attire, eat simple food, abstain from alcohol, avoid exposure to the mass media, maintain as much as possible an elegant silence, clean their own living areas -- all part of the process of expunging pride, arrogance and egotism while acquiring humility, modesty and simplicity.
While it was once difficult to find instructors in English, this is changing. Not only is the new generation of Thai monks more familiar with English, many former students have become skillful enough to instruct others in a variety of foreign languages. At the same time, many foreign students find it more challenging and enlightening if they learn Thai. There is no official ‘charge’ for the various courses; finances are usually handled via donations that are at the discretion of the student.
Dominique Whitehead, 34, a Briton, took a four-week meditation course at Wat Mahathat in April. He says the experience in Thailand was far superior to similar studies he had undertaken in France where he lived for 20 years before moving to Hong Kong. His regular visits to Thailand and the friendships he made got him more interested in Buddhism. Stressing that it is critical and essential to have a good teacher, Dominique says schools that offer ‘meditation classes’ in the West need to obtain some kind of certification about the levels of qualification their instructors have attained. Asked how the classes were helping him in his daily life, he responded, “They help me stay sane.”
As interest grows, Thailand is bringing its neighbours into the fold. Tourism authorities of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand recently launched the concept of ‘Four Countries - One Destination’ which includes joint marketing and promotion programmes based on the region’s shared culture, history and religious background. The officials agreed to identify and link various spots along a Buddhist Pilgrimage Trail, such as Angkor Wat in Cambodia, That Luang in Vientiane, Mandalay in Myanmar and Ayutthaya in Thailand.
This linkage will soon be extended to India and Nepal, where Buddhism took root before being spread eastwards by the Buddha’s disciples in subsequent centuries. The Asian Development Bank is also funding a Buddhist pilgrimage circuit that will include India and Nepal, plus Bhutan and Bangladesh. The bank is seeking to fund transportation linkages and attract long overdue infrastructure investment in some of the world’s holiest spots. The two primary sites are Lumbini in Nepal, where the Buddha was born, and Bodhgaya in India, where he attained enlightenment. Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
By dint of its unique geographical position, Thailand will remain at the heart of these efforts. And its biggest asset will be word-of-mouth promotion. Mr Whitehead says he plans to bring at least 10 of his friends to introduce them to meditation classes in Thailand. As long as the world continues to slide into turmoil and conflict, there will be no shortage of takers for solutions that transcend the conventional.

CULTURE OF THAILAND

The culture of Thailand incorporates a great deal of influence from India, China, Cambodia, and the rest of Southeast Asia. Thailand's national religion Theravada Buddhism is central to modern Thai identity and belief. In practice, Thai Buddhism has evolved over time to include many regional beliefs originating from Hinduism, animism as well as ancestor worship. In areas in the southernmost parts of Thailand, Islam is prevalent. Several different ethnic groups, many of which are marginalized, populate Thailand. Some of these groups overlap into Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia and have mediated change between their traditional local culture, national Thai and global cultural influences. Overseas Chinese also form a significant part of Thai society, particularly in and around Bangkok. Their successful integration into Thai society has allowed for this group to hold positions of economic and political power.

Theravada Buddhism is highly respected in Thailand.
Like most Asian cultures, respect towards ancestors is an essential part of Thai spiritual practice. Thais have a strong sense of hospitality and generosity, but also a strong sense of social hierarchy. Seniority is an important concept in Thai culture. Elders have by tradition ruled in family decisions or ceremonies. Older siblings have duties with respect to younger ones.
The traditional Thai greeting, the wai, is generally offered first by the younger of the two people meeting, with their hands pressed together, fingertips pointing upwards as the head is bowed to touch their face to the hands, usually coinciding with the spoken word "Sawat-dii khrap" for male speakers, and "Sawat-dii ka" for females. The elder then is to respond afterwards in the same way. Social status and position, such as in government, will also have an influence on who performs the wai first. For example, although one may be considerably older than a provincial governor, when meeting it is usually the visitor who pays respect first. When children leave to go to school, they are taught to wai to their parents to represent their respect for them. They do the same when they come back. The wai is a sign of respect and reverence for another, similar to the namaste greeting of India.
Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, is the national sport in Thailand and its native martial art call "Muay." In the past "Muay" was taught to Royal soldiers for combat on battlefield if unarmed. After they retired from the army, these soldiers often became Buddhist monks and stayed at the temples. Most of the Thai people's lives are closely tied to Buddhism and temples; they often send their sons to be educated with the monks. ”Muay” is also one of the subjects taught in the temples.
Muay Thai achieved popularity all over the world in the 1990s. The feature film Fight or Flight, which won "Best Foreign Documentary" at the Long Island Film Festival, documented a westerners journey in the Muay Thai circuit in Thailand Fight or Flight official movie website. Although similar martial arts styles exist in other southeast Asian countries, few enjoy the recognition that Muay Thai has received with its full-contact rules allowing strikes including elbows, throws and knees. This is due to Thailand's economic standing in the world while other nation such as Cambodia, Laos and Burma are listed as the world's Least Developed Countries by the UN. Association football, however, has possibly overtaken Muay Thai's position as most widely viewed and liked sport in contemporary Thai society and it is not uncommon to see Thais cheering their favourite English Premier League teams on television and walking around in replica kits. Another widely enjoyed pastime, and once a competitive sport, is kite flying.
Taboos in Thailand include touching someone's head or pointing with the feet, as the head is considered the most sacred and the foot the dirtiest part of the body. Stepping over someone, or over food, is considered insulting. However, some traditional taboos in Thai culture, as in many other Asian cultures, have lost their meaning and are less of an integrating force in a globalized Thai culture.
Books and other documents are the most revered of secular objects. One should not slide a book across a table or place it on the floor.[citation needed]

Thai seafood curry, an example of Thai cuisine.Thai cuisine blends five fundamental tastes: sweet, spicy, sour, bitter and salty. Some common ingredients used in Thai cuisine include garlic, chillies, lime juice, lemon grass, and fish sauce. The staple food in Thailand is rice, particularly jasmine variety rice (also known as Hom Mali rice) which is included in almost every meal. Thailand is the world's largest exporter of rice, and Thais domestically consume over 100 kg of milled rice per person per year. Over 5000 varieties of rice from Thailand are preserved in the rice gene bank of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), based in the Philippines. The King of Thailand is the official patron of IRRI.

UNITED KINGDOM OF THAILAND

The Kingdom of Thailand is an independent country that lies in the heart of Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Laos and Myanmar, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and Myanmar. Its maritime boundaries include Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast and Indonesia and India in the Andaman Sea to the southwest.
The capital and largest city of Thailand is Bangkok. It is also the country's center of political, commercial, industrial and cultural activities. In the Thai language, the full name of the city is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit; it is usually shortened to "Krung Thep Mahanakorn," or, more colloquially, "Krung Thep", meaning "City of Angels". Outside of Thailand, the city is known throughout the world as Bangkok.
Thailand is the world's 51st-largest country in terms of total area, roughly equal in size to Spain, with a surface area of approximately 513,000 km2 (198,000 sq mi), and the 20th most-populous country, with approximately 63 million people. About 75% of the population is ethnically Thai, 14% is of Chinese origin, and 3% is ethnically Malay; the rest belong to minority groups including Mons, Khmers and various hill tribes. The country's official language is Thai.
Thailand is one of the most devoutly Buddhist countries in the world. The national religion is Theravada Buddhism which is practiced by more than 95% of all Thais.The cultures and traditions in Thailand are significantly influenced by those of India, China and many western countries.
Thailand is a constitutional monarchy with King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the ninth king of the House of Chakri, as the ruling monarch. The King has reigned for more than half a century, making him the longest reigning Thai monarch and the longest reigning current monarch in the world. The King is recognized as the Head of State, the Head of the Armed Forces, the Upholder of the Buddhist religion, and Defender of the Faith. Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia that has never been ruled by a European power. However, during the Second World War, and while claiming neutrality, Thailand was occupied by the armed forces of the Empire of Japan who built the infamous 'Death Railway' using captured Allied Prisoners of War and slave Asian labourers.