Located in the centre of Southeast Asia, Thailand is a fascinating and exotic country to explore. Thailand embraces a rich diversity of cultures and traditions. With its proud history, tropical climate and renowned hospitality, the ‘Land of Smiles’ is a never-ending source of fascination and pleasure for visitors. The Thai economy is largely export driven and strong being the second largest in Southeast Asia.
Its capital, Bangkok, offers incredibly varied attractions. Gleaming skyscrapers, glittering temples, colourful street markets, sophisticated shopping malls, bustling nightlife, and an energy that reflects the incredible economic growth. The scenery and seascapes makes Phuket, Thailand’s biggest island, a dream destination.
Religion
Thailand is one of the most strongly Buddhist countries in the world. The national religion is Theravada Buddhism, a branch of Hinayana Buddhism, practiced by more than 90 per cent of all Thais. The remaining population adheres to lslam, Christianity, Hinduism and other faiths, all are allowed full freedom of expression. Buddhism continues to cast strong influence on daily life.
Language
Thai is the official language, but English is widely understood. English and other European languages are spoken in most of the hotels, shops, restaurants and in other major tourist places. Thai-English road and street signs are common sight across the country.
Weather
Thailand can be best described as tropical and humid for the majority of the country during most of the year. The area north of Bangkok has a climate determined by three seasons while the southern peninsular region of Thailand has only two.
The seasons of north of Thailand are clearly defined. The weather is mostly dry in between November and May. The other season is from May to November, dominated by southwest monsoon the time when rainfall in the north is the heaviest.
Overall the south of Thailand get the most rainfall with around 2,400 millimeters every year, compared to the central and northern regions, both of which get around 1,400 millimeters.
| General | |
| Language | Thai |
| Time Zone | UTC+7 |
| Dialing Code | +66 |
| Electricity | 120V, 50Hz |
| Major Cities | Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Ko Samui |
| Currency | Baht |
| Clothing | Short sleeve shirts are acceptable in most dining venues. Adventure travelers will be more prone to walking shorts and pullover cotton shirts. |
| Health Related |
|
| Mortality Rate | 6.47 |
| Life Expectancy | M 69/ F 75 |
| Patient: Physician Ratio | 2700: 1 |
| Hospitals JCI accredited | 13 |
| Recommended Vaccinations | Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Hepatitis B, Rabies, Diphtheria-tetanus, Measles, Varicella, Japanese encephalitis and Yellow fever. |
| Other Infections | Scrub Typhus, Spotted fever rickettsoioses, Hepatitis E, Chikungunya fever |
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Tourism Related |
|
| Population | 65,998,436 |
| Global Competitiveness | 4.54 |
| Tourism Competitiveness | 4.4/7 |
| GDP/Capita | 7,906.7 |
| Health and Hygiene | 4.4/7 |
| Safety and Security | 3.9/7 |
| Air Transport Infrastructure | 4.5/7 |
| Tourism Infrastructure | 4.3/7 |
| Cultural Infrastructure | 3.8/7 |
| Visa Requirements | 75/133 |
| Reliability of Police Services | 71/133 |
| Physician Density | 104/133 |
| Hospital Beds | 77/133 |
| Quality of Air Transport Infrastructure | 28/133 |
| International Air Transport Network | 26/133 |
| Quality of Roads | 32/133 |
| Hotel Rooms | 48/133 |
| Tourism Openness | 31/133 |
| Attitude of Population Towards Foreign Visitors | 13/133 |