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| Sunday, 19 February 2006 |
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Junior Observer |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Thailand was never a foreign colony In Globescan, we have discussed many East Asian countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Japan and Hong Kong. Today we will have a closer look at another significant East Asian country, Thailand. This beautiful country boasts of never being colonised by a European power.
The Kingdom of Thailand is a country in Southeast Asia, bordering Laos and Cambodia to the east, the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia to the south, and the Andaman Sea and Myanmar (Burma) to the west. Thailand is also known as Siam, which was the country's official name until May 11, 1949. The word Thai means "freedom" in the Thai language. It is also the name of the Thai people - leading some inhabitants, particularly the sizeable Chinese minority, to continue to use the name Siam. Thai culture was greatly influenced by both China and India. Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power, though Western influence, including the threat of force, led to many reforms in the 19th century, and major concessions to British mercantile interests, including the loss of the three southern provinces, which later became Malaysia's three northern states.
According to the Wikipedia Encyclopaedia, in Thailand, the king has little direct power under the constitution, but is the anointed protector of Thai Buddhism and a symbol of national identity and unity. The present monarch enjoys a great deal of popular respect and moral authority, which has on occasion been used to resolve political crises. The head of government is the Prime Minister, who is appointed by the king from among the members of the lower house of parliament, usually the leader of the party that can organise a majority coalition government. Thailand is an active member of the regional Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Thailand is divided into 75 provinces, which are divided into five groups of provinces by location. There are also two special governed districts: the capital Bangkok and Pattaya (Remember, this was once a venue for Sri Lanka's peace talks with the LTTE). However, Pattaya is still part of Chonburi Province. And some Thai people still count Bangkok as one province, making Thailand a 76-province country. Each province is divided into smaller districts - as of 2000 there are 795 districts, 81 sub-districts and 50 districts of Bangkok. However, some parts of the provinces bordering Bangkok are referred to as Greater Bangkok. Thailand is home to several distinct geographic regions, partly corresponding to the provincial groups. The north of the country is mountainous, with the highest point being Doi Inthanon at 2,576 m. The northeast consists of the Khorat Plateau, bordered to the east by the Mekong river. The centre of the country is dominated by the predominantly flat Chao Phraya river valley, which runs into the Gulf of Thailand. The south consists of the narrow Kra Isthmus that widens into the Malay Peninsula. The local climate is tropical and characterised by monsoons. There is a warm,rainy, and cloudy southwest monsoon from mid-May to September, as well as a dry, cool northeast monsoon from November to mid-March. The southern Isthmus is always hot and humid. Major cities beside the capital Bangkok include Nakhon Ratchasima, Udon Thani, Nakhon Sawan, Chiang Mai, Surat Thani, Phuket and Hat Yai (Songkhla Province). The Wikipedia Encyclopaedia states that Thailand's population is dominated by ethnic Thai and Lao, the latter concentrated in the northeastern Isan region and making up around one third of the population. There is also a large community of Thai Chinese, who have historically played a disproportionately significant role in the economy. Bangkok's Chinatown is located on Yaowarat Road. Other ethnic groups include Malays in the south, Mon, Khmer and various indigenous hill tribes. After the end of the Vietnam War, many Vietnam refugees settled in Thailand, mainly in the eastern regions. According to a census conducted in year 2000, 94.6 per cent of Thais are Buddhists of the Theravada tradition. Muslims are the second religious group in Thailand at 4.6 per cent. Most of them are ethnic Malays and they are mostly concentrated in the south, where they form a strong majority in four provinces. Christians, mainly Catholics, represent 0.75 per cent of the population. A tiny, but influential community of Sikhs and some Hindus also live in the country's cities. The Thai language is Thailand's national language, written in its own alphabet, but many ethnic and regional dialects exist, as well as areas where people speak predominantly Isan or Khmer. Although English is widely taught in schools, proficiency is low. Theravada Buddhism is central to Thai identity and belief. Worship of ancestors is a large part of Thai spiritual practice, as well as charity towards Buddhist monks. Thais have a very strong sense of graciousness and hospitality, but also a strong sense of social hierarchy. Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, is the national sport in Thailand and its native martial art. It reached popularity all over the world in the 1990s. Similar martial art styles exist in other southeast Asian countries. The standard greeting in Thailand is a prayer-like gesture called the wai. Taboos include touching someone's head or pointing with the feet, as the head is considered the highest and the foot the lowest part of the body. Stepping over someone, or over food, is considered insulting. Books and other documents are considered the most revered of secular objects - therefore one should not slide a book across a table or place it on the floor. Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, and the King is extremely
respected and revered. It is illegal to insult the Royal Family. Thai
cuisine blends five fundamental tastes: sweet, spicy, sour, bitter and
salty. |
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