Thailand
is the only Southeast Asian country that was never colonized
by an European country. In fact, in the Thai language, the name
of the country is Prathet Thai which means “land of the
free.” Very fitting!
Thailand
is where you’ll find both the smallest and the largest
creatures. The smallest mammal in the world, the bumblebee bat,
calls Thailand home. You can also find the largest fish, the
whale shark, in Thai waters.
Males were all Buddhist monks for a while. There was a time
when all young men in Thailand (including royalty) were required
to become Buddhist monks–even if only for a short period
of time–before they turned 20. This practice is not observed
as it used to be these days, however.
You’re lucky that you know Bangkok as “Bangkok.”
Its real name is one of the longest names of a place in the
world, made up of Pali and Sanskrit root words: Krungthepmahanakhon
Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom
Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit.
What does that name mean? It means “City of Angels, Great
City of Immortals, Magnificent City of the Nine Gems, Seat of
the King, City of Royal Palaces, Home of Gods Incarnate, Erected
by Visvakarman at Indra’s Behest.”
People often marvel at the forests and jungles of Thailand,
but there used to be more. What most people don’t realize
is that over one hundred years ago, nearly all of northern Thailand
was covered in hardwood forest. Today, about a quarter of that
forest is left. Only Singapore has lost more trees. For this
reason, logging is completely banned in Thailand.
One-tenth of the entire population of Thailand lives in Bangkok.
It is the capital of this great nation, and, of course, the
largest city. Bangkok is the largest city in Thailand.
Thailand
loves its King, and shows great respect for the monarchy. The
well-known Hollywood movie “The King and I” was
never shown in Thai theaters because it was considered to be
derogatory to the King. How serious are they about their King?
Thailand has the lese majeste rule, meaning that if you commit
disrespectful acts toward the King, you could be imprisoned
for treason.
His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts
in the United States. He is the grandson of King Chulalongkorn
or Rama V. The King is highly educated, with an engineering
degree from Switzerland. His grandfather was credited with bringing
modernism to Thailand.
There are about 35,000 temples in Thailand. Thailand is truly
a land of temples. Visiting them requires modest clothing, meaning
no shorts or sleeveless shirts.
Showing respect for another person’s head is imperative
in Thailand. The head is considered to be the most important
part of the body, and so Thai culture forbids touching anyone
on the head (even a child). Should you meet someone who is older
or more important than you, it is best to lower your head in
deference to show proper respect.
