Thailand
or Prathet Thai means "Land of the Free",
perhaps better known is the sobriquet "Land
of Smile". When putting on the map, Thailand
is located in the heart of Southeast Asia between
Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. The country
covers 523,000 sq.km and has a population of 60
million.
Bangkok
The
capital city, straddling the great Chao
Phraya River, 12 km. up stream from the
Gulf of Thailand, is an exuberant, exhilarating,
infuriating metropolis of seven million
people.
The
Gulf of Thailand
Known
for superb beaches and delicious seafood,
Cha-am and Hua Hin have long been favored
by Bangkok weekenders, while Pattaya draws
lovers of sports and hectic nightlife.
The towns
of Chaiya and Phetchaburi contain architectural
and artistic treasures. Sunworshipers frequent
Koh Samui's long, sandy beaches on the Western
Seaboard, while other visitors favor Koh
Samet and the sand, simplicity, and solitude
of Koh Chang, both on the east coast.
The
Central Plain
The
fertile plains stretching northward from
Bangkok are the nation's rice basket and
the historic heart-land of the Thai people.
Today is the country's most wealthy and
densely populated region. In the forested
hills that border the Central Plains are
national parks with spectacular waterfalls
and a wide range of wildlife, providing
a pleasant scenic contrast.
Northern
Thailand
Home of ancient
Lanna kingdom. Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai are
filled with ancient monuments and museums,
and markets selling the distinctive local
textiles and handirafts. The scenery of Northern
Thailand is stupendous: mountains, forests,
rice fields set in verdant valleys and several
spectacular national parks.
Southern
Thailand
The
narrow peninsula of Southern Thailand, stretches
from Ranong, on the Burmese border, to Malaysia.
Forested mountains run along much of the interior,
and the hinterland and islands of Phangna
Bay in the Andaman Sea. Some of the country's
best sandy beaches and diving sites are found
along the southern coasts and around the Andaman
islands.
Northeast
Thailand
The
Korat plateau, which takes up most of the
Northeast is mostly barren and scrubland.
To the north and the east of this region and
seperating it from neighboring Laos is the
Mekong River valley. Known locally as Isan,
the Northeast has an extremely rich history.
One of the first area in the world where rice
was cultivated, silk wooven, and bronze produced.
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