This week we will start with One
of Asia’s most popular tourist destinations all over the world ;
Thailand
Thailand’s reputation for hedonism attracts thousands of
backpackers and its natural beauty also attracts an increasing amount of
holiday-makers. Thailand is a mystical country which leaves a life long
impression on anyone who visits. It offers a rich history, smiling locals, some
interesting quirks and of course an unforgettable experience.
There are some
general information about Thailand:
Thailand (TY-land or /ˈtaɪlənd/), officially the Kingdom of
Thailand , formerly known as Siam (Sayam), is a country located at the centre
of the Indochina peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by
Burma and Laos, 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 the southern
extremity of Burma. 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 country is a constitutional monarchy, headed by King
Rama IX, the ninth king of the House of Chakri, who, having reigned since 1946,
is the world's longest-serving head of state and the longest-reigning monarch
in Thai history. The king of Thailand is titled Head of State, Head of the
Armed Forces, the Upholder of the Buddhist religion, and the Defender of all
Faiths.
Thailand is the world's 51st-largest country in terms of
total area, with an area of approximately 513,000 km2 (198,000 sq mi), and is
the 20th-most-populous country, with around 64 million people. The capital and
largest city is Bangkok, which is Thailand's political, commercial, industrial
and cultural hub. 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. The primary religion is Buddhism, which is practiced by around 95% of
the population.
Thailand experienced rapid economic growth between 1985 and
1995, and is presently a newly industrialized country and a major exporter.
Tourism also contributes significantly to the Thai economy, as the country is
home to a number of well-known tourist destinations, including Ayutthaya,
Pattaya, Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin and Ko Samui. There are
approximately 5.2 million legal and illegal migrants in Thailand, and the
country has also attracted a number of expatriates from developed countries.
Language:
The official language of Thailand is Thai, a Tai–Kadai
language closely related to Lao, Shan in Burma, and numerous smaller languages
spoken in an arc from Hainan and Yunnan south to the Chinese border. It is the
principal language of education and government and spoken throughout the
country. The standard is based on the dialect of the central Thai people, and
it is written in the Thai alphabet, an abugida script that evolved from the
Khmer script. Several other dialects exist, and coincide with the regional
designations. Southern Thai is spoken in the southern provinces, and Northern
Thai is spoken in the provinces that were formally part of the independent
kingdom of Lannathai.
Thailand is also host to several other minority languages,
the largest of which is the Lao dialect of Isan spoken in the northeastern
provinces. Although sometimes considered a Thai dialect, it is a Lao dialect,
and the region in where it is traditionally spoken was historically part of the
Lao kingdom of Lan Xang. In the far south, Yawi, a dialect of Malay, is the
primary language of the Malay Muslims. Varieties of Chinese are also spoken by
the large Chinese population, with Teochew being best represented.
Numerous tribal languages are also spoken, including those
belonging to the Mon–Khmer family, such as Mon, Khmer, Viet, Mlabri and Orang
Asli; Austronesian family, such as Cham and Moken; Sino-Tibetan family such as
Lawa, Akhan, and Karen; and other Tai languages such as Nyaw, Phu Thai, and
Saek. Hmong is a member of the Hmong–Mien languages, which is now regarded as a
language family of its own.
English is a mandatory school subject, but the number of
fluent speakers remains very low, especially outside the cities.
Religion:
The national religion is Theravada Buddhism. Thai Buddhism
ranks amongst the highest in the world. According to the last census (2000)
94.6% of the total population are Buddhists of the Theravada tradition. Muslims
are the second largest religious group in Thailand at 4.6%.[1][71] Thailand's
southernmost provinces – Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and part of Songkhla
Chumphon have dominant Muslim populations, consisting of both ethnic Thai and
Malay. The southern tip of Thailand is mostly ethnically Malay, and most Malays
are Sunni Muslims. Christians represent 0.7% of the population. A small
community of Sikhs in Thailand and some Hindus also live in the country's
cities. There is also a small Jewish community in Thailand, dating back to the
17th century.
For more information http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailand
Visa & Customs
GENERAL INFORMATION
As a general rule, any foreigner seeking entry into the
Kingdom of Thailand for business, investment, study, medical treatment, mass
media, religion, employment and other purposes is required to apply for a visa
from a Thai Embassy or Consulate-General. To do so, a foreigner must possess a
valid passport or travel document that is recognized by the Royal Thai
Government and comply with the conditions set forth in the Immigration Act
B.E.2522 (1979) and its related provisions.
Foreigners who fall into any of the following categories are
prohibited to enter the Kingdom.
Having no genuine
and valid passport or document used in lieu of passport; or having a genuine
and valid passport or document used in lieu of passport without visaing by the
Royal Thai Embassies or Consulates in foreign countries; or from the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, except if a visa is not required for certain types of
aliens in special instances. Visaing and visa exemption will be under the terms
and conditions as provided in the Ministerial Regulations.
Having no
appropriate means of living following entrance into the Kingdom.
Having entered
into the Kingdom to take occupation as a labourer, or to take employment by
using physical energy without skills or training , or to work in violation of
the Alien Work Permit Law.
Being mentally
unstable or having any of the diseases as prescribed in the Ministerial
Regulations.
Having not yet
been vaccinated against smallpox or inoculated or undergone any other medical
treatment for protection against disease and having refused to have such
vaccinations administered by the Immigration Doctor.
Having been
imprisoned by the judgement of the Thai Court; or by a lawful injunction; or by
the judgement of the Court of foreign country, except when the penalty is for
petty offense or negligence or is provided for as an exception in the
Ministerial Regulations.
Having behavior
which would indicate possible danger to the Public or likelihood of being
nuisance or constituting any violence to the peace or safety of the public or
to the security of the public or to the security of the nation, or being under
warrant of arrest by competent officials of foreign governments.
Reason to believe
that entrance into the Kingdom was for the purpose of being involved in
prostitution, the trading of women of children, drug smuggling, or other types
of smuggling which are contrary to the public morality.
Having no money or
bond as prescribed by the Minister under Section 14 of the Immigration Act B.E.
2522 .
Being a person
prohibited by the Minister under Section 16 of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522.
Being deported by
either the Government of Thailand that of or other foreign countries; or the
right of stay in the Kingdom or in foreign countries having been revoked; or
having been sent out of the Kingdom by competent officials at the expense of
the Government of Thailand unless the Minister shall consider exemption on an
individual special case basis.
The examination and diagnosis of disease of a physical or
mental nature, including protective operations as against disease, shall be
conducted by the Immigration Doctor.
Information on location and contact number of the Thai
Embassy and Consulate-General abroad could be obtained from the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, Department of Consular Affairs, Visas and Travel Documents
Division, 123 Chaengwattana Road, Bangkok 10210, Tel. (662) 981-7171 ext.
3201-2, 3204-5 or direct line 575-1062-4, Fax. (662) 575-1066 , E-mail :
div1303@mfa.go.th
Note: Please check the period of stay stamped in your
passport by the immigration officer. Visitors who overstay their visa will, at
the time of their departure, be fined 500 baht for each excess day.
CUSTOMS
Duty Free Allowance
The duty free allowance will be applied to accompanied
personal effects up to Bath 10,000 worth if i) the items are intended for your
own personal or professional uses; ii) the quantity are reasonable; and iii)
the items are not subject to prohibition or restriction.
However, there are limits on the amount of alcoholic
beverages, cigarettes, cigars and smoking tobacco to which you may include in
your duty free personal exemption as follows:
200 cigarettes or
250 grams of cigars or smoking tobacco
1 litre of
spirituous liquor.
Personal effects do not include motor vehicles and motor
vehicle parts regardless of the length of time used and owned.
More information about visa http://www.mfa.go.th/web/12.php
Thai Foods
Thai food is known for its enthusiastic use of fresh (rather
than dried) herbs and spices as well as fish sauce.
Thai food is popular in many Western countries especially in
Australia, New Zealand, some countries in Europe such as the United Kingdom, as
well as the United States, and Canada.
Instead of a single main course with side dishes found in
Western cuisine, a Thai full meal typically consists of either a single dish or
rice khao with many complementary dishes served concurrently.
Rice is a staple component of Thai cuisine, as it is of most
Asian cuisines. The highly prized, sweet-smelling jasmine rice is indigenous to
Thailand. This naturally aromatic long-grained rice grows in abundance in the
verdant patchwork of paddy fields that blanket Thailand's central plains. Its
aroma bears no resemblance to the sweet smell of jasmine blossoms, but like
jasmine flowers, this rice is precious and fragrant, a small everyday delight.
Steamed rice is accompanied by highly aromatic curries, stir-frys and other
dishes, incorporating sometimes large quantities of chillies, lime juice and
lemon grass. Curries, stir-frys and others may be poured onto the rice creating
a single dish called khao rad gang , a popular meal when time is limited.
Sticky rice khao neow is a unique variety of rice that contains an unusual
balance of the starches present in all rice, causing it to cook up to a
pleasing sticky texture. It is the daily bread of Laos and substitutes ordinary
rice in rural Northern and Northeastern Thai cuisine, where Lao cultural
influence is strong.
Noodles, known throughout parts of Southeast Asia by the
Chinese name kwaytiow, are popular as well but usually come as a single dish,
like the stir-fried Pad Thai or noodle soups. Many Chinese cuisine are adapted
to suit Thai taste, such as khuaytiow rue, a sour and spicy rice noodle soup.
There is uniquely Thai dish called nam prik which refers to
a chile sauce or paste. Each region has its own special versions. It is
prepared by crushing together chillies with various ingredients such as garlic
and shrimp paste using a mortar and pestle. It is then often served with
vegetables such as cucumbers, cabbage and yard-long beans, either raw or
blanched. The vegetables are dipped into the sauce and eaten with rice. Nam
prik may also be simply eaten alone with rice or, in a bit of Thai and Western
fusion, spread on toast.
Thai food is generally eaten with a fork and a spoon.
Chopsticks are used rarely, primarily for the consumption of noodle soups. The
fork, held in the left hand, is used to shovel food into the spoon. However, it
is common practice for Thais and hill tribe peoples in the North and Northeast
to eat sticky rice with their right hands by making it into balls that are
dipped into side dishes and eaten. Thai-Muslims also frequently eat meals with
only their right hands.
Often thai food is served with a variety of spicy condiments
to embolden the dish. This can range from dried chili pieces, sliced chili
peppers in rice vinegar, to a spicy chili sauce such as the nam prik mentioned
above.
No comments:
Post a Comment