The Land of Smiles

Thailand is sometimes referred to as the Land of Smiles. When talking with foreigners, Thais smile a lot, but these smiles aren’t always easy to interpret. Sometimes it can mean yes, sometimes it means no, but many times it just means “I don’t understand.”

Buddhism in Thailand

Buddhism is practised by an estimated 65 million people in Thailand, representing more than 93% of the Thai population.

Bangkok’s Official Name

Can you find any place that has a longer name than Bangkok?

Bangkok’s Official Name: “Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit.”

The meaning is simply, “the City of Angels.”

Seasons in Thailand

The seasons in Thailand is divided into 3 seasons: the hot season, rainy season, and cool season. While the weather is generally hot and humid all year round for most parts of the country, the temperature is slightly cooler in the Northern Thailand

The Meanings of Colors

For the Thais, colors can have a few different meanings. For example, each day of a week is sometimes represented by a color. The present king, for instance, was born on Monday, so his symbolic flag is yellow.

The Elephant Battle

War Elephants played an important role during the historical wars between Siam and Burma. Some of them were given the title of Chao Phraya, an equivalent to the rank of the most-senior human military officers. In addition, the great war in 1592 was concluded after the Siamese King Naresuan, who had a much smaller army, killed the Burmese Crown Prince Mingyi Swa during the famous personal battle on the back of the elephants.

White Elephants

According to an old law of Thailand, when white elephants are discovered, all of them must be offered as a gift to the king, as they are a symbol of glorious and royal power. The law still applies today. The elephant presentation to the king, however, would only be a ceremony, and elephants are unlikely to be held captive.

Origin of the Thai Alphabet

The creation of the Thai alphabet occurred 700 years ago, and was heavily influenced by the Old Khmer language. King Ramkhamhaeng, who ruled the Sukhothai Kingdom in the 13th century, is often credited as the creator of the script.

The King and Queen of Fruits

The Durian and the Mangosteen are favorite fruits to many Thai people. The former is regarded as the king of fruits, while the latter is known as the queen. However, due to its heavy smell, the Durian is probably the only fruit that is banned in most public areas.