Thais are a convivial race. After work or during weekends or on public holidays, They love going to places for re-creation or participating in leisure activities. The capital has a wealth of entertainment places: boxing stadiums, race and golf courses, tennis and squash courts, billiard halls, nightclubs, gourmet restaurants, discotheques, concert halls, teahouses, cocktail lounges, amusement parks, bars, museums, theatres, art galleries, traditional Thai massage centres, zoological gardens and cinemas lure pleasure seekers throughout the year.

THAI DANCE
Thai classical dance is considered one of the most graceful forms of artistic expression. Dancers wear beautiful, brightly-coloured costumes fully decorated with jewels. They do not speak but use eye contact and body movements, particularly hands and fingers, to convey messages, and to indicate subtle changes of mood and feeling. Themes of the dance drama are based on the ancient Hindu Ramayana epic (widely known as Ramakien in Thailand) which depicts the fight between King Rama (a reincarnation of Vishnu) and Demon King Ravana.

The dance is accompanied by percussion instruments and Pi Phat, a type of woodwind. Two of the most popular classical dances are the Khon, performed by men wearing ferocious masks, and the Lakhon, performed by women who play both male and female roles. Originally, dance performances could last for days. In modern times, only a few selected scenes are presented at dinner shows (Khan Toke). There are also other styles of Thai dance, ranging from simple, regional folk dances to elegant palace dances. These are usually performed in revue during Khan Toke dinners with several small pieces from each style. Many hotels and restaurants in Bangkok offer a classical dance show with dinner. The traditional dance performances are also regularly held at the National Theatre (near Sanam Luang ) on weekends.

THEATRE
Theatrical events in Bangkok include Thai dance, concerts, music performance and puppet performances, English and Thai-language dramas, concerts by visiting international artists, musical performances and, occasionally, imported mimes and plays. Visitors are advised to consult the English-language newspapers, particularly the weekly of daily calendar of events, to ascertain the times and dates of current performances.

Major theatrical venues include:
Thailand’s National Theatre, adjacent to the National Museum at Bangkok’s Sanam Luang. The theatre is the venue for concerts and Thai classical drama performances. Weekend performances of Thai dance dramas are periodically staged.

Other venues that stage theatrical and musical performances include the Thailand cultural Centre on Ratchadaphisek Road, The Alliance Francaise Auditorium on south Sathon Road, the AUA Language Centre Auditorium on Ratchadamri Road, the British council Centre in Siam Square and the Goethe Institute on Soi Attakarnprasit, off south Sathon Road.

The Siam Intercontinental Hotel periodically stages British plays, mostly comedies, from London’s West end, featuring accomplished British actors.

TRADITIONAL THAI MASSAGE
Courses are taught principally at Bangkok’s Wat Pho, home of traditional Thai massage and where most of the city’s masseurs are trained, Thai massage is also offered in Wat Mahathat and Wat parinayok, both in Bangkok. There are many tradition Thai massage centres in and around Bangkok that offer various forms of traditional massage, including oil, foot and scalp massage.

SPAS AND BEAUTY TREATMENTS
Some of the finest spas in the world are found in Thailand. Thailand’s spas offer visitors exquisite surroundings, magnificent gardens and holistic philosophy. Treatments range from ancient eastern healing and relaxation techniques to European rejuvenation therapies. Several leading hotels in Thailand offer such services. City spas offer basic treatments while spas in Hua Hin, on Ko Samui, Phuket and other southern islands offer full programmes. Beauty treatments including facials and skin treatments are becoming more and more popular, and there are many places in Bangkok where visitors can have a facial treatment at a very affordable rate.

PARKS AND GARDENS
Bangkok’s parks and gardens offer a welcome respite from the heat and noise of the city. They include:
Lumphini Park at the northern end of Silom Road, and bordered by Wireless and Ratchadamri Roads. Lumphini Park is popular with offers, keep-fit enthusiasts, families and sports people, particularly during the early morning and late afternoon. It is also a nice place for an afternoon picnic in the cool season when concerts are performed in the park.

Chatuchak Park near the Phahonyothin and Viphavadi Rangsit Highway junction at lad Phroa, on the way to Bangkok International Airport, is also the site of a famous weekend market that sells almost everything made and grown in Thailand.

Khao din Zoological Garden is an artfully landscaped enclave with an artificial lake. The zoo neighbours Ratchadamnoen Avenue’s Poyal Plaza and the National Assembly Building, and contains a fine collection of African and Asian mammals, reptiles and birds.

King Rama IX Park (Suan Luang Garden) is an extensive park with botanical gardens and located deep inside Sukhumvit Soi 103 in Bangkok’s eastern public donations in 1987 to celebrate H.M. King Bhumibol ‘s auspicious 60th birthday.

Sanam Luang
This huge public ground is in front of font of the Grand Palace. Special activities or events such as the Royal Ploughing Ceremony in May, King’s Birthday celebration in December and the New Year Festival ordinarily take place here.

At he northern end of Sanam Luang, Opposite the Royal Hotel is a small statue of house of the Goddess of the Earth, built during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (1868-1910) to provide public drinking water.

Pasteur Institute (Snake Farm)
This interesting spot is located on the corner of Henri Dunant Road and Rama IV road west of Chulalongkorn Hospital. It is a section of the Thai Red Cross Society, where one can have an inoculation against cholera, small pox, typhoid as well as rabies. The institute has become a popular tourist attraction because of its large collection of live poisonous snakes.

The Snake Farm is open to the public everyday between 8.30 am. And 4.30 p.m. on weekdays and 8.30 am.-12.00 noon on public holidays. The extraction of venom from the snakes is demonstrated daily at 10.30 am and 2.00 p.m. on weekdays and at 10.30 am on public holidays. An admission fee of 70 Baht is required.

AMUSEMENT AND THEME PARKS
Siam Water Park
Siam Water Park, in merely a 30-minute drive from the Lat Phrao flyover, is located in Munburi. District The park features an extensive man-made sea with artificial surf, whirlpools, fountains and towering water slides amid carefully landscaped gardens. Satellite attractions includechildrens playgrounds, aviaries, open zoo and botanical gardens.

The complex is open daily from 10:0 to 18:00 hours (weekdays) and 09’00 to 19’00 hours (weekends). Admission fee is 200 baht for adults and 100 baht for children.

Safari World
The adjacent Safari World feature’s collection of African and Asian mammals, including lions, tigers, giraffes, zebras and bears that live in natural surroundings. The sprawling complex also contains Asia’s largest aviary with over 4,000 birds.

Situated on wasteland at 99 Thanon Ram Inthra 1, at kilometre 9, Safari World is divided into two parts. The first part is Safari Park, an open zoo with wild animals like zebra, deer, giraffe, tiger lion, bear, bird and so forth. Tourists may take a drive in this area, using private cars or taking guided tours, which can be arranged upon request, to observe the animals living in a natural environment. The second part is the Marine Park and water garden where there is a wide variety of marine animals and other rare animals, including shows of trained dolphin, bird, seal and monkey. In addition there are many restaurants and game stalls for throwing darts, loops, shooting, etc. There is a tram to take tourists on a tour around the Marine Park.

Dream World
{add dreamworld.jpg} Located at kilometre 7 on Rangsit- Ongkharak Road, Thanyaburi District of Pathumthani Province, Dream World has within its compound a Fantasy land and a wide variety of amusement machines and games. It is open during weekday from 09:30 to 17:00 hours and 09:30 and 19:00 during weekends and official holidays.

Admission fees plus fee for stage entertainment for adults and children are 95 Baht and 80 Baht respectively.

NIGHT LIFE
{add nightlife2.jpg} Thailand’s English-language newspapers carry daily listings of concerts, exhibitions, displays and cinematic offerings. Complimentary weekly tourist publications such as This Week, Explore Pattaya, etc., contain additional information with emphasis on dining and nightlife attractions. Beer bars, cocktail lounges and pubs are mostly concentrated in the Sukhumvit, New Phetchaburi and Silom Road areas. Metro magazine, available in most bookstores and hotel kiosks, also offers a great many listings for visitors and locals, highlighting popular restaurants, movies, bars and nightclubs and more.

Phat Phong & Sukhumvit
Probable the most popular night – life spot in the city, located between Thanon Silom and Thanon Surawong, the Phat Phong area is full of a-go-go bars and beers bars. There are also exciting Thai boxing (Muay Thai) bouts in the three short street comprising Phat Phong.

In Sukhumvit area, there are another two popular night – life spots: Nana Entertainment Plaza (or N.E.P.) in Sukhumvit Soi 4 and Soi Cowboy which is Located between Sukhumvit Soi 21 and 23.

Pubs and Jazz Clubs
If you like to sip a drink while listening to music, there are plenty of places for such activities, such as Renoir at Sukhumvit Soi 33 or Brown Sugar and Round Midnight in Soi Sarasin, Soi lang Suan area. For dancing, you can visit Royal City Avenue which is known as RCA among the teenagers who frequent visit the area. This is there you find Thai yuppies listening to non-stop CD music. More jazz can be found at Saxophone at The Voctory Mounument; Bobby’s Arms in Phat Phong; Witch’s Tavern in Sukhumvit 55 and Blue Moon at Gaysorn Plaza. Other places for good music are the many first- class hotels in Bangkok.

Discotheques
For those who are crazy about the beat and not content to just listen or look there is Peppermint Bistro in Patpong I, and Rome Club at Patpong III and some discotheques around Rachadaphisek Road such as in Capital City. For disco dancing there is Bubbles at the Dusit Thani Hotel, The Party House at Rama IX and Taurus at Sukhumvit Soi 22, all open from 22:00 to 02:00 hours.

Entertainment Information from Tourism Authority of Thailand

Thai silk, cotton, nielloware, silverware, bronzeware, pottery and celadon, pewter, precious stones, finished jewelry and a dazzling range of folk handicrafts make memorable gifts and souvenirs. International standard ready-made sportswear and leisurewear is inexpensive and quality tailors and dressmakers offer reliable 24-hour service in Bangkok and major tourist destinations.

Textiles
Fabric is possibly the best all-round buy in Thailand. Thai silk is considered the best in world- the coarse weave and soft texture of the silk means it is more easily dyed than harder, smoother silks, resulting in brighter coulours and a unique lustre. Silks, can be purchased cheaply in the North and North – East where it is made or, more easily, in Bangkok. Excellent and reasonably priced tailor ships can make you choice of fabric into almost any pattern. A Thai silk suit should cost around 400 to 6,500 Baht. Chinese silk is available at about half the cost – “washed” Chinese silk makes inexpensive, comfortable shirts or blouses.

Cottons are also a good deal – common items like the phaakhamaa (reputed to have over a hundred uses in Thailand) and the phaasin (the slightly larger female equivalent) make great tablecloths and curtains. Good ready- made cotton shirts are available, such as the maw hawn (Thai work shirt) and the kuay haeng (Chinese -style shirt). See the sections on Pasang in the Northern Thailand chapter and Ko Yo in the Southern Thailand chapter for places to see cotton-weaving.

In recent years, cotton-weaving has become very popular in the North-East and there are fabulous finds in Nong Khai, Poi-Et, Khon Kaen and Mahasarakham. The mawn khwaan, a hard, triangle-shaped pillow made in the North-East, makes a good souvenir and comes in many sizes. The North – East is also famous for its mat-mii cloth, thick cotton or silk fabric woven from tie-dyed threads – similar to Indonesia’s ikat fabrics.

In the North you can find Lanna-style textiles based on intricate Thai Lu patterns from Nan, Laos and China’s Sipsongpanna (Xishuangbanna).

Fairly nice batik (pa-te) is available in the South in patterns that are more similar to the batik found in Malaysia than in Indonesia.

Clothing
Tailor-made and ready-made clothes are relatively inexpensive. If you’re not particular about style you could pick up an entire wardrobe of travelling clothes at one of Bangkok’s may street market (e.g. Pratunam) for what you’d pay for one designer shirt in New York or Paris.

You’re more likely to get a good fit if you resort to a tailor but be wary of the quickie made of inferior fabric or the poor tailoring means the arms start falling off after three weeks wear. It’s best to ask Thai or longtime foreign resident for a tailor recommendation and then go for two or three fittings.

Shoulder Bags
Thai shoulder bags (yaam) are generally quite well made. They come in many varieties, somewoven by hill tribes, other by Northern Thai cottage industry. The best are made by the Lahu hill tribes, whom the Thais call “Musoe”. The weaving is more skiful and the bags tend to last longer than those made by other tribes. For an extra-large yaam, the Karen-made bag is a good choice, and is easy to find in the Mae Sot and Mae Hong Son areas. These days many hill tribes are copying patterns from tribes other than their own.

Overall, Chiang Mai has the best selection of standard shoulder bags, but Bangkok has the best prices – try the Indian district, Pahurat, for these as well as anything else made of cloth. Roi-Et and Mahasarakham in the North-East are also good hunting grounds for locally made shoulder bags. Prices range from 50 Baht for a cheaply made bag to 200B for something special.

Antiques
Real antiques cannot be taken out of Thailand without a permit from the Fine Arts Department. No Buddha image, new or old, may be exported without permission – again, refer to the Fine Arts Department, or, in some cases, the Department of Religious Affairs, under the Ministry of Education. Too many private collectors smuggling and hoarding Siamese art (Buddhas in particular) around the world have led to strict controls.

Chinese and Thai antiques are sold in Bangkok’s Chinatown in two areas: Wang Burapha (the streets which have Chinese “gates” over the entrance) and Nakhon Kasem. Some antiques (and many fakes) are sold at the Weekend Market in Chatuchak Park. Objects for sale in the tourist antique shops are fantastically overpriced, as can be expected. In recent years Northern Thailand has become a good source of Thai antiques – prices are about half what you’d typically pay in Bangkok.

Jewellery
Thailand is one of the world’s largest exporters of gems and ornaments, rivalled only by India and Sri Lanka. The International Colorstones Association (ICA) relocated from Los Angeles to Bangkok’s Chan Issara Tower a few years ago, and the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) has established a bourse in Bangkok – two events that recognize that Thailand has become the world trade and production centre for precious stones. The biggest importers of Thai jewellery are the USA, Japan and Switzerland.

Although rough stone sources in Thailand itself have decreased dramatically, stones are now imported from Australia, Sri Lanka and other countries to be cut, polished and traded here. There are over 30 diamond-cutting houses in Bangkok alone. One of the results of this remarkable growth of the gem industry – in Thailand the gem trade has increased nearly 10% every year for the last 15 years – is that the prices are rising rapidly.

If you know what you are doing you can make some really good buys in both unset gems and finished jewellery. Gold ornaments are sold at a good rate as labour costs are low. The best bargains in gems are jade, rubies and sapphires. Buy from reputable dealers only, unless you’re a gemologist.

The biggest gem centres in Thailand are Kanchanaburi – these areas are where the Bangkok dealers go to buy their stones. The Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences (Tel. (02) 513-2112; fax 236-7803), 484 Ratchadaphisek Rd. (off Lat Phrao Rd. in the Huay Khwang district, north-east Bangkok), offers short-term courses in gemology as well as tours of gem mines for those interested. You can bring gems here for inspection but they don’t assess value, only authenticity and grading.

The Jewel Fest Club
Jewellery and gemstones from Thailand are favourite items for many visitors to the Kingdom. Their beauty, quality craftsmanship and reasonable prices have earned Thai precious and semi-precious stones an unmatched reputation worldwide.

Occasionally, however, visitors encounter unethical jewelers who sell jewelry at unreasonable prices. With the cooperation of the Thai Gem and Jewelry Traders Association (TGJTA) and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Jewel Fest Club was established, bringing together 46 leading jewelry manufacturers and wholesalers. The club’s aim is to offer quality products at reasonable prices with a money-back guarantee if buyers are not completely satisfied with their purchases. Retail outlets bear the emblem featured here for ready identification.

When you purchase an item of jewellery from a store that is clearly identified as a member of the Jewel Fest Club, your purchase will be duly recorded and a certificate detailing your purchase will be issued. Not only does this certificate of authenticity clearly state the nature and price of your purchase, it also guarantees your refund should you wish to return the purchase, cut by 10 % it you return the merchandise to the point of sale within 30 days, and by 20 % after 30 days but within 45 days of purchase.

For more details about the club and the benefits offered, contact Tel: (66-2) 235-339,(66-2)267-5233-7 Fax : (66-2) 267-5238,(66-2) 235-3040

Gemopolis
As the name suggests, Gemopolis is a self-contained complex, some 300 acres in size, in eastern Bangkok, that is devoted to every aspect of gemstone and jewellery production and trade, inclusive of gemstone and diamond refinery, jewellery design and manufacture, and retailing and exporting finished products around the world. Visitors who would like to witness the manufacturing processes and shop for quality gemstones and jewellery at fair prices in a secure environment can contact Tel: (66-2) 727-022 (21 lines) for complete details.

Warning
Be wary of special “deals” that are offered for one day only or which set you up as a “courier” in which you’re promised big money. Many travellers end up losing big. Shop around and don’t be hasty. Remember: there’re no such thing as a “government sale” or a “factory price” at a gem or jewellery shop; the Thai government does not own or manage any gem or jewellery shops.

Hill-Tribe Crafts
Interesting embroidery, clothing, bags and jewellery from the North can be bought in Bangkok at Narayan Phand, Lan Luang Rd, at branches of the Queen’s Hillcrafts Foundation, and at various tourist ships around town. See Things to Buy in the Bangkok chapter for details.

In Chiang Mai there are ships selling handicrafts all along Thaphae Rd and there is a ship sponsored by missionaries near Prince Royal College. There is a branch of the Queen’s Hillcrafts Foundation in Chiang Rai. It’s worth shopping around for the best prices and bargaining. The all-round best buys of northern hill-tribe crafts are at the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar – if you know how to bargain.

Ceramics
Many kinds of hand-thrown pottery, old and new, are available throughout the kingdom. Most well known are the greenish Thai celadon products from the Sukhothai -Si Satchanalai area and Central Thailand’s benjarong or “five colour” style. The latter is based on Chinese patterns while the former is a Thai original that has been imitated throughout China and South- East Asia. Rough, unglazed pottery from the North and North – East can also be very appealing.

Lacquerware
Thailand produces some good lacquerware, much of it made in Myanmar and sold along the northern Myanmar border. Try Mae Sot, Mae Sariang and Mae Sai for the best buys.

Styles available today originated in 11th century Chiang Mai; in 1558 Myanmar’s King Bayinnaung captured a number of Chiang Mai lacquer artisans and brought them to Bago in central Myanmar to establish the incised lacquerware tradition. Lacquer comes from the Melanorrhea usitata tree (not to be confused with “lac”, which comes from an insect), and in its most basic form is mixed with paddy-husk ash to form a light, flexible, waterproof coating over bamboo frames.

To make a lacquerware object, the craftsperson first weaves a bamboo frame. If the item is first-quality, only the frame is bamboo; horse or donkey hairs will be wound round the frame. In lower-quality lacquerware the whole object is made from bamboo. The lacquer is then coated over the framework and allowed to dry. After several days is it sanded down with ash from rice husks, and another coating of lacquer is applied. A high-quality item may have seven layers of lacquer altogether.

The lacquerware is engraved and painted, then polished to remove the paint from everywhere except in the engravings. Multi – coloured lacquerware is produced by repeated engraving, painting and polishing. From start to finish it can take five or six months to produce a high-quality piece of lacquerware, which may have as many as five colours. Flexibility is one characteristic of good lacquerware. A top-quality bowl can have its rim squeezed together until the sides meet without suffering damage. The quality and precision of the engraving is another thing to look for.

Lacquerware is made into bowls, trays, plates, boxes, containers, cups vases and many other everyday items. Octagonal-topped folding tables are another popular lacquerware item.

Nielloware
This art came from Europe via Nakhon Si Thammarat and has been cultivated in Thailand for over 700 years. Engraved silver is inlaid with niello- an alloy of lead, silver, copper and sulphur – to form striking black- and – silver jewellery designs. Nielloware is one of Thailand’s best buys.

Other Crafts
Under Queen Sirikit’s Supplementary Occupations & Related Techniques (SUPPORT) foundation, a number of regional crafts from around Thailand have been successfully revived. Malang thap collages and sculptures are made by the artful cutting and assembling of the metallic, multicoloured wings and carapaces of female wood -boring beetles (Sternocera aequisingnata), harvested after they die at the end of their reproductive cycle between July and September each year. Hailing mostly from the North and North – East, they can nonetheless be found in craft ships all over Thailand.

For “Damascene ware” (known as kram in Thai), gold and silver wire is hammered into a cross- hatched steel surface to create exquisitely patterned bowls and boxes. Look for them in more upscale Bangkok department stores and craft shops.

Yaan lipao is a type of intricately woven basket made from a hardy grass in Southern Thailand. Ever since the Queen and other female members of the royal family began carrying delicate yann lipao purses, they have been a Thai fashion staple. Basketry of this type is most easily found in the Southern provincial capitals, or in Bangkok shops that specialize in regional handicrafts.

Furniture
Rattan and hardwood furniture items are often good buys and can be made to order. Bangkok and Chiang Mai have the best selection of styles and quality. Teak furniture has become relatively scarce and expensive; rosewood is a more reasonable buy.

Fake or Pirated Goods
In Bangkok, Chiang Mai and all the tourist centres, there is black-market street trade in fake designer goods; particularly Benneton pants and sweaters, Lacoste (crocodile) and Palph lauren polo shirts, Levi’s jeans, and Rolex, Dunhill and Cartier watches. Tin-Tin T- Shirts are also big. No -one pretends they’re the real thing, at least not the vendors themselves. The European and American manufacturers are applying heavy pressure on the Asian governments involved to get this stuff off the street, so it may not be around for much longer.

In some cases foreign name brands are legally produced under licence in Thailand and represent good value. A pair of legally produced Levi’s 510s, for example, typically costs US$ 10 from a Thai street vendor, and US$ 30 to US$ 40 in Levi’s home town of San Francisco! Careful examination of the product usually reveals tell- tale characteristics that confirm or deny the item’s legality.

Prerecorded cassette tapes are another illegal bargain in Thailand. The tapes are “pirated”, that is, no royalties are paid to the copyright owners. Average prices are from 25 to 35 Baht per cassette for amazingly up-to-date music. Word has it that these will disappear from the streets, too, under pressure from the US music industry.

In 1991 four of the major tape piraters (including market leaders Peacock and Eagle) agreed to stop producing unlicensed tapes, but only on condition that the police prosecute the myriad smaller companies doing business. As of 1996 it was becoming quite difficult to find pirated tapes anywhere in the country except on Bangkok’s Khao San Rd. Licensed tapes, when available, cost 70 to 110 Baht each (average price 90 Baht); Thai music tapes cost the same.

Other Goods
Bangkok is famous the world over for is street markets – Pratunam, Chatuchak Park, Khlong Toey, Sampeng (Chinatown), Banglamphu and many more – where you’ll find things you never imagined you wanted but once you see, you feel you can’t possibly do without. Even if you don’t want to spend any money, they’re great places to wander around.

For top- end shopping, the two main centres in Bangkok are the areas around the Oriental Hotel off Charoen Krung (New) Rd and the River City shopping complex on the river next to the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel. At the other end, Thailand’s two big department store chains, Robinson and Central, offer reasonable priced clothing, electronics and houseware at several branches in Bangkok as well as in the larger towns.

WHERE TO SHOP
Shoppers in Bangkok have a wide choice of areas in which to pursue their search for bargains, most of them located within walking distance of major hotels.

One such area, for example, is along Silom and Suriwongse Roads in the vicinity of the Dusit Thani Montien, and Tawana Hotels. This includes Robinson’s department Store, Central Department Store, the Charn Issara Shopping Centre, dozens of silk shop, antique and decorative reproduction shops, boutiques of ready-to-wear women’s clothes, men’s tailors and shops selling leather wear and other goods.

From the Ratchaprasong intersection, near the Meridien President Hotel, it is but a short walk to the Amarin Plaza shopping Centre Department Store in one direction and to Ratchadamri Arcade and Narayana Phand Store in another. Directly opposite Narayana Phand is the world Trade Centre, and enormous complex with two department stores and hundreds of boutiques selling everything imaginable. Also nearby are the upscale Peninsula Arcade and Galleries Lafayette.

Off the Ratchaprasong intersection eastward to Sukhumvit Road stands the Emporium shopping Centre, where brand name clothes and fashionable decorative items are found in attractive and unique style.

Shoppers should not overlook Bangkok’s many department stores, which offer locally made goods as well as designer name brands and feature alluring sales. Twice a year, visitors can take advantage of the month-long Amazing Thailand Grand Sale, which is held throughout Bangkok and other major cities. Watch for the Grand Sale, which takes place in June, and again in mid-November and offers valuable discounts on all kinds of goods.

Also worth visiting are several air-conditioned shopping complexes the offer a wide variety of goods and prices. The Oriental Plaza. In an atmospheric old building houses jewelry and Thai handicrafts as well as clothing and fabrics. River City Shopping Complex, located adjacent to the Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel, has two floors devoted to small shops selling antiques and decorative items as well as a main floor that features exhibits of art, handicrafts, antique furniture, paper products, plants and more, Siam Centre and Siam discovery Centre near the Siam Inter continental Hotel are filled with numerous fashionable boutiques and in the vicinity is Mah Boon Krong.

{add shoping1.jpg} A particular favorite with younger Thais, this teeming emporium contains hundreds of shops as well as the Tokyu Department Store.

As comfortable as these centres are, any serious shopper will also want to explore some of the city’s markets for their colorful atmosphere and generally lower prices, Pratunam, near the Indra Regent Hotel, specializes in ready-to-wear clothing of all kinds. Opposite the Pratunam shopping complex is Nai Lert Market offering a variety of inexpensive trendy products, ranging from hairpins to shoes. Don’t miss the delicious oriental food sold here at very low prices.

Near the Grand palace is Khao San Road filled with clothes, jewellery and accessories popular among the backpackers and younger crowds. Just up from Khao San stands Banglamphu Market, which has authentic Thai goods and contemporary products.

In the older section of town, at the corner of Phahurat and Chakraphet, is the Phahurat cloth Market, where locals go for textile bargains, while Sampheng Lane and Yaowarat, both in Chinatown, have countless shops selling. Gold, jewellery, cooking utensils and other items.

The biggest market of all, and the most fascinating, is the Chatuchak Weekend Market, open on Saturday and Sunday at Chatuchak Park, not far from the Central Plaza Hotel. Here, just about everything Thailand makes or grows is on sale, from blue-and -white porcelain to hybrid orchids, and huge crowds go there to buy or just to enjoy the market atmosphere.

Another much smaller market is the Pat Pong night market that has good souvenirs, but nothing like what’s available a Chatuchak.

The Floating Market, despite the emergence of the ubiquitous farm pick-ups, paddy farmers and orchard gardeners still continue to meet and barter their products in age-old trading sports on the canals (Khlongs). Early every morning, sampans laden with all kinds of tropical fruits and vegetables and fresh products, wind their way to the floating markets around Bangkok. There is one particular floating market in Bangkok that visitors can enjoy: Taling Chan Floating Market is a weekend market in front of Taling Chan District Office, open from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Boat trip services are available for sight-seeing along the canal where gardens and a village lifestyle are still to be seen. The market is also accessible by bus No. 79 and 83, which pass nearby. Contact Taling Chan District Office on telephone 424-1742 for more information.

Outside Bangkok, the main city for shopping is Chiang Mai, the unquestioned centre of traditional Thai handicrafts. Visitors can find beautiful sandstone pieces, antiques and more. The Night Bazaar, is a good place to sample the full tange of local products such as cotton, lacquerware, silver hilltribe clothing, Burmese tapestries, painted umbrellas and woodcarvings. While in Chiang Mai, make a point of going to some of how these goods – particularly lacquer, silk, silver and paper umbrellas – are actually made.

Pattaya also has many shops selling Thai goods and a particularly wide selection of precious and semi-precious stones since the popular resort lies near Chanthaburi, where numerous gem mines are located. Hat Yai, a district in Songkhla province in Southern Thailand is home to the Kim Yong Market, Where tax-free electronic goods, dried fruits and clothes are sold at very low prices.

SHOPPING TIPS
Department stores and a number of shops in Bangkok have fixed prices; some department stores will even offer a discount on expensive items like jewelry and fine furniture. No fixed rules can be given on the process, depending as it does on the bargainer’s skill and the shop keeper’s mood, but the final price may be reduced as much as 30 percent to that first quoted. An important point to keep in mind is that Thais admire good manners and a sense of humour and tend to be put off by a loss of temper. Providing you have the time, a good general rule is to make a survey of several shops selling the sort of items you want before coming to a final decision.

PACKING AND SHIPPING SERVICES
Thanks to the ever-increasing number of tourists coming to Thailand. Most shops are experienced at shipping abroad and will attend to all the documents such as insurance, customs and necessary permits. The Central Post Office also offers a parcel-wrapping service for those who want to make small shipments themselves . For larger items or bulk shipments, there are several Bangkok companies who specialize in such matters.

TRADING OPPORTUNITIES

{add Neckties.jpg} The Department of Export promotion (DEP), Ministry of Commerce, Royal Thai Government, offers the “Permanent Exhibition,” a one -stop export showcase where quality products manufactured in Thailand are on display. The exhibition features more than 250 selected exhibitors with more than 10,000 items on display in three exhibition areas. The same services are also available at DEP regional offices.

You can browse to your heart’s content, viewing top quality products ranging from gift item and handicrafts, furniture, toys, leather products, artificial flowers, garments, food products, construction materials, automotive parts, hardware, tools and appliances, stationery and sporting equipment, to name only a handful of the items on hand. All are carefully selected for reliability and a high standard of workmanship.

If you find products that suit your requirements, you may contact the manufacturers directly of DEP staff can provide a variety of services to help make things easy. For example, they will arrange appointments with many companies and also provide meeting rooms with full office facilities. All of the permanent exhibition services are free of charge.

For more information, please contact the Thai Trade Centre or a Commercial Counsellor’s Office at a Royal Thai Embassy in your own country. In Bangkok, contact the Department of Export Promotion on Ratchadaphisek Road. Tel: (66-2) 551-5066-77, Fax: 66-2) 512-1075, (66-2) 513-1917 Telex : 82354 DEPEP TH.

VAT REFUND
Visitor to Thailand can now claim VAT refunds at Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hat-Yai and Phuket airports for a minimum purchase of 5,000 Baht with no less than 20,000 Baht/receipt/day. Upon purchase, visitors should request the store to process a Vat refund form (por.por.10) When departing, visitors have the customs stamp the form prior to airline check-in.

When passing through Passport Control, visitors will have the form processed by the Revenue Department and receive a VAT refund. Please note that valuable merchandise such as jewellery, watches, eyeglasses and pens must be declared before customs and revenue officials.

Shopping Information from Tourism Authority of Thailand

• Mini-bus (joint-seat) to any hotel in Bangkok 100Baht per person
• Shuttle bus (to Asia Hotel and Viengtai Hotel) 60 Baht per person
• Sedan (to downtown Bangkok) 30 Baht per trip
• Bus to Pattaya Beach 18 Baht per person
• Sedan to Pattaya Beach 1,500 Baht per tri

Taxi Service
Taxis are available for hire at the authorized public taxi stand, located next to the Meeting Point south of the Arrivals Hall in the Meeting Point south of the Arrivals Hall in the International Passenger Terminal. Taxi drivers are only permitted to pick up passenger at these authorized stands and are not allowed to offer their services to passengers in the terminal building. Fares are between 50-300 Baht per trip depending on the destination. Fares to Various destinations are posted at the taxi stand as a guideline for foreign commuters. There is a service charge of 50 Baht for all taxis hired from the airport.

Passengers are strongly advised not to use the services of private drivers who may not be insured to carry passengers and are not licensed for hire. All authorized taxis carry a yellow license plate and a rooftop “TAXI-METER” sign. No tip is expected.

Bus Service
Air-conditioned and regular public buses travel down-town from Bangkok International on a regular basis
Passengers wishing to take the bus can do so by walking to the bus stop located on Vibhavadi Rangsit highway.

Fares on regular buses cost only 3.50 Baht for any distance, while fares for air-conditioned buses range from 8 Baht for the first 8 kilometers to a maximum of 18 Baht. Fares are collected onboard. Bus numbers indicate the routes. Regular buses from Bangkok International Airport to town are buses numbers 29, 59, 95 and air-conditioned buses number 4, 10, 513 and 29.

These regular buses, however, can be uncomfortable and crowded especially during rush hours and will therefore have very littler or no room for luggage.

Passager Service Change (Airport Tax)
International passengers must purchase an airport tax ticket costing 500 Baht at the check-in counter or from machines in the Departure Hall. The amount is payable using 10 Baht coins, 50 Baht, 500 Baht, and 1,000 Baht on the screen of the machine. A 30 Baht domestic passenger tax is automatically included in the price of a domestic ticket upon purchasing.

Baggage Claim
Upon arrival at Bangkok International Airport, all international passengers must pass through immigration and passport control. They can then proceed to the baggage claim area.

Baggage Service (Lost and Found)
A Lost and found counter, in the Arrivals Lounge, is manned round-the-clock, seven days a week. If you leave anything on an aircraft or an airline bus, please contact the airline concerned immediately. Tel: (66-2) 535-2173, (66-2) 535-2811-12.

Trolleys
Trolleys are provided in both the Departure and Arrivals Lounges of the International Passenger Terminal. No fee is charged.

Airline Offices
Some 50 airlines maintain offices in Bangkok. A complete Listing can be found in the English edition of the Bangkok Telephone Directory’s yellow Pages.

TOURIST INFORMATION SERVICES
Tourist information is available at the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s head office in Bangkok, at local offices in 22 major cities (listed on the back cover) and the TAT information counter at Bangkok’s International Airport as well as at every airport where there is a TAT local office. They provide maps, brochures and useful information on tours, shopping, dining and accommodation. All TAT information offices are open seven days a week from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m.

Local TAT Offices
Oversea TAT Offices

BUSINESS HOURS
Most commercial concerns in Bangkok operate five days a week. Government offices are generally open between 8.30 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. with a 12.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. lunch break, Monday through Friday, except on public holidays. Private businesses maintain similar hours – 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. with certain exceptions. Most shops are open 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

BUSINESS CENTERS
Certain major hotels provide fully – equipped business centers for visiting executives. Services customarily include secretarial work, typing, photocopying and fax facilities, conference rooms and reference libraries.

More information about Thailand’s business, please see also Business in Thailand

CAR RENT
Travelers with a valid international driving license may choose to hire a car. English-language road signs and maps are commonplace. The Bangkok Yellow pages lists local and international automobile rental companies. Each offers different conditions. Self-drive and chauffeur driven automobiles are widely available.

International car hire companies such as Avis, Hertz and Budget operate in Bangkok, Pattaya, Hat Yai, Phuket, Chiang Mai and on Ko Samui.

Car Rentals Reservation

CHURCH SERVICES
Christian churches are found in Bangkok and most provincial capitals. Services are mostly in Thai, with some services in English, French and German, Local English-language newspapers provide comprehensive listings of services in Bangkok.

CLOTHING
Light, loose cotton clothing is best. Nylon should be avoided. Sweaters are recommended for the evenings during the cool season or if visiting mountainous areas and remote national parks. Jackets and ties are required in certain restaurants and nightclubs.

ELECTRICITY
The electric current is 220 volt AC (50 cycles) throughout the country. There are many types of plugs and sockets in use. Travelers with electric shavers, tape recorders and other appliances should carry a plug-adapter kit. The larger hotels are likely to have 110 volt transformers available.

FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHY
Major international film manufacturers maintain excellent photo finishing laboratories. Instant developing can be done within one hour. Popular films (Kodak. Fuji, Konica and the like) are available nationwide at reasonable prices.
Still photographers are free to shoot almost everything. Movie/video cameras are not allowed in Bangkok’s Grand Palace and Emerald Buddha Chapel complex without special permission. Photography is also prohibited in certain branches of the National Museum.

NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES
Thailand’s English-language newspapers, The Nation, and The Bangkok Post Keep readers abreast of local and international events. Major English language magazines and newspapers such as the International Herald Tribune, Asian Wall Street journal, Time, Newsweek, Far Eastern Economic Review and Asia Week are readily available at hotel newsagents, supermarkets, department stores and leading bookstores.

RADIO
Thailand has more than 400 radio stations, with 41 FM and 35 AM stations in Bangkok alone. FM radio offers popular music, classical music, jazz English-language news broadcasts and the original soundtracks of certain imported films shown on local television. Bangkok’s national public radio station, Radio Thailand, broadcasts English-language programs at 97 FM. Another stations are 107 FM, features some surprisingly good music programs with British, Thai and American DJs and The Radio Bangkok, 99.5 FM.

In the evenings between 6 and 8 p.m., several FM stations provide soundtracks in English for local and world satellite news on television Channel 3(105.5 FM), Channel 7(103.5 FM), channel 9(107 FM) and Channel 11(88 FM).
The radio listeners without sort-wave receivers can listen to VOA on 95.5 FM and BBC world Service on 105 FM from mid-night to 6 p.m.

TELEVISION
Thailand has six TV networks based in Bangkok; Channel 5 is a military network and broadcasts from 6 a.m. to midnight: between 6 and 10 a.m. this network presents a mix of ABC, CNN International and English-subtitled Thai news programs. Channel 9, the national public television station, broadcasts from 6 a.m. until midnight. Channel 3 is privately owned; broadcast hours vary but there’s an English-language news simulcast at 7 p.m. on FM 105.5. Channel 7 is military owned but broadcast time is leased to private companies; the channel offers an English-language news simulcast via FM 103.5 at 7 p.m. Channel 11 is run by the Ministry of Education and features programs from 5.30 a.m. to midnight. ITV Channel is privately owned; broadcast from 5.30 a.m. to 2.00 a.m.

Leading hotels have color televisions in each guestroom, offering video features, satellite and/or cable television or tourism-related English-language programs.

EMBASSIES
Some 50 countries maintain embassies, consulates or legations in Bangkok, Most are concentrated around the Sukhumvit, Phloen Chit, Wireless and Sathon Road areas. A complete list of such missions is featured in the Bangkok ‘s English-language Yellow Pages.

Foreign Embassies in Thailand

TOURIST POLICE
In 1982, the Tourist Police was set up to coordinate with the Tourism Authority of Thailand in providing safety for tourists. Its responsibilities include receiving and acknowledging claims and complaints, conducting investigations and acting as coordinators of tourist security. At present, some 500 tourist police officers are stationed in major tourist areas including the Grand Palace, pat Pong and Lumphini Park.

Bilingual Tourist Police are affiliated with Tourism Authority of Thailand offices in Bangkok, Phra Nakhon Si Ayitthaya, Pattaya, Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Ratchasima, Udon Thani, Khon Daen, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Mae Hong Son, Phitsanulok, Nakhon Sawan, Surat Thani, Phuiket and Songkhla to provide assistance for visitors.

In the case of an emergency, contact the Tourist Police Centre, Unicohouse Building, Soi Lang Suan, Phloen Chit Road Bangkok. Tel: (66-2)652-1721-6

24 – HOUR HOTLINE SERVICE
“One number gets you around Thailand” is the concept behind the 24-hour hotline service. All you have to do is dial 1155 from anywhere in Thailand.

Operators manning the hotline at the Tourist Service Center offer assistance in five languages – English, French, German, Japanese, Chinese and Thai. All that’s needed is a single one Baht coin and a public phone booth anywhere in the country.

There are three ways to lodge complaints or request assistance:

1. Call the hotline to request immediate assistance with regard to personal safety.
2. Drop in at the center to lodge a complaint.
3. Call the center to request an appropriate agency that addresses a particular problem.

The 24-hour, one stop Tourist Service Center has been set up as part of the ongoing efforts of TAT to help visitors with everything from friendly advice to acting on complaints. Together with the Tourist Police, TAT has formed a special task force to run the center.

Establishing this center is very much in line with TAT’s objectives under the Amazing Thailand campaign – to upgrade service standards for travel throughout the Kingdom while ensuring maximum safety for travelers. The center also provides general tourist information on destinations, accommodations, shopping tips, festivals, arts and culture. The center is open from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m., while Tourist Police assistance is available 24 hours a day.
MEDICAL SERVICE
All tourism destinations and provincial capitals have hospitals and clinics staffed by well-trained doctors and nurses. In the case of and emergency, an ambulance can be summoned from any private hospital.

TIPPING
It is customary to tip porters and hotel personnel who have given good personal service. A 10-15% tip is appreciated in restaurants, particularly where service charges are waived. It is not necessary to tip cinema ushers.

TEMPORARY IMPORT OF A VEHICLE FOR THE PURPOSE OF TOURISM
In order to import a vehicle into Thailand the following documents are required:

1. Valid International Driving License and passport of equivalent documents.
2. Vehicle registration, or in the case of a borrowed, vehicle, authorization documents from the owner
3. Cash guarantee, bank guarantee or self-guarantee. If the vehicle is brought in through Bangkok or Khlong Toey Port, a cast guarantee or bank guarantee is essential. If entry is by land across the southern border, then it is acceptable to guarantee oneself by completing the customs officer and signing the record.

Permission is then granted for a six-month period from the date of entry. If a traveler has requested to bring a vehicle in for a period of just 5-10 days and then wishes to extend the length of stay, a renewal can be granted free of charge by the Customs Department.
Procedure:

1. Contact the customs office at the relevant border
2. A customs officer will complete an additional incoming form and at the same time check documents as in No. 2 above and also fix the self-guarantee.
3. In the case of a cast or bank guarantee, the customs officer will evaluate the price of the vehicle according to its condition plus 20

Useful Information from Tourism Authority of Thailand

Thailand covers an area of 510,000 square kilometers, approximately the same size as France, and has a population of some 60 million. Thailand shares borders with Myanmar to the west and north, Lao to the northeast and north, Cambodia to the east, and Malaysia to the south.

Geographically speaking, Thailand is divided into six major regions:

– The mountainous North, where elephants work forests and winter temperatures are sufficiently cool to permit cultivation of temperate fruits such as strawberries and peaches;
- The sprawling Northeast Plateau, largely bordered by the Mekong River, where the world’s oldest Bronze Age civilization flourished some 5,000 years ago;
- The Central Plain, one of the world’s most fertile rice and fruit-growing areas;
- The Eastern Coastal Plain, where fine sandy beaches support the growth of summer resorts;
- The Western mountains and valleys, suitable for the development of hydro-electric power, and
- The peninsular South where arresting scenic beauty complements economically vital tin mining, rubber cultivation and fishing.

CLIMATE
Thailand enjoys a tropical climate with three distinct seasons: Summer from March through May; Rainy season with plenty of sunshine as well from June through September and Cool season from October through February.

The average annual temperature is 28 C (83 F), ranging, in Bangkok, for example, from 30 C in April to 25 C in December.

ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT
Unique in South-East Asia because its north-south axis extends some 1800 km from mainland to peninsular South-East Asia, Thailand provides potential habitats for an astounding variety of flora and fauna. As in the rest of tropical Asia, most indigenous vegetation in Thailand is associated with two basic types of tropical forest: monsoon forest (with a distinctive dry season of three months or more) and rainforest (where rain falls more than nine months per year).

As with plan life, variation in the animal kingdom closely affiliates with geographic and climatic differences. Thailand is particularly rich in birdlife, with over 1,000 recorded resident and migrating species-approximately 10% of all world bird species. Coastal and inland waterways of the Southern peninsula are especially important habitats for South-East Asian waterfowl.

Indigenous mammals, mostly found in dwindling numbers within Thailand’s national packs or wildlife sanctuaries, such as tigers, leopards, elephants, Asiatic black bears, Malayan sin bears, quaur(Indian bison) etc. Herpetofauna in Thailand numbers around 313 reptiles and 107 amphibians, and includes four sea-turtle species along with numerous snake varieties, of which six are venomous. Insect number some 6,000 species, while the country’s rich marine environment counts tens of thousands of other species.

TIME
Time in Thailand is seven hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT + 7)

HISTORY
Archaeological discoveries around the northeast village hamlet of Ban Chiang suggest that the world’s oldest Bronze Age civilization was flourishing in Thailand some 5,600 years ago.

Successive waves of immigrants, including Mon, Khamer and Thai, gradually entered the land mass now known as Thailand, most slowly travelling along fertile river valleys from southern China, By the early 1200s, the Thai people had established small northern city-states in Lanna, Phayao and Sukhothai. In 1238, two Thai chieftains rebelled against Khmer suzerainty and established the first truly independent Thai kingdom in Sukhothai (literally, “Dawn of Happiness”).

The Sukhothai era saw the Thais’ gradual expansion throughout the entire Chao Phraya River basin, the establishment of Theravada Buddhism as the predominant Thai religion, the creation of the Thai alphabet and the first expression of developing Thai art forms, including paining, sculpture, architecture and literature.

The Sukhothai era declined in the 1300s and eventually because a vassal state of Ayutthaya, a dynamic young kingdom furthers south in the Chao Phraya River valley. Founded in 1350, Ayutthaya remained the Thai capital until 1767 when Burmese invaders destroyed it.

During Ayutthaya ‘s 417 years as the capital, under the rule of 33 kings, the Thais brought their distinctive culture to full fruition, totally riding their lands of Khmer presence and fostering contact with Arabian, Indian, Chinese, Japanese and European powers.

Ayutthaya’ s destruction was as severe a blow to the Thais as the loss of Paris or London would have been to the French or English. However, a Thai revival occurred within a few month, and the Burmese were expelled by King Taksin who later made Thon Buri his capital. In 1782, the first king of the present Chakri dynasty, Rama I, established his new capital on the site of a riverside village called Bangkok (Village of Wild Plums).

Two Chakri monarchs, Mongkut (Rama IV), who reigned between 1851 and 1868, and his son Chulalongkorn (RamaV), who reigned from 1868 to 1910, saved Thailand from western colonisation through adroit diplomacy and selective modernisation.

Today, Thailand has a constitutional monarchy. Since 1932, Thai kings including the present monarch, H.M. King Bhumibol Adulydej, have exercised their legislative powers through a national assembly, their executive powers through a cabinet headed by a Prime Minister and their judicial power through the law courts.

PEOPLE
Throughout its long history, Thailand has welcomed and gently assimilated immigrants. Many were skilled as writers, painters, sculptors, dancers, musicians and architects, and helped enrich the indigenous culture.

People inhabiting Thailand today share a rich ethnic diversity-mainly Thai, Mon, Khmer, Laotion, Chinese, Malay, Persian and Indian stock-with the result that there is no typically Thai physiognomy or physique. There are petite Thais, statuesque Thais, round-faced Thais, dark-skinned Thais and light-skinned Thais.

Some 80 percent of all Thais are connected in sine way with agriculture, which in varying degrees, influences and is influenced by the religious ceremonies and festivals that help make Thailand such a distinctive country.

The population of Thailand is about 61 million and currently growing at a rate of 1.5% per annum (as opposed to 2.5% in 1979). Of the total, 9.08% lived in Bangkok.

RELIGION
Theravada Buddhism is the professed religion of more than 90 percent of all Thais, and casts strong influences on daily life.

Buddhism first appeared in Thailand during the 3rd Century BC at Nakhon Pathom, site of the world’s tallest Buddhist monument, after the Indian Buddhist Emperor Asoka (267-227 BC) dispatched missionaries to Southeast Asia to propagate the newly established faith.

Besides moulding morality, providing social cohesion and offering spiritual support, Buddhism has provided incomparable artistic impetus. In common with medieval European cathedrals, Thailand’ s innumerable multi-roofed temples have inspired major artistic creations.

Another reason for Buddhism’ s strength is that there are few Thai Buddhist families in which at least one male member has not studied the Buddha’s teachings in temple. It has long been a custom for Buddhist males over the age of 20, at one time in their life, to be ordained for a period ranging from five days to three months. This usually occurs during the annual Rains Retreat, a three-month period during the rainy season when all monks forego travel and remain within their temple.

Besides sustaining monastic communities, Thai temples have traditionally served other purposes-as the village hostelry, village news, employment and information agency, school, hospital, dispensary and community center-which give them vital roles in Thai society.

The Thais have always subscribed to the ideal of religious freedom. Thus, sizeable minorities of Muslims, Christians, Hindus and Sikhs freely pursue their respective faiths.

MONEY
Thai currency is the Baht, divided into 100 Satang. Exchange rate, as at Feb. 1999, approximately 43 Baht to the US$. Thai notes are in denominations of 1000, 500, 100, 50, 20 and 10 Baht. Coins are of 10, 5 , 1 Baht and 50 and 25 Satang.

Cash and travellers cheques can be exchanged freely, with banks or money changers giving other rates than hotels. Major international credit cards are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants and shops.

More information about exchange service, please see also Visas & Regulations

LANGUAGE
Spoken and written Thai remain largely incomprehensible to the casual visitor. However, English is widely understood, particularly in Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Phuket where it is an important language in commerce. English and other European languages are spoken in most hotels, shops, restaurants, banks, international offices and car rental services in major tourist destinations, and Thai-English road and street signs are found nationwide.

How to Speak Thai

GOVERNMENT
Since 1932, the government of the Kingdom of Thailand has nominally been a constitutional monarchy inspired by the bicameral British model with 76 provinces, each sub-divided into amphoe(district), tambon(sub-district) and muban (village) but with myriad subtle differences. Thailand’s 15th constitution, enacted on December 1991 by the coup regime’s now defunct National Peace-Keeping Council (NPKC), replaced that promulgated in December 1978 and allows for limited public participation in the choosing of government officials. National polls elect the 360 member lower house (House of Representatives) and Prime Minister. In Thailand the Senate is not as powerful as the House of Representatives; the latter writes and approves legislation, while the Senate votes on constitutional changes.

MONARCHY
His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej is the ninth king of the Chakri Dynasty and as of 1988 the longest reigning king in Thai history. Born in December 1927, in Cambridge, Massachusetts USA, where his father, Prince Mahidol of Songkhla was studying medicine at Harvard University, H.M. King Bhumibol ascended the throne in 1946 and is already the longest reigning Thai monarch. As a constitutional monarch, he maintains neutrality in times of crisis.

The king and his wife, H.M. Queen Sirikit, have four children: Princess Ubol Ratana(born 1951), Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn (1952), Princess Mahachakri Sirindhorn (1955) and Princess Chulabhorn(1957).

Thai people have a deep and traditional reverence for the Royal Family. To a very large degree, H.M. King Bhumibol’s popularity mirrors his deep interest in his people’s welfare. He concerns himself intimately with every aspect of Thai life. He and his wife, H.M. Queen Sirikit devote much of their time to inspect and improve the welfare of the people.

ECONOMY
During the 1980s, Thailand maintained a steady GNP growth rate which by 1988 had reached 13% per annum. Thailand in the 1990s finds itself on the threshold of attaining the exclusive rank of NIC or ‘newly industrialised country’. Soon, economic experts say, Thailand will be joining Asia’s ‘little -dragons’, also known as the Four Tigers- South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore- in becoming a leader in the Pacific Rim economic boom.

Major Agricultural exports are rice, tapioca, rubber, coconuts, sugar, maize, pineapples, cotton and palm oil. Processed food and beverages- especially canned shrimp, tuna and pineapples – also account for significant export earnings. Thailand’s Top export markets are the USA, Japan and Singapore.

About 60% of the Thai labour force is engaged in agriculture, 10% each in commerce and services and 20% in manufacturing. Major manufactured exports are textiles, cement, electronics, cars, trucks, gems and jewellery.

The minimum wage in Bangkok and surrounding provinces is 145 Baht (US$5.80) per day; it can be as low as 95 Baht a day in the outer provinces. The incidence of poverty in Thailand has steadily declined, from 30% in 1976 to 6.4% in 1995-96. Conversely the average income has increased to nearly 19 times what it was in 1962-63. Thais rank seventh worldwide, just ahead of the Japanese, for gross saving of GDP income at 37%.

More information about Thai economy, please see also Business in Thailand

Thailand in Brief by Tourism Authority of Thailand