Thailand - "The Land Of Smile's"

    

        Thailand is one of the most popular travelling destination of the world. Thailand officially known as the “KINGDOM OF THAILAND” and formerly known as “SIAM” is a country in Southeast of Asia. The capital of Thailand is “Bangkok”. Thailand is 51st largest country in the world by land area. And 22nd most popular country in the word. The Provinces of Thailand are part of the government of Thailand that is divided into 77 provinces and each province is led by a governor. The 1430 islands of Thailand draws in more than 1000’s of visitors each year. The country shares borders with four countries BURMA, CAMBODIA, LAO PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and MALAYSIA. 

 VAJIRALONGKORN is the King of Thailand since 2016. Vajiralongkorn became the oldest Thai monarch to ascend to the throne. As of 2020, his net worth is estimated to be around US$30 billion, making him the wealthiest ruler in the world. People in Thailand are not allowed to criticize his rule, as the monarchy is protected by one of the strictest Lèse-majesté laws in the world, It is one of the most strictly enforced laws of its kind in the world. For many years, criticism of the king, queen, crown prince, and more recently, former kings, members of the royal family, and even their pets have been strictly prohibited. Violations carry large fines and prison sentences of up to 35 years  

      The national religion of Thailand is “ THERAVADA BUDDISM”. RICE is the main dietary staple of Thailand. Thai’s eat two kinds of rice: the standard white kind and glutinous, or sticky rice. Sticky rice rolled into a ball is the main rice eaten in northeastern Thailand. It is also used in desserts throughout the country. The currency of Bangkok is “BHAT”.

 The climate of Thailand is composed as below:

·        March to May gets really hot with higher Humidity.

·        June to October is Rainy.

·        November to February the weather is cold ,windy and dry.

       We have  6 major international airports in Thailand as below:    

·     Suvarnabhumi Airport, (International airport in Bangkok, Thailand)

·     Don Mueang International Airport,(Don Mueang International Airport is one of two international airports serving the Bangkok Metropolitan Region)

·    Chiang Mai International Airport, (Chiang Mai International Airport is an international airport serving Chiang Mai)

·    Mae Fah Luang Chiang Rai International Airport, (Military airport in Thailand)

·    Hat Yai International Airport,(Hat Yai International Airport is an international airport in southern Thailand in Songkhla Province near the city of Hat Yai)

·    Phuket International Airport. (Phuket International Airport is an international airport serving the Phuket Province of Thailand)

Tourist Visa for Thailand:  

    Any visitor who wants to travel to the Kingdom of Thailand for tourism will require a tourist visa to enter the country. Thailand tourist visa is granted for the purposes of leisure, sight-seeing and personal enlightenment. It does not permit a visitor to work or conduct business when in Thailand. The validity of Thailand tourist visa is for 3 months from the date of its issue. The period of stay allowed for a visitor with such a visa is maximum 60 days. It can be a single entry visa or a multiple entry visa.

 

Fees for Thailand Tourist Visa – THB 1000 

 

    You can apply for Tourist visa by applying at the Embassy of Thailand or if you are booking a package from Travel portal, just relax as they will help you get your visa ready to Thailand. Below are some famous links which will help you get you to the visa page and do things for you when your sit back and relax:

  

·       www.akbartravels.com

·       www.vfsglobal.com

Travelling to Thailand should be in every person’s bucket list, as the country provides a tourist-friendly policy as well as a vast network of excellent urban infrastructure and grand hotels that cater to a diverse array of business and leisure travelers. But before properly planning your next trip to Thailand, it’s good to know all the essential information about the country,  and all the facts that will help make your journey memorable. 

Best places to visit in Thailand:

WAT RONG KHON (WHITE TEMPLE):

       A Buddhist temple in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand.  It is owned by Chalermchai Kositpipat, who designed, constructed, and opened it to visitors in 1997. The structure is open year-round. Admission for Thai nationals is free, foreigners are required to pay 100 baht.

THE GRAND PALACE & WAT PHRA KAEO:

     THE GRAND PALACE, 
is a complex of buildings at the heart of Bangkok, Thailand. The palace has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam (and later Thailand) since 1782. The Grand Palace complex is rectangular and is built on the area of 218,400 square meters surrounded by 4 walls and has twelve gates. The Grand Palace is currently partially open to the public as a museum, but it remains a working palace, with several royal offices still situated inside.

 

WAT PHRA KAEW, commonly known in English as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is regarded as the most sacred Buddhist temple in Thailand. The complex consists of a number of buildings within the precincts of the Grand Palace in the historical center of Bangkok. It houses the statue of the Emerald Buddha, which is venerated as the country's palladium.

 

WAT PHRA THAT DOI SUTHEP:

    WAT PHRA THAT DOI SUTHEP, is a Theravada Buddhist temple in Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. The temple is often referred to as "Doi Suthep" although this is actually the name of the mountain where it's located. It is a sacred site to many Thai people. The temple Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is on top of a hill forming Doi Suthep.  This Buddhist place of worship dates back to the 13th century. This mountain is part of the Doi Suthep-Pui National Park too.

AYUTTHAYA HISTORICAL PARK:

AYUTTHAYA HISTORICAL PARK, well renowned as the old capital city with the longest history of Thailand. The Ayutthaya Historical Park was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

SUKHOTHAI HISTORICAL PARK:

SUKHOTHAI HISTORICAL PARK, also known as ‘DAWN OF HAPPINESS' it is near the city of Sukhothai. The park is maintained by the Fine Arts Department of Thailand with help from UNESCO, which has declared it a World Heritage Site. Each year, the thousands of visitors come to see this site

WAT PHRA CHETUPHON:

    WAT PHO, also spelled Wat Po, is a Buddhist temple complex in the Phra Nakhon District, Bangkok, Thailand. Wat Pho is one of Bangkok's oldest temples .The temple is first on the list of six temples in Thailand classed as the highest grade of the first-class royal temples.  A school for traditional medicine and massage was established at the temple in 1955, and now offers four courses in Thai medicine: Thai pharmacy, Thai medical practice, Thai midwifery, and Thai massage. This, the Wat Pho Thai Traditional Medical and Massage School, is the first school of Thai medicine approved by the Thai Ministry of Education

WAT ARUN:

WAT ARUN, is a Buddhist temple in Bangkok Yai district of Bangkok, Thailand, on the Thonburi west bank of the Chao Phraya River. Wat Arun is among the best known of Thailand's landmarks also known as “Temple of Dawn”. Although the temple had existed since at least the seventeenth century, for foreigners, the temple charges an entrance fee of 50 baht. 

CHAO PHRAYA RIVER:

CHAO PHRAYA RIVER, is the major river in Thailand. It flows through Bangkok and then into the Gulf of Thailand. This scenic river, flowing through the heart of Bangkok, offers convenient boat transportation and sightseeing cruises since many of the major city attractions are easily accessible from various points along this waterway.

DREAM WORLD PARK:

DREAM WORLD is an amusement park in Thanyaburi District, Pathum Thani Province, Thailand. The park is divided into several zones such as Dream World Plaza, Dream Gardens, Fantasy Land, and Adventure Land. The park's main attraction is Asia's first hanging roller coaster in the middle of Adventure Land and a model of the Grand Canyon as part of a river rafting attraction.

  DREAMWORLDOFFICIAL WEBSITE.

FULL MOON PARTY:

The FULL MOON PARTY is an all-night beach party that originated in Hat Rin on the island of Ko Pha-ngan, Thailand in 1985. The party takes place on the night of, before, or after every full moon. It is mostly attended by tourists. The party carries on until the sun rises the next day. The bars on Sunrise Beach of Hat Rin stay open and play music such as psychedelic trance, R&B, drum and bass, house, dance, and reggae. Although drugs are consumed by many partygoers, drug laws are strict and police enforcement is stepped up during the parties. There are undercover police on patrol and even the drug dealers themselves may report drug users to police.                   

REDLIGHT DISTRICT:  

Whether visitors make their way to  the go go bars of Patpong in the Silom district, Soi Cowboy with Nana Entertainment Plaza in the Sukhumvit district, or Patpong, they must feast their eyes upon at least one red light district before departing the Land of Smiles. These streets are some of the most vibrant, seedy, yet interesting area of roads and areas in all of Thailand. Be warned, however, that prostitution has been illegal in Thailand since 1960.

The Delicacies of   Thailand:

The delicacy of Thai dishes results in a blend of freshness and fragrance, and irrespective of your reasons for visiting, an indulgence in the traditional foods in Thailand is something you must never resist. Thai cuisine has a reputation all over the world for being the most delicious and flavorful meal that you will ever have. 

PAD THAI (FRIED RICE NOODLES)           

 

Pad Thai is the national food of Thailand and famous all over the world. It’s a stir-fried rice noodle dish, and it’s served as street food as well as a main dish in restaurants. It can include chicken, shrimps, or tofu. The rice noodles are stir-fried with eggs and the choice of protein. It’s often served with bean sprouts, garlic chives, turnips, chopped roasted peanuts, red chili pepper and lime on the side.

SOM TAM (THAI PAPAYA SALAD)

    Som Tam, also known as Green Papaya Salad is a real classic with origins from northern Thailand. It’s a spicy salad that is served nationwide in local restaurants, and you could even make it at home if you have the right ingredients. A traditional Som Tam recipe includes shredded green papaya, peanuts, long beans, tomatoes, lime juice, fish sauce, and garlic

TOM KHA GAI (THAI COCONUT SOUP)

       Tom Kha Gai is another famous dish in Thailand, also known as Chicken Galangal Soup. It has a very rich flavor thanks to lots of coconut milk and a variety of mushrooms. Some other ingredients in Tom Kha Gai are lemongrass, kaffir leaves, galangal, and cilantro.

KHAO PAT (FRIED RICE) :

Khao Pad is simply fried rice, and it can be prepared with various kinds of meat and veggies. The fresh lime juice and chilies combined with fish sauce makes the fried rice delicious and adds that finishing touch to Khao Pad. It’s a popular dish nationwide, and it’s one of the staple dishes of Thai cuisine.

PAD KRAPOW MOO: 

      Pad Krapow Moo is one of the most classic dishes to eat in Thailand, and it’s a stir-fry with pork, holy basil and green beans which are stir-fried together with ginger, garlic, lime, and chilies. It’s often served with rice and a fried egg on the top. Pad Krapow Moo is simple, yet delicious. 

PANANG CURRY: 

         Panang Curry is a type of red curry which is sweeter and less spicy compared to the Thai red curry. It can be made with chicken, pork, beef, prawns or tofu and it’s usually served with rice. Gaeng Tai Pla has a strong umami taste and is usually made with fish and veggies. Some of the most common ingredients are eggplants, yardlong beans, bamboo shoots, and fresh chilies. 

MASSAMAN CURRY: 

This is a signature dish in Southern Thailand, and it is believed that it got introduced in the region in the 16th century by a Persian trader. The dish is a mixture of coconut milk, curry paste, and strong peanut flavors. Nutmeg and cinnamon are also used, but very remotely. In most cases, the dish is premade with chicken and may sometimes contain a few chunks of potatoes to soak up the coconut milk and the flavors.

KHANOM BUEANG (SWEET MINI CREPE): 

These uniquely Thai desserts really stand out at street food and local food markets. Colorful and slightly bizarre. Found as sets of tiny rice flour crepes, filled with coconut cream and topped by sweet or savory Thai flavorings. Three popular fillings are shown below and include raisins (black), fried coconut (orange) and foi thong egg threads (yellow). Often referred to as Thai Tacos.

NAM KENG SAI (SHAVED ICE DESSERT): 

               The enjoyment is endless with this popular Thai dessert. With so many variations you will never get bored. While the shaved ice itself isn’t overly exciting (plain ice) the additions are what make this Thai dessert tasty. Fruits, beans, nuts, sweets, odd glutinous blobs. Shaved iced deserts are best found at food courts and are occasionally offered as sets on local restaurant menus

ITIM KATI (COCONUT ICE-CREAM)

:

Delicious and cooling the versatile coconut has a prominent role in Thai Desserts through flavoring, cooking and in this case straight up eating. Coconut ice-cream, topped with the loose coconut flesh and tasty additions of nuts, jelly pieces, mung beans, fruit or sweetcorn. Of course served in a half coconut husk. These refreshing Thai Desserts come often with two options; tender coconuts (maprao awn) and the sweeter roasted coconut (maprao pao) which has been cooked over flaming charcoals

KHAO NIAO WAN (SWEET STICKY RICE) 

Sticky rice is the dessert of choice in Thailand with seemingly endless variations of sweet treats. Some of the more popular are found at street food stalls where sticky rice is cooked with banana, sweet potato, or black bean. Again flavored with coconut milk, salt and sugar. A popular method for cooking is over open flames inside Bamboo Stalks (Khao Lam) or wrapped in Banana Leaves (Khao Tom Mud).

National Park’s in Thailand:

ERAWAN NATIONAL PARK, TENASSERIM HILLS OF KANCHANABURI.

KHAO YAI NATIONAL PARK, NAKHON RATCHASIMA (KHORAT).

KHAO SOK NATIONAL PARK, SURAT THANI PROVINCE.

KHAO YAI NATIONAL PARK, NAKHON RATCHASIMA (KHORAT).

KUI BURI NATIONAL PARK, TENASSERIM HILLS IN PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN.

Beaches to visit in Thailand:

                                                               PATONG BEACH, PHUKET

                                                                    

                                                           HUA HIN BEACH, HUA HIN

THONG NAI PAN NOI, KHO PHANGAN

    KO PHI PHI LE, KO PHI PHI DON

RAILAY BEACH, KRABI

SAIREE BEACH, KOH TAO

LAEM THONG BEACH, PHI PHI DON ISLAND

Specialties of  Thailand:

THAI SILK:

        Thai silk is produced from the cocoons of Thai silkworms. As traditional Thai silk is hand woven, each silk fabric is unique and cannot be duplicated by commercial means. Thai silk smells like hair when burned. The silk is similar to the composition of human hair and fingernails. A simple way to identify authentic silk is the "wedding ring" test. When pulling silk fabric through a ring, it will easily pass through. Imitation fabrics will bunch up and be difficult or impossible to pull through the ring. A good gift for your Loved ones.

THAI SPA PRODUCTS:

Thailand is the NUMBER ONE supplier for natural spa and massage products and supplies from Thailand. Thailand is a great source for such spa products and bringing home some for yourself as well as family and friends is a wonderful idea. Herbal massage packs, carved soaps, foot soaks, and body scrubs are also among the top favorites. These product 

THAI COCONUT OIL PRODUCTS:

        Coconut production contributes to the national economy of Thailand. Coconut oil can be extracted through dry or wet processing. Coconut oil has been gaining more and more popularity in recent years because of its numerous benefits. For ladies and men’s in terms of beauty, skin and hair nourishment. It’s a good gift for anybody you want to gift and also for your home use. 

THAI HANDICRAFTS: 

Different Types of Handicrafts. The range of handicrafts available in Thailand is incredibly wide, encompassing toys, furniture and clothing. Thailand isn’t an expensive country to visit, which is great when it comes to picking up souvenirs, mementos or gifts to take home to your friends. There are a lot of good stuff which can be good in the showcase at your home too.

 

THAI SILVER JEWELERY & TINKERS:

    Jewelry as gifts is no doubt the best choice to get In Bangkok, you can buy high quality silver jewelry at good prices. To make sure that the silver items you are going to buy is genuine, look for the .925 stamp which means the item is made of 92.5% silver. You can also opt for the higher quality hill tribe silver pieces that are made of 99% silver. These unique bracelets, ear rings and necklaces are carefully handcrafted by tribal folks in Northern Thailand.

            Accessories, key chains, coin purses, and small elephant-designed items are just some of the stuff that you can buy from almost all souvenir shops in Bangkok as a last minute gifting idea for your friends and loved one’s

The antique souvenir items that you can readily bring back home are mere replicas, which look so much like the originals. These replicas are still worthy souvenirs for decorative purposes.

        The Glorious Food, Stunning Beaches, Amazing Massages, Green Hills, friendly people and fascinating culture. The Kingdom of Thailand is such a beauty and this paradise has so much to offer that one visit is never enough, you will want to come back and discover more. 

BELOW ARE FEW WEBSITES WHICH WILL HELP YOU START YOUR PLANNING TO FIND THE BEST PACKAGES WHICH SUIT YOUR INTREST:

• www.makemytrip.com
• www.akbartravels.com
• www.cleartrip.com

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