Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in
Southeast Asia on the
Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 70 million, it spans 513,120 square kilometres (198,120 sq mi). Thailand is
bordered to the northwest by
Myanmar, to the northeast and east by
Laos, to the southeast by
Cambodia, to the south by the
Gulf of Thailand and
Malaysia, and to the southwest by the
Andaman Sea; it also shares
maritime borders with
Vietnam to the southeast and
Indonesia and
India to the southwest.
Bangkok is the state capital and largest city.
After the
1978 Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia and subsequent collapse of
Democratic Kampuchea in 1979, the
Khmer Rouge fled to the border regions of
Thailand, and, with assistance from China, Pol Pot's troops managed to regroup and reorganize in forested and mountainous zones on the Thai-Cambodian border. During the 1980s and early 1990s Khmer Rouge forces operated from inside refugee camps in Thailand, in an attempt to de-stabilize the pro-
HanoiPeople's Republic of Kampuchea's government, which Thailand refused to recognise. Thailand and Vietnam faced off across the Thai-Cambodian border with frequent Vietnamese incursions and shellings into Thai territory throughout the 1980s in pursuit of Cambodian guerrillas who kept attacking Vietnamese occupation forces. (Full article...)
Image 3
The culture of Thailand is a unique blend of various influences that have evolved over time. Local customs,
animist beliefs, Buddhist traditions, and regional ethnic and cultural practices have all played a role in shaping Thai culture.
Thainess, which refers to the distinctive qualities that define the
national identity of
Thailand, is evident in the country's history, customs, and traditions. While
Buddhism remains the dominant religion in Thailand with more than 40,000 temples,
Islam,
Christianity, and other faiths are also practiced.
Thailand's historical and cultural heritage has been shaped by interactions with neighboring cultures as well as far-reaching cultures such as
Indian,
Chinese,
Japanese,
Portuguese, and
Persian, with the ancient city of
Ayutthaya serving as a global trade center. Early European visitors also recognized Ayutthaya as one of the great powers of Asia, alongside
China and
India, highlighting the city's importance and influence in the region. In modern times, Thailand's cultural landscape has been shaped by the influence of
global trends. This includes the adoption of modern educational practices and the promotion of
science and
technology, while also preserving traditional customs and practices. (Full article...)
Image 4
Phibunsongkhram
c. 1940s
Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram (
Thai: แปลก พิบูลสงคราม[plɛ̀ːkpʰí.būːn.sǒŋ.kʰrāːm]; alternatively transcribed as Pibulsongkram or Pibulsonggram; 14 July 1897 – 11 June 1964), locally known as Marshal P. (
Thai: จอมพล ป.;[tɕɔ̄ːm.pʰōn.pɔ̄ː]), and contemporarily known as Phibun (Pibul) in the West, was a Thai military officer and politician who served as
Prime Minister of Thailand from 1938 to 1944 and 1948 to 1957.
After his appointment as army chief in 2010, Prayut was characterised as a royalist and an opponent of former prime minister
Thaksin Shinawatra. Considered a hardliner within the military, he was one of the leading proponents of military crackdowns on the
Red Shirt demonstrations of
April 2009 and
April–May 2010. He later sought to moderate his profile, talking to relatives of protesters who were killed in the bloody conflict, and co-operating with the government of
Yingluck Shinawatra who won parliamentary elections in July 2011. (Full article...)
The Ayutthaya Kingdom (/ɑːˈjuːtəjə/;
Thai: อยุธยา,
RTGS: Ayutthaya,
IAST: Ayudhyā or Ayodhyā, pronounced[ʔā.jút.tʰā.jāː]ⓘ) or the Empire of Ayutthaya was a
Mon and later
Siamese kingdom that existed in
Southeast Asia from 1351 to 1767, centered around the city of
Ayutthaya, in Siam, or present-day
Thailand. European travellers in the early 16th century called Ayutthaya one of the three great powers of Asia (alongside
Vijayanagar and China). The Ayutthaya Kingdom is considered to be the precursor of modern Thailand, and its developments are an important part of the
history of Thailand.
The Ayutthaya Kingdom emerged from the
mandala/merger of three maritime city-states on the Lower
Chao Phraya Valley in the late 13th and 14th centuries (
Lopburi,
Suphanburi, and Ayutthaya). The early kingdom was a maritime confederation, oriented to post-
Srivijaya Maritime Southeast Asia, conducting raids and tribute from these maritime states. After two centuries of political organization from the
Northern Cities and a transition to a hinterland state, Ayutthaya centralized and became one of the great powers of Asia. From 1569 to 1584, Ayutthaya was a vassal state of
Taungoo Burma, but quickly regained independence. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Ayutthaya emerged as an entrepôt of international trade and its cultures flourished. The reign of
Narai (
r. 1657–1688) was known for Persian and later, European, influence and the sending of the
1686 Siamese embassy to the French court of King
Louis XIV. The Late Ayutthaya Period saw the departure of the French and English but growing prominence of the Chinese. The period was described as a "golden age" of Siamese culture and saw the rise in Chinese trade and the introduction of capitalism into Siam, a development that would continue to expand in the centuries following the fall of Ayutthaya. (Full article...)
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in
Thailand have several but not all of the same rights as non-LGBT people. Both male and female types of same-sex sexual activity are legal in Thailand, and same-sex marriage rights within the nation are pending legalisation. About eight percent of the Thai population, five million people, are thought to be in the LGBT demographic.
In 2013, the Bangkok Post said that "while Thailand is viewed as a tourist haven for same-sex couples, the reality for locals is that the law, and often public sentiment, is not so liberal." A 2014 report by the
United States Agency for International Development and the
United Nations Development Programme said that LGBT people "still face discrimination affecting their social rights and job opportunities", and "face difficulty gaining acceptance for non-traditional sexuality, even though the tourism authority has been promoting Thailand as a gay-friendly country". (Full article...)
Image 9
Eng (left) and Chang (right) in later years
Chang Bunker and Eng Bunker (May 11, 1811 – January 17, 1874) were Siamese (Thai)-American
conjoined twin brothers whose fame propelled the expression "Siamese twins" to become synonymous for conjoined twins in general. They were widely exhibited as curiosities and were "two of the nineteenth century's most studied human beings".
The brothers were born with Chinese ancestry in Siam (now known as
Thailand) and were brought to the United States in 1829. Physicians inspected them as they became known to American and European audiences in "
freak shows". Newspapers and the public were initially sympathetic to them, and within three years they left the control of their managers, who they thought were cheating them, and toured on their own. In early exhibitions, they were exoticized and displayed their athleticism; they later held conversations in English in a more dignified parlor setting. (Full article...)
Image 10
Prostitution in Thailand is not itself illegal, but public
solicitation for
prostitution is prohibited if it is carried out "openly and shamelessly" or "causes nuisance to the public". Due to police corruption and an economic reliance on prostitution dating back to the
Vietnam War, it remains a significant presence in the country. It results from poverty, low levels of education and a lack of employment in rural areas. Prostitutes mostly come from the northeastern (
Isan) region of Thailand, from ethnic minorities or from neighbouring countries, especially
Cambodia,
Myanmar, and
Laos. In 2019, UNAIDS estimated the total population of sex workers in Thailand to be 43,000. (Full article...)
Image 21Map showing linguistic family tree overlaid on a geographic distribution map of Tai-Kadai family. This map only shows general pattern of the migration of Tai-speaking tribes, not specific routes, which would have snaked along the rivers and over the lower passes. (from History of Thailand)
Image 23Wat Arun, the most prominent temple of the Thonburi period, derives its name from the Hindu god
Aruṇa. Its main prang was constructed later in the Rattanakosin period. (from History of Thailand)
Image 41Display of respect of the younger towards the elder is a cornerstone value in Thailand. A family during the
Buddhist ceremony for young men who are to be
ordained as
monks. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 43Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall, the royal reception hall built in European architectural style. Construction was started by Rama V, but was completed in 1915. (from History of Thailand)
Image 44Gurkhas guide disarmed Japanese soldiers from Bangkok to prisoner of war camps outside the city, September 1945 (from History of Thailand)
The allegations damaged the popularity of Thaksin and his government, despite the fact that no evidence was ever produced to verify the existence of a plot.
Thaksin and his
Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party vehemently denied the accusations and sued the accusers. The
leaders of the
2006 military coup claimed Thaksin's alleged disloyalty as one of their rationales for seizing power. (Full article...)
... that "gambling lord" Hong Taechawanit's mansion in Thailand became a police station?
... that in addition to running Bangkok's first power station, the Siam Electricity Company also operated half the city's tram lines and a fire brigade?
... that the first Thai typewriter left out two letters, which eventually became obsolete?
... that following the controversial success of Amarin Plaza,
Rangsan Torsuwan went on to design the Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel in the same vein, but with Thai-style columns replacing Ionic ones?
... that during Siam Niramit, a Bangkok cultural show, the forestage was transformed into a 50-metre-long (160 ft) river?
... that a kind of deep fried egg dish might be perceived as a warning in Thai folklore?
... that the first batch of Action Computer Enterprise's Discovery 1600, one of the first
multi-user microcomputers, was delivered to a tobacco-growing business in Thailand?
Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in
Southeast Asia on the
Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 70 million, it spans 513,120 square kilometres (198,120 sq mi). Thailand is
bordered to the northwest by
Myanmar, to the northeast and east by
Laos, to the southeast by
Cambodia, to the south by the
Gulf of Thailand and
Malaysia, and to the southwest by the
Andaman Sea; it also shares
maritime borders with
Vietnam to the southeast and
Indonesia and
India to the southwest.
Bangkok is the state capital and largest city.
After the
1978 Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia and subsequent collapse of
Democratic Kampuchea in 1979, the
Khmer Rouge fled to the border regions of
Thailand, and, with assistance from China, Pol Pot's troops managed to regroup and reorganize in forested and mountainous zones on the Thai-Cambodian border. During the 1980s and early 1990s Khmer Rouge forces operated from inside refugee camps in Thailand, in an attempt to de-stabilize the pro-
HanoiPeople's Republic of Kampuchea's government, which Thailand refused to recognise. Thailand and Vietnam faced off across the Thai-Cambodian border with frequent Vietnamese incursions and shellings into Thai territory throughout the 1980s in pursuit of Cambodian guerrillas who kept attacking Vietnamese occupation forces. (Full article...)
Image 3
The culture of Thailand is a unique blend of various influences that have evolved over time. Local customs,
animist beliefs, Buddhist traditions, and regional ethnic and cultural practices have all played a role in shaping Thai culture.
Thainess, which refers to the distinctive qualities that define the
national identity of
Thailand, is evident in the country's history, customs, and traditions. While
Buddhism remains the dominant religion in Thailand with more than 40,000 temples,
Islam,
Christianity, and other faiths are also practiced.
Thailand's historical and cultural heritage has been shaped by interactions with neighboring cultures as well as far-reaching cultures such as
Indian,
Chinese,
Japanese,
Portuguese, and
Persian, with the ancient city of
Ayutthaya serving as a global trade center. Early European visitors also recognized Ayutthaya as one of the great powers of Asia, alongside
China and
India, highlighting the city's importance and influence in the region. In modern times, Thailand's cultural landscape has been shaped by the influence of
global trends. This includes the adoption of modern educational practices and the promotion of
science and
technology, while also preserving traditional customs and practices. (Full article...)
Image 4
Phibunsongkhram
c. 1940s
Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkhram (
Thai: แปลก พิบูลสงคราม[plɛ̀ːkpʰí.būːn.sǒŋ.kʰrāːm]; alternatively transcribed as Pibulsongkram or Pibulsonggram; 14 July 1897 – 11 June 1964), locally known as Marshal P. (
Thai: จอมพล ป.;[tɕɔ̄ːm.pʰōn.pɔ̄ː]), and contemporarily known as Phibun (Pibul) in the West, was a Thai military officer and politician who served as
Prime Minister of Thailand from 1938 to 1944 and 1948 to 1957.
After his appointment as army chief in 2010, Prayut was characterised as a royalist and an opponent of former prime minister
Thaksin Shinawatra. Considered a hardliner within the military, he was one of the leading proponents of military crackdowns on the
Red Shirt demonstrations of
April 2009 and
April–May 2010. He later sought to moderate his profile, talking to relatives of protesters who were killed in the bloody conflict, and co-operating with the government of
Yingluck Shinawatra who won parliamentary elections in July 2011. (Full article...)
The Ayutthaya Kingdom (/ɑːˈjuːtəjə/;
Thai: อยุธยา,
RTGS: Ayutthaya,
IAST: Ayudhyā or Ayodhyā, pronounced[ʔā.jút.tʰā.jāː]ⓘ) or the Empire of Ayutthaya was a
Mon and later
Siamese kingdom that existed in
Southeast Asia from 1351 to 1767, centered around the city of
Ayutthaya, in Siam, or present-day
Thailand. European travellers in the early 16th century called Ayutthaya one of the three great powers of Asia (alongside
Vijayanagar and China). The Ayutthaya Kingdom is considered to be the precursor of modern Thailand, and its developments are an important part of the
history of Thailand.
The Ayutthaya Kingdom emerged from the
mandala/merger of three maritime city-states on the Lower
Chao Phraya Valley in the late 13th and 14th centuries (
Lopburi,
Suphanburi, and Ayutthaya). The early kingdom was a maritime confederation, oriented to post-
Srivijaya Maritime Southeast Asia, conducting raids and tribute from these maritime states. After two centuries of political organization from the
Northern Cities and a transition to a hinterland state, Ayutthaya centralized and became one of the great powers of Asia. From 1569 to 1584, Ayutthaya was a vassal state of
Taungoo Burma, but quickly regained independence. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, Ayutthaya emerged as an entrepôt of international trade and its cultures flourished. The reign of
Narai (
r. 1657–1688) was known for Persian and later, European, influence and the sending of the
1686 Siamese embassy to the French court of King
Louis XIV. The Late Ayutthaya Period saw the departure of the French and English but growing prominence of the Chinese. The period was described as a "golden age" of Siamese culture and saw the rise in Chinese trade and the introduction of capitalism into Siam, a development that would continue to expand in the centuries following the fall of Ayutthaya. (Full article...)
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in
Thailand have several but not all of the same rights as non-LGBT people. Both male and female types of same-sex sexual activity are legal in Thailand, and same-sex marriage rights within the nation are pending legalisation. About eight percent of the Thai population, five million people, are thought to be in the LGBT demographic.
In 2013, the Bangkok Post said that "while Thailand is viewed as a tourist haven for same-sex couples, the reality for locals is that the law, and often public sentiment, is not so liberal." A 2014 report by the
United States Agency for International Development and the
United Nations Development Programme said that LGBT people "still face discrimination affecting their social rights and job opportunities", and "face difficulty gaining acceptance for non-traditional sexuality, even though the tourism authority has been promoting Thailand as a gay-friendly country". (Full article...)
Image 9
Eng (left) and Chang (right) in later years
Chang Bunker and Eng Bunker (May 11, 1811 – January 17, 1874) were Siamese (Thai)-American
conjoined twin brothers whose fame propelled the expression "Siamese twins" to become synonymous for conjoined twins in general. They were widely exhibited as curiosities and were "two of the nineteenth century's most studied human beings".
The brothers were born with Chinese ancestry in Siam (now known as
Thailand) and were brought to the United States in 1829. Physicians inspected them as they became known to American and European audiences in "
freak shows". Newspapers and the public were initially sympathetic to them, and within three years they left the control of their managers, who they thought were cheating them, and toured on their own. In early exhibitions, they were exoticized and displayed their athleticism; they later held conversations in English in a more dignified parlor setting. (Full article...)
Image 10
Prostitution in Thailand is not itself illegal, but public
solicitation for
prostitution is prohibited if it is carried out "openly and shamelessly" or "causes nuisance to the public". Due to police corruption and an economic reliance on prostitution dating back to the
Vietnam War, it remains a significant presence in the country. It results from poverty, low levels of education and a lack of employment in rural areas. Prostitutes mostly come from the northeastern (
Isan) region of Thailand, from ethnic minorities or from neighbouring countries, especially
Cambodia,
Myanmar, and
Laos. In 2019, UNAIDS estimated the total population of sex workers in Thailand to be 43,000. (Full article...)
Image 21Map showing linguistic family tree overlaid on a geographic distribution map of Tai-Kadai family. This map only shows general pattern of the migration of Tai-speaking tribes, not specific routes, which would have snaked along the rivers and over the lower passes. (from History of Thailand)
Image 23Wat Arun, the most prominent temple of the Thonburi period, derives its name from the Hindu god
Aruṇa. Its main prang was constructed later in the Rattanakosin period. (from History of Thailand)
Image 41Display of respect of the younger towards the elder is a cornerstone value in Thailand. A family during the
Buddhist ceremony for young men who are to be
ordained as
monks. (from Culture of Thailand)
Image 43Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall, the royal reception hall built in European architectural style. Construction was started by Rama V, but was completed in 1915. (from History of Thailand)
Image 44Gurkhas guide disarmed Japanese soldiers from Bangkok to prisoner of war camps outside the city, September 1945 (from History of Thailand)
The allegations damaged the popularity of Thaksin and his government, despite the fact that no evidence was ever produced to verify the existence of a plot.
Thaksin and his
Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party vehemently denied the accusations and sued the accusers. The
leaders of the
2006 military coup claimed Thaksin's alleged disloyalty as one of their rationales for seizing power. (Full article...)
... that "gambling lord" Hong Taechawanit's mansion in Thailand became a police station?
... that in addition to running Bangkok's first power station, the Siam Electricity Company also operated half the city's tram lines and a fire brigade?
... that the first Thai typewriter left out two letters, which eventually became obsolete?
... that following the controversial success of Amarin Plaza,
Rangsan Torsuwan went on to design the Grand Hyatt Erawan hotel in the same vein, but with Thai-style columns replacing Ionic ones?
... that during Siam Niramit, a Bangkok cultural show, the forestage was transformed into a 50-metre-long (160 ft) river?
... that a kind of deep fried egg dish might be perceived as a warning in Thai folklore?
... that the first batch of Action Computer Enterprise's Discovery 1600, one of the first
multi-user microcomputers, was delivered to a tobacco-growing business in Thailand?