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 over 70 million, it spans 513,115 square kilometres (198,115 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 2
Lisa in March 2024
Lalisa Manobal (also spelled Manoban; born Pranpriya Manobal; March 27, 1997), known professionally as Lisa (
Korean: 리사), is a Thai rapper, singer, and dancer. She is a member of the South Korean girl group
Blackpink, which debuted under
YG Entertainment in August 2016. She is set to make her acting debut in 2025 in the
HBO television series The White Lotus.
In September 2021, Lisa released her debut single album Lalisa, which made her the first female artist to sell 736,000 copies of an album in its first week in South Korea. The music video for
its lead single became the most-viewed music video in the first 24 hours on
YouTube by a solo artist. Both "Lalisa" and the album's viral second single "
Money" charted in the top ten of the
Billboard Global 200, with the latter breaking the record for the longest-charting song by a female K-pop soloist on the US
Billboard Hot 100 and the
UK Singles Chart. Lalisa and "Money" became the first album and song by a K-pop solo artist to reach one billion streams on
Spotify, respectively. In 2024, Lisa established her own management company named Lloud, signed with
RCA Records, and achieved her first number-one single on the
Billboard Global Excl. U.S. with "
Rockstar". (Full article...)
Image 3
Scene of a declaration of Siam as a democratic nation on 24 June 1932
The UDD in 2007 The United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) (
Thai: แนวร่วมประชาธิปไตยต่อต้านเผด็จการแห่งชาติ; นปช., alternatively translated as National Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship), whose supporters are commonly called
Red Shirts, is a political
pressure group opposed to the
People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the
2006 Thai coup d'état, and supporters of the coup. Notable UDD leaders include
Jatuporn Prompan,
Nattawut Saikua,
Veera Musikapong,
Jaran Ditapichai, and
Weng Tojirakarn. The UDD allies itself with the
Pheu Thai Party, which was deposed by the
2014 military coup. Before the July 2011 national elections, the UDD claimed that
Abhisit Vejjajiva's government took power illegitimately, backed by the
Thai Army and the
judiciary. The UDD called for the
Thai Parliament to be dissolved so that a general election could be held. UDD accused the country's extra-democratic elite—the military, judiciary, certain members of the
privy council, and other unelected officials—of undermining democracy by interfering in politics. The UDD is composed of mostly rural citizens from northeast (
Isan) and north Thailand, of urban lower classes from
Bangkok, and of intellectuals. Although the movement seems to receive support from former prime minister-in-exile
Thaksin Shinawatra, not all UDD members support the deposed prime minister. (Full article...)
Image 5
"Phasa Thai" (literally meaning "Thai language") written in
Thai script
Auto rickshaw in
Sri Lanka An auto rickshaw is a motorized version of the
pulled rickshaw or
cycle rickshaw. Most have three wheels and do not tilt. They are known by many terms in various countries, including auto, auto rickshaw, baby taxi, mototaxi, pigeon, jonnybee, bajaj, chand gari, lapa, tuk-tuk, tum-tum, Keke-napep, Maruwa, Adaidaita Sahu, 3wheel, pragya, bao-bao, easy bike, and tukxi.
The auto rickshaw is a common form of transport around the world, both as a
vehicle for hire and for private use. They are especially common in countries with
tropical or
subtropical climates since they are usually not fully enclosed, and they are found in many
developing countries because they are relatively inexpensive to own and operate. There are many different auto rickshaw designs. The most common type is characterized by a sheet-metal body or open frame resting on three wheels; a canvas roof with drop-down side curtains; a small cabin at the front for the driver operating
handlebar controls; and a cargo, passenger, or dual purpose space at the rear. Another type is a motorcycle that has an expanded sidecar or, less often, is pushing or pulling a passenger compartment. (Full article...)
The rights of
lesbian,
gay,
bisexual, and
transgender (
LGBT) people in
Thailand are regarded as some of the most comprehensive of
those in Asia. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity are legal, and the law legalizing
same sex marriage is pending the royal assent. Thailand was the first Asian
UN member state to pass a comprehensive same-sex marriage law, as well as the first in
Southeast Asia and the 37th in the world. 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 38Display 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 52Map 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 58Wat 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 64Ananta 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)
This is a
Good article, an article that meets a core set of high editorial standards.
The Global Buddhist Network (GBN), previously known as the Dhammakaya Media Channel (DMC) is a Thai online
television channel concerned with
Buddhism. The channel's taglines were "The secrets of life revealed" and "The only one", but these were later replaced by "Channel for the path to the cessation of suffering and attainment of Dhamma". The channel features many types of programs with Buddhist content, and has programs in several languages.
The channel started in 2002, as a means to reach remote provinces in Thailand. Controversially, the channel made international headlines in 2012 when it featured a teaching on the afterlife of
Steve Jobs. On 26 December 2016, Thai authorities withdrew the permit for the satellite channel permanently, during the
legal investigations into the temple by the
Thai junta. In April 2017, it was reported, however, that the channel's programming had continued, but broadcast through the Internet only. In its online format, the channel has been renamed Global Buddhist Network. (Full article...)
... that the electropop rock band Siamés created "
Argentina's first
anime music video"?
... that a kind of deep fried egg dish might be perceived as a warning in Thai folklore?
... 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?
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 over 70 million, it spans 513,115 square kilometres (198,115 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 2
Lisa in March 2024
Lalisa Manobal (also spelled Manoban; born Pranpriya Manobal; March 27, 1997), known professionally as Lisa (
Korean: 리사), is a Thai rapper, singer, and dancer. She is a member of the South Korean girl group
Blackpink, which debuted under
YG Entertainment in August 2016. She is set to make her acting debut in 2025 in the
HBO television series The White Lotus.
In September 2021, Lisa released her debut single album Lalisa, which made her the first female artist to sell 736,000 copies of an album in its first week in South Korea. The music video for
its lead single became the most-viewed music video in the first 24 hours on
YouTube by a solo artist. Both "Lalisa" and the album's viral second single "
Money" charted in the top ten of the
Billboard Global 200, with the latter breaking the record for the longest-charting song by a female K-pop soloist on the US
Billboard Hot 100 and the
UK Singles Chart. Lalisa and "Money" became the first album and song by a K-pop solo artist to reach one billion streams on
Spotify, respectively. In 2024, Lisa established her own management company named Lloud, signed with
RCA Records, and achieved her first number-one single on the
Billboard Global Excl. U.S. with "
Rockstar". (Full article...)
Image 3
Scene of a declaration of Siam as a democratic nation on 24 June 1932
The UDD in 2007 The United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) (
Thai: แนวร่วมประชาธิปไตยต่อต้านเผด็จการแห่งชาติ; นปช., alternatively translated as National Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship), whose supporters are commonly called
Red Shirts, is a political
pressure group opposed to the
People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the
2006 Thai coup d'état, and supporters of the coup. Notable UDD leaders include
Jatuporn Prompan,
Nattawut Saikua,
Veera Musikapong,
Jaran Ditapichai, and
Weng Tojirakarn. The UDD allies itself with the
Pheu Thai Party, which was deposed by the
2014 military coup. Before the July 2011 national elections, the UDD claimed that
Abhisit Vejjajiva's government took power illegitimately, backed by the
Thai Army and the
judiciary. The UDD called for the
Thai Parliament to be dissolved so that a general election could be held. UDD accused the country's extra-democratic elite—the military, judiciary, certain members of the
privy council, and other unelected officials—of undermining democracy by interfering in politics. The UDD is composed of mostly rural citizens from northeast (
Isan) and north Thailand, of urban lower classes from
Bangkok, and of intellectuals. Although the movement seems to receive support from former prime minister-in-exile
Thaksin Shinawatra, not all UDD members support the deposed prime minister. (Full article...)
Image 5
"Phasa Thai" (literally meaning "Thai language") written in
Thai script
Auto rickshaw in
Sri Lanka An auto rickshaw is a motorized version of the
pulled rickshaw or
cycle rickshaw. Most have three wheels and do not tilt. They are known by many terms in various countries, including auto, auto rickshaw, baby taxi, mototaxi, pigeon, jonnybee, bajaj, chand gari, lapa, tuk-tuk, tum-tum, Keke-napep, Maruwa, Adaidaita Sahu, 3wheel, pragya, bao-bao, easy bike, and tukxi.
The auto rickshaw is a common form of transport around the world, both as a
vehicle for hire and for private use. They are especially common in countries with
tropical or
subtropical climates since they are usually not fully enclosed, and they are found in many
developing countries because they are relatively inexpensive to own and operate. There are many different auto rickshaw designs. The most common type is characterized by a sheet-metal body or open frame resting on three wheels; a canvas roof with drop-down side curtains; a small cabin at the front for the driver operating
handlebar controls; and a cargo, passenger, or dual purpose space at the rear. Another type is a motorcycle that has an expanded sidecar or, less often, is pushing or pulling a passenger compartment. (Full article...)
The rights of
lesbian,
gay,
bisexual, and
transgender (
LGBT) people in
Thailand are regarded as some of the most comprehensive of
those in Asia. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity are legal, and the law legalizing
same sex marriage is pending the royal assent. Thailand was the first Asian
UN member state to pass a comprehensive same-sex marriage law, as well as the first in
Southeast Asia and the 37th in the world. 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 38Display 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 52Map 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 58Wat 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 64Ananta 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)
This is a
Good article, an article that meets a core set of high editorial standards.
The Global Buddhist Network (GBN), previously known as the Dhammakaya Media Channel (DMC) is a Thai online
television channel concerned with
Buddhism. The channel's taglines were "The secrets of life revealed" and "The only one", but these were later replaced by "Channel for the path to the cessation of suffering and attainment of Dhamma". The channel features many types of programs with Buddhist content, and has programs in several languages.
The channel started in 2002, as a means to reach remote provinces in Thailand. Controversially, the channel made international headlines in 2012 when it featured a teaching on the afterlife of
Steve Jobs. On 26 December 2016, Thai authorities withdrew the permit for the satellite channel permanently, during the
legal investigations into the temple by the
Thai junta. In April 2017, it was reported, however, that the channel's programming had continued, but broadcast through the Internet only. In its online format, the channel has been renamed Global Buddhist Network. (Full article...)
... that the electropop rock band Siamés created "
Argentina's first
anime music video"?
... that a kind of deep fried egg dish might be perceived as a warning in Thai folklore?
... 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?