Forget what you think you know about Thailand - odds are it's wrong. About the only thing you see about Thailand in the US has to do with Bird Flu, the Muslim insurgency in the south
or the sex trade. Those three things get all the foreign press, but they are a MICROSCOPIC part of the Thai society.
What the Western press doesn't show you is a country of 65 million people who live in a society far more peaceful and family oriented than we do here. The main religion in Thailand is the
Theravada form of Buddhism and this is a very large part of their polite, non-violent society led by a King and Queen who are loved and respected FAR more than any politician or
celebrity we look up to here in the US. The King and Queen work tirelessly to improve the daily lives of their people in any way they can. Royal projects can be found in every province
(76 of them - bigger than what we would call counties) in the Kingdom and are all created directly by the Royal family to benefit the Thai people.
The Thai people themselves are very polite. The majority of younger Thais in the larger cities (especially Bangkok which is 2,300 square miles - bigger than Los Angles) speak English.
This is directly related to King Chulalongkorn (son of King Mongkut - who we know as the King in "The King and I" and "Anna and the King"). He effectively founded the national public
education system. This was done knowing that his fathers high intellect had saved Thailand (then Siam -pronounced "see-yam") from colonization by European super powers of the time -
namely France and Britain. Truly understanding that the pen is mightier than the sword, Kings Mongkut and Chulalongkorn elevated Thailand to its current position as the most advanced
and socially developed country in South East Asia.
This is just one small aspect of this amazing country and the Thai people. If you only visit one great place in your life time, Thailand should be it.
Links to some great sites to learn more are at the bottom of this page.
or the sex trade. Those three things get all the foreign press, but they are a MICROSCOPIC part of the Thai society.
What the Western press doesn't show you is a country of 65 million people who live in a society far more peaceful and family oriented than we do here. The main religion in Thailand is the
Theravada form of Buddhism and this is a very large part of their polite, non-violent society led by a King and Queen who are loved and respected FAR more than any politician or
celebrity we look up to here in the US. The King and Queen work tirelessly to improve the daily lives of their people in any way they can. Royal projects can be found in every province
(76 of them - bigger than what we would call counties) in the Kingdom and are all created directly by the Royal family to benefit the Thai people.
The Thai people themselves are very polite. The majority of younger Thais in the larger cities (especially Bangkok which is 2,300 square miles - bigger than Los Angles) speak English.
This is directly related to King Chulalongkorn (son of King Mongkut - who we know as the King in "The King and I" and "Anna and the King"). He effectively founded the national public
education system. This was done knowing that his fathers high intellect had saved Thailand (then Siam -pronounced "see-yam") from colonization by European super powers of the time -
namely France and Britain. Truly understanding that the pen is mightier than the sword, Kings Mongkut and Chulalongkorn elevated Thailand to its current position as the most advanced
and socially developed country in South East Asia.
This is just one small aspect of this amazing country and the Thai people. If you only visit one great place in your life time, Thailand should be it.
Links to some great sites to learn more are at the bottom of this page.
Great professional pictures of Thailand can be found here:
www.photographythailand.com
Great Thai site here
The Tourism Authority of Thailand
The Summer Palace revived by King Rama IV of the Chakri Dynasty, better known in the West as King Mongkut. In the U.S. we know him as the King in "The Kind and I" and
"Anna and the King". It take a little while for the page to load, but it's worth the wait! Another quicker version with still pictures only is here.
You really need to see this!
All the dry demographics you could ever need about Thailand - from the CIA!
Click here to learn the SECRET NAME of Bangkok - which by the way is also in the Guinness Book
Listen to the radio in Bangkok
www.photographythailand.com
Great Thai site here
The Tourism Authority of Thailand
The Summer Palace revived by King Rama IV of the Chakri Dynasty, better known in the West as King Mongkut. In the U.S. we know him as the King in "The Kind and I" and
"Anna and the King". It take a little while for the page to load, but it's worth the wait! Another quicker version with still pictures only is here.
You really need to see this!
All the dry demographics you could ever need about Thailand - from the CIA!
Click here to learn the SECRET NAME of Bangkok - which by the way is also in the Guinness Book
Listen to the radio in Bangkok
Thailand - The most incredible place on Earth!
