Koh Chang

Koh Chang is in Trat Province , Koh Chang area is the second-largest Island after Phuket. 315 kilometers from Bangkok. Approximately 650 kilometers. Square kilometers to the eastern border provinces of Thailand. Divided into five administrative district is the second District, Muang District Saming Bo Rai Khlong Yai District, Laem Koh Kut. And Koh Chang.

Mu Koh Chang National Park. A national park. Consists of 47 islands around the island and the island nature of the rocks appeared above the sea a lot of Koh Chang island is an area most With an area of approximately 268,125 rai Koh Chang National Park area, including islands and waters along about 650 square kilometers or 406,250 rai.

In general, the main activity is to see Koh Chang Marine Heritage Tour players visit waterfalls, fishing villages. Which are important tourist attractions are as follows.

1.Beautiful white sand beach and clean sea water clean for tourists on holiday.
2.Stream waterfall Klong Plu waterfall Klong Yom Waterfall Nonsi waterfall Kiri Petch waterfall Klong.
3.Division underwater coral stone forest.
4.Salak Phet Village - Rong.
5.The Battle navi of Koh Chang.
6.Bang Bao fishing village.
7.Roy abbreviations and inscription on a piece of rock era of King Rama Rama 4 and 5 on Yom waterfall stream and waterfall Nonsi canal.
8.Cycling, nature study.
9.Hiking nature study.
10.As the nations fairly stable carved Mangrove Bay.

Visitors can admire the truly national Thammathirat Rom. Koh Chang Hotel is small. Made of wood or bamboo huts. Koh Chang is a rain forest with dense tree cover. Terrain in the island mountains. And with the towering peak. Khao Chom Prasat Located at the center of the island.

In addition to activities like swimming in the sea. Existing tourist attractions. Rest in peace. Sample fresh seafood and the island has the medicine to visit the coral reefs dive shallow. For those who like fishing. Pointer is a large island. Pointer small islands and island dark Including the mound around the island. Abundance of fish living. Encourage contractors fishing boat from Elephant Island to fish out.

there is a small island in Koh Chang. Many island The villagers have to use first declared a national park. Some island has resorts and bungalows only and exclusive service. Visitors must buy a package tour to see if the contract only because the boat itself may be homeless or have to pay the most expensive island. Except for some islands in the passenger boat service will be able to see your own journey. But should contact the Reservation in advance. Food on the island at all expensive. Provisions should be prepared to do next.

Tags: Koh Chang

Chiang Mai Highlight

Having never ridden a motobike before ,renting a scooter and riding up the mountain overlooking Chiang Mai to the Buddist temple Wat Phra That Doi Suthep was probably not the smartest thing to do. But joining the chaos of tuk-tuks, scooters and cars on the multi-lane moat toad was certainly exhilarating,and experienceing the ancient temple and its views over the city was infinitely.

Robyn Loughnane,Australia

Tags: Chiang Mai, Doi Suthep, Highlight

Expenses in Thailand

Thailand is an inexpensive country to visit thanks to advantageous foreign currency exchanges and an affordable standard of living. Those on a budget should be able to get by on about 6OOB to 700B per day outside Bangkok and the major beach islands. This amount covers basic food, guesthouse accommodation and local transport but excludes all-night beer binges, tours, longdistance transport or vehicle hire. Travellers with more money to spend will find that for around 15OUB or more per day life can be quite comfortable.

Bangkok is a good place to splurge on a hotel for recovery from a long flight or to celebrate returning to 'civilisation'. ln the provinces, guesthouses tend to be the best value even for bigger budgets. Market meals

Tags: Expenses in Thailand

Getting Started

Most People find travel in Thailand to be relatively easy and economical. of course,a little prepration will go a long way towards making your trip hassle-free aned fun.

Annual Holidays/festivals/Events

Festivals, both commemorative and celebrative, form an important part of Thai life. Generally, Thai festivals are connected either with Buddhism, the annual cycle of rice farming or commemorations honouring past kings. Some occur on fixed dates. Others are determined by the lunar calendar.

Chronologically, Thailand”s major holidays and events are as follows:

Makha Bucha, the year's first important Buddhist celebration, is a national holiday. Makha Bucha falls on the full-moon day of the third lunar month, usually early February, and marks the miraculous occasion when 1,250 disciples
gathered spontaneously to hear the Buddha preach.

February also sees the Phra Buddha Bat Festival at the Shrine
of the Buddha‘s Footprint, north of Saraburi.

In Chiang Mai, the annual Flower Festival features floral floats, beauty contests and lavish displays of the province's temperate and tropical flowers.

Chakri Day, April 6 is a national holiday to commemorate the founding, inl782,of the present Chakridynasty. Thailand's present monarch, H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, is the ninth Chakri king.

April l2-14 are national holidays to mark Songkran and Family Day. Formerly the Thai New Year, Songkran is celebrated
with special elan in Chiang Mai where it becomes a three day carousel of meritaking, socializing and goodnatured water throwing.

Late April, or early May, the official rice—planting season commences with Bangkok's Ploughing Ceremony presided over by His Majesty the King.

Coronation Day, May 5 is a national holiday to celebrate King Bhumibol's coronation in 1950. Wisakha Bucha, a national holiday on the fullmoon day of the sixth lunar month, usually in May, is the holiest of all celebrating Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death.

Each May, prior to thc annual monsoons, villagcrs in Thailand's northcast construct gigantic rockcts to firc into thc skics to "cnsurc" bountiful rains. Thc Skyrockct Fcstival is thc traditional pcriod for lctting off
stcam bcforc ricc cultivation bcgins in carncst.

Asalaha Bucha, anothcr national holiday on thc fullmoon day of the eighth lunar month, usually in July, marks thc Buddha's first scrmon to his first five disciples and introduces Khao Phansa, the commencerment of the annual three — month Rains Retreat when all Buddhist monks vow to stay insidc thcir monasteries to study and mcditate.

Ubon Ratchathani, in the northeast, celebrates the commencement
of Phansa with a lovely Candle Festival.

Phansa is the traditional period for temporary ordinations.
During the three—month period,there are many processions as friends and relatives accompany tonsured, white—robed ordination candidates to local temples for their ordinations.

Phansa sees a temporary hiatus in festivities because of the rains.
The most important public event occurs on August 12, H.M. the Queen's Birthday, a national holiday when government buildings are decorated with coloured lights.

Awk Phansa, usually in October, marks the end of the Rain Retreat and introduces the Kathin period when, throughout Thailand, the Buddhist laity present monks with new robes and other items deemed necessary for material upkeep during the forthcoming monastic year.

The Kathin period also marks the official end of the Rainy Season
which is celebrated with many country fairs.

Chulalongkorn Day, October 23, honours Thailand's most beloved ing, and is a national holiday when Thais from all walks of life lay wreaths at his equestrian statue at the Royal Plaza, Bangkok.

Each year, usually late October or early November, a Tourism Festival is staged in Bangkok's Amphorn Gardens. For a few days the festival hosts cultural troupes
from all over Thailand and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors.

November marks the beginning of the Cool Season, coincides with low farming activity, and is the time for innumerable temple fairs. The most popular are Bangkok's Golden Mount Fair and the Phra Pathom Chedi Fair in Nakhon Pathom.

Loy Krathcng, Thailar1d‘s loveliest festival, also falls in
November. Each year, under the full moon, Thais float away small lotus-shaped banana leaf boats ccntaining a lighted candle, glcwing incense, a flower and a small coin
to honour, it is believed, the water spirits and to wash away the past year's sins onto rivers, canals, lakes and streams.

Ancther spectacle is provided in Surin in the northeast on the third Saturday of each Ncvember when some 200 elephants participate in the annual Elephant
Rcund-up.

Kanchaburi's River Kwai Bridge Week, usually late November to early December, features a light and sound spectacle, a recreation of the bcmbing event at
the world—fam0us bridge.

On December 3, the elite Royal Guards swear a new allegiance to His Majesty King
Bhumibol in Bangkok's Royal Plaza. This precedes H.M. the King's Birthday, December 5, a national holiday when festivities occur throughout the kingdom.

December l0, Constitution Day, is another national holiday.

Finally New Year's Eve, the year's last national holiday, is
mostly devoted to private celebrations as people usher out the old year and welcome in the new.

Tourism

In 1989 over 2.6 million tourists visited Thailand and, for the first time ever, tourism became Thailand's major foreign exchange earner. ln 1994 over 6.13
million tourists visited Thailand with 57% being East Asians,26% Europeans, 7% Americans and 10% others. It is estimated that in the following years of 1995-1998 the number of tourists visiting Thailand will be 6.7, 7.2, 7.7 and 8.2 million respectively. In 1991 Thailand earned a total of 100,004 million baht from tourism, a staggering 43.98% of the total income of the service sector and this increased to 145,211 million baht in 1994. Thailand's tourism sector is particularly well developed. Modern communications make remote corners of the kingdom accessible, and comfortable Western-style hotels can befound in all maj or cities.

With an abundance of natural attractions, including mountains and marine national parks, sparkling beach resorts, ruined cities, archaeo- logical wonders, year-round festivals and events, excellent recreation, cultural and leisure facilities, Thailand offers visitors truly memorable holidays.

Major Attractions
Briefly Thailand’s major tourism destinations are as follows:

Bangkok, the Thai capital’s major attractions include the fabulous Wat Phra Keo (Emerald Buddha Chapel) and the Grand Palace complex, Wat Arun (Temple
of Dawn), Wat Po (Temple of the Reclining Buddha), Wat Saket (Golden Mount), Wat Benchamabophit (Marble Temple); the royal barges which were featured in processions during Bangkok’s Bicentennial Celebrations in l982;the Pasteur Institute's Snake Farm
where poisonous snakes are feddaily and venom is "milked" from cobras and kraits to make invaluable serum; Jim Thompson's canalside Thai house which contains a superb collection of Asian objects d’art; Suan Pakkard Palace's lacquered pavillion which is
decorated with medieval gold leaf murals; the world*s largest crocodile farm; a 200 acre open air museum called the Ancient City; unrivalled shopping opportunities for some of the world's most admired handicrafts; and a liberated, almost legendary night life.

Nakhon Pathom, 56 kilometres west of Bangkok, hosts the world's tallest Buddhist monument, the 380-foot high Phra Pathorn Chedi which marks the spot where Buddhism was introduced to the region some 2,300 years ago.

Damnoensaduak, just south of Nakhon Pathom, is the site of Thailand's most vibrant floating market where farmers congregate each morning in brimfully-laden boats to sell fresh produce.

Kanchanaburi, some 130 kilometres west of Bangkok, is famous for "the Bridge over the River Kwai" and an Allied War Cemetery for soldiers who died
building the "Death Railway" during World War ll. The countryside beyond Kanchanaburi, with forested mountains, fertile valleys and lush jungles, contains exotic flora and fauna, waterfalls and awesome caves once inhabited by Neolithic man.

Ayutthaya, some 70 kilometres upstream from Bangkok, was the Thai capital from 1350 to 1767. Magnificent ruins of palaces, (temples lined with headless
Buddhas and crumbling fortresses, provide eloquent- testimony to the former capital's splendour. Just south of Ayutthaya is the former summer palace of Bang Paln.

Phra Buddha Bat (Shrine of the Buddha's Footprint), is just north
of Saraburi, some 120 kilometres north of Bangkok. The Buddha’s Footprint was accidentally discove ered more than 350 years ago by a deer hunter. A pool of water in the shape of an enlarged human foot was supposed to have curative.
powers which convinced the Siamese monarch that this was the Buddha‘s Footprint (left by the Enlightened One during a nocturnal astral journey).

Khao Yai National Park, northeast of Saraburi, and about 200 kilometres from Bangkok, covers more than 540,000 acres, has an average elevation of 800 metres and a highest peak of 1,328 metres. The park supports protected wildlife (including tigers, elephants, bears and giant hombills), and countless species of wild flowers, trees and orchids. Khao Yai is laced with hiking trails and waterfalls and offers comfortable motor lodge accommodation.

Nakhon Ratchasima, 260 kilometres northeast of Bangkok, is the gateway to Thailand’s northeast, known to Thais as l—san. The enormous northeast plateau is largely bordered by the mighty Mekong River and is probably
Thailand's most distinctive region. Owing to the topography, the inhabitants have their own dialect, cuisine and boisterous folk culture. Centuries ago, l—san was part of the Khom Angkor—centred empire.

The Khom built severalPm; sat Hin (stone castle temples) throughout I-san. Two in particular, Phirnai, 56 kilometres northeast of Nakhon Ratchasima, and Phanom Rung, to the southeast, near the Thai—Cambodian border, are the loveliest examples of classical Khom 6 architecture found outside Cambodia.

Khon Kaen, a university town in l—san's geographic centre, and
famous for its Mud Mee silk; Loei province's Phu Kra Dung National Park, a crisply beautiful forested plateau between l,000 and 1,350 metres high where night-time Cool
Season temperatures plummet to near freezing point; Ban Chiang, a tiny hamlet where archaeological discoveries suggest the world’s oldest Bronze Age civilization was flour ishing there some 5,600 years ago.

Nakhon Phanom, site of Phra That Phanom, the most revered northeastern shrine, the spire of which dates back to the 9th century.

Surin, where an annual Elephant Round—up each November attracts visitors from all over the world.

Ubon Ratchathani which hosts a lovely Candle Festival to introducethe annual Buddhist Rains Retreat.

Yasothon where, each summer, massive home—made rockets are fired
into the air to ensure bountiful rains amid much hi gh—spirited and ribald
revelry.

Sukhothai, 440 kilometres north of Bangkok, and site of the
first independent Thai kingdom, founded in 1238, is notable for massive stone Buddhas which preside over ruins within the old city walls.

Chiang Mai, about 700 kilometres north of Bangkok, was founded in 1296 and is located in a fertile valley some l,000 feet above sea level.

Many lowland Thais regard Chiang Mai as being a national Shangri-la, thanks to the city's beautiful women; historical temples dating from the l300s, often times mist-shrouded mountain scenery, temperate fruits such as apples and peaches and the
necessity of having to wear sweaters and jackets during Cool Season evenings.

Mountains surrounding ChiangMai form the lower Himalayan foothills and host several onceitinerant hilltribes of Tibeto—Burman origin.

Many interesting places lie within a day's journey of Chiang Mai. These include Lamphun, a town famed for beautiful women, stunning temples and bountiful orchards;Lampang, a town where Burmesestyle temples and horse-drawn carriages evoke an earlier age; and Doi Inthanon National Park, named after Thailand‘s highest mountain, where waterfalls and hilltribes share the mountainside.

Pattaya, Thailand's "Riviera" and internationally famous beach
resort,is a comfortable two hour drive from Bangkok. All manner of watersports, offshore coral is lands, luxurious accomodation and a vibrant nightlife comprise
6 Pattaya's main attractions.

Hua Hin, on the Thai Gulf‘s west coast, 232 kilometres south
of Bangkok, is Thailand*s oldest beach resort and has been the Thai Royal Family's summer residence since the 1920s.

Koh Samui is Thailand's third largest island and jewel of a 60
island archipelago in the Gulf of Thailand some 600 kilometres south of Bangkok. Palm - fringed beaches and secluded bays are dotted with sun bleached rock formations.

Phuket, Thailand’s largest island (approximately the size of Singapore) is 867 kilometres south of Bangkok on the lndian Ocean coast. The island is blessed with a wide variety of magnificent beaches, hidden caves and secluded
bays, and is probably Thailand”s best seafood haven. The beauties of Thailand's far south, particularly the area along the Andaman Sea, have made it one of the fastest-
growing tourist attractions in the region.

One of the world's scenic wonders lies northeast of Phuket, the eerily mysterious Phang Nga Bay where verdant limestone islands, honey combed with caves and aquatic grottos soar perpen dicularly, some 300 metres high, from perpetually calm waters.

Krabi, once regarded as remote,is now visited regularly by
tourists eager to enjoy its crystalline waters, white-sand beaches, and dramatic limestone outcrops that rise straight from the sea. Especially of interest is Koh Phi Phi, a pair of idyllic islands that lie off the coast, easily accessible by
boat from both Phuket and Krabi, now regularly visited by tour groups. For centuries travellers have come to collect the edible bird's nests found in a huge cave on the smaller of the two islands.

Last but not least, Songkhla, a somnolent fishing town on the
Gulf, some 1,200 kilometres south of Bangkok, has a fine beach, offshore islands and a fascinating inland sea-cum-bird sanctuary.

Sport

Thais are passionate sports enthusiasts, both as spectators and participants. Several Thais have become world-class athletes, including boxers with several world champions in the lighter divisions, marksmen, badminton players and sprinters. Traditional Thai sports include takmxw, a popu lar sport which involves keeping a woven rattan ball aloft by means of feet, knees, thighs, chest, shoulders and head; kitefighting, where in March, a dependable late afternoon breeze signals the kite-flying season; and long-boat racing. International sports include soccer, snooker golf, which made its debut in Thailand in the l920s and has become a sport popular among affluent Thais all over the kingdom; horse-racing, a Western sport that has found wide spread appeal among Thais, especially in the capital which has two tracks; and water sports such as scuba diving, windsurfing, jetskiing and sailing.

Keep-fit enthusiasts include joggers and runners of all ages, sizes and shapes, and practitioners of Tai Chi Chuan, the Chinese balletlike, slow-motion calisthenics.

Education

More than sixty percent of Thailand's population is under 19 years of age, making education one of the kingdom's major current concerns. A standard curriculum is customarily taught for six (compulsory) years of primary education and six years of secondary education; either in private or government schools.

All Thai children are required to attend school between the ages of 7 and 14. Teacher-pupil ratios in primary and secondary schools range from 1:18 in the north to 1:21 in the northeast.

Thailand has two education channels: the academic, preparingchildren for universities, and the vocational, preparing children for the adult skilled labour market.

Higher education is given in institutions classified as
a) state/national universities and private education institutes;
b) technical/vocational agricultural and teacher training colleges;
c) specialized / professional training institutions such as nursing colleges and military academies;and
d) international institutes such as Bangkok‘s Asian Insititute of Tcchnology which offcrs post- gradu atc cducation in spccializcd skills such as Agricultural Enginccring and Coniputcr Applications.

Thailand has l6 national univcrsitics, 19 privatc univcrsitics, and 36 tcachcr training collcgcs.

Mass Media

Radio & Television
Thailand has 495 national and local radio stations, 206 on AM and 289 on EM. There are five national colour television stations in Bangkok and 8 stations in theprovinces. As of present, there are two full-time running cable networks featuring popular western programmes such as MTV and HBO, and a third cable network, at trial-stage, offering international programmes via fibre optic cables.

The Public Relations Department (PRD) is responsible for Radio Thailand (for overseas listeners) and the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT) for Thai listeners. NBT is the official government broadcasting station which transmits local and international news mandatorily on all stations. Identical news is broadcast daily in nine foreign languages over Radio Thailand's External Service. Government agencies, the armed forces, state universities and the Education Ministry also operate radio stations.

AM radio appeals to popular taste, especially to rural listeners and FM radio offers popular music, classical, jazz, English-language enews-broadcasts and original soundtracks of certain foreign films shown on local television.

The television is mostly commercial and appeals to popular taste. Educational programmes,quiz shows, local soap operas and international sports programmes have enormous appeal.

The PRD’s Channel ll (in Bangkok) has a large educational content and is the parent station of stations in the provinces.

Publishing
Thai publishing is a thriving business with hundreds of news papers, magazines and paperback titles. Certain foreign bestsellers appear in Thai translations shortly after their publication abroad. International magazines with popular appeal like ELLE are proving to be popular in Thai versions.

Leading national Thai language dailies including Siam Rath and Marichoh are popular with well g educated Thais. The more popular Thai Rath and Daily News have broader appeal to the general population and are valued as much for entertainment value as journalistic standards.

Sin Sian Yit Pao is Thailand's leading Chinese-language newspaper, and The Nation (morning)and Bangkok Post (morning) serve the English-speaking community. Magazines in Thai and English appeal to a wide variety of tastes with particular focus on fashion, house-keeping, interior design, sports and business.

Communications

Road/Rail
Over 176,259 kilometres of national highways and rural roads link tiny hamlets with provincial capitals and major cities. The State Railway operates an efficient rail system linking Bangkok with northern, northeast and central Thailand while a southern route allows direct rail travel from Bangkok to Malaysia and Singapore. Despite the rapid growth of interprovincial buses, train travel is still popular with a large segmentof the population.

Air
Since its founding in 1960 Thai Airways International has enjoyed a remarkable success. The national carrier had the first all-jet fleet of any regional airline and pioneered jet services to once remote destinations such as Bali and Nepal.

Thai Airways provides an excellent domestic service, operating Boeing 737s between major cities, and Short 330s on feeder routes or to airports too small to accommodate jets.Thailand has 25 civilian airports, and 5 international airports Bangkok‘s Don Muang, Phuket, Hat Yai, Chiang Mai and U-Ta-Pao with Don Muang regularly served by the world's maj or airlines. Thai International, Thailand's
national carrier, operates regular wide—bodied jet services to 72 major cities in Europe, North America,the Middle East, Asia and Australia.

Sea
Thailand has 5 major ports, in Bangkok, Laom Chabang, Sattahip,Map Tha Phut and Songkhla.

Telecommunications/Post
Thailand*s modern communications system primarily uses satellite, underwater cable, microwave,radio links and the recent fibre optic cables. The Telephone Organization of Thailand, the Communications Authority of Thailand, and the Post & Telegraph Department are responsible for public telecommunications and postal services, including domestic local and long distance public telephones, international telephone services, nationwide mail delivery, the regulation,management and monitoring of radio frequencies, and the Government Public Relations Department is responsible for the licensing of public and private radio communication stations.

Manufacturing

Modern industry is making an appearance in a number of areas throughout the country.Thailand’s rapidly growing manufacturing sector includes processing facilities for rice, wood, sugar, fruits and seafood, refineries for oil and ore,assembly plants for intergrated circuits, automobiles, agricultural machinery, household appliances, diesel engines, drilling and welding machines,factories producing items as diverse as textiles, furniture,ceramics, pharmaceutical products,artificial flowers and animal feeds,and industrial plants manufacturing aluminium, glass and cement.

Thailancfs manufacturing sector faces a bright future, thanks to skilled, lowcost labour, keen market appreciation and a freely competitive economic system.

Agriculture

Thailand is a fertile country and agriculture, which broadly includes crop cultivation, forestry,livestock breeding, fisheries and mining, is the Thai economy's largest and most important sector. Rice forms a staple part of the Thai diet; and while it is still the basis of the rural economy, it has been joined by newer, increasingly important export crops like sugar, tapioca, maize, pineapples,rubber Thailand is the world‘s third largest producer),coconuts,and kenaf. Raw cotton and soya beans are also produced for export and tobacco production is on the rise. Vineyards have been planted and Thai vintners hope to turn out quality wines in due course.

Tropical fruits, including more than 20 varieties of edible bananas,are grown in abundance and instensive livestock breeding includes cattle, poultry and swine rearing.

Thailand has a large fishing fleet operating from its 740 kilometre Indian Ocean and 1,875 kilometre Gulf of Thailand coasts. Thailand ranks among the vvorld‘s top ten nations in the fishing industry in terms of total catch and export. Fishing is the third largest activity after crops and livestock and contributes about 3% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) each year.

Mining is largely dominated by tin, flourite, gypsum and lignite.

Investment Opportunities

Manutually advantageous foreign investment is welcomed in Thailand. Foreign investors are eligible for generous promotional benefits. The Board of Investment (BOI) has the power to provide guarantees, tax exemptions, income tax relief and temporary tariff protection.
Projects concerned with agriculture, livestock, fisheries, mining, manufacturing and service sectors are eligible for investment incentives. Projects attracting the most generous incentives are those which will:
a) generate employment,
b) be located outside Bangkok,
c) feature energy conservation,
d) provide foreign exchange
earnings or savings,
e) complement development
of basic industries. , BOI headquarters are in Bangkok. Four overseas offices are maintained in New York, Tokyo,
Sydney and Frankfurt.

Finace

Currency
The basic Thai monetary unit is the baht. The baht is divided into l00 satangs. The baht is worth approximately 4.00 US cents.Copper coins are valued at 25 and 50 satang, silver coins at l baht, 5 baht and l0 baht. Bank notes are valued at 20 baht (green), 50 baht(blue), l00 baht (red), 500 baht (purple) and l,000 baht (grey) - all in different sizes.

The Bank of Thailand
Established as the central bank in 1942, its major current functions include issuing notes,acting as the Governments banker in local and international financial dealings, supervising commercialbanks and other financial institutions, maintaining exchange controls, managing national debts and advising on monetary policies.The bank's headquarters are in Bangkok. Three branches are located in Songkhla,Khon Kaen and Lampang.
Thai banks are adorned with the garuda — the Thai royal and national symbol which signifies "By Royal Appointment". The garuda symbol is awarded at H.M. the King's personal discretion as a sign of royal approval to companies that have rendered Thailand outstanding economical and charitable services.

Commercial Banks
There are 15 Thai banks having 2,871 branches, including head offices, throughout Thailand (813 in Bangkok, 2,058 in the provinces).14 foreign banks with 16 branches are also operating.
Government-owned banks include the Government Savings Bank, (540 branches, including head office), the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Co—operatives
(80 provincial branches, 361 subprovincial branches, 1 head office
and 3 branches in Bangkok), the Government Housing Bank (17 branches in the provinces and I5 branches in Bangkok), and the most recent, the Export — Import Bank of Thailand with its head office in Bangkok and one other branch in Hat Yai.
The Industrial Finance Corporation of Thailand (IFCT) is the only industrial development bank in Thailand. IFCT funds come from sources as diverse as the Thai
Government, the World Bank and the Japan Export—Import Bank.

Capital Market
The Securities Exchange cf Thailand was established in 1974 with the express purpcse cf mcbilising naticnal capital development.

Goverment - administration

Thailand is governed by a constitutional monarchy with His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej as Head of State. Official power rests with the government, personified by the prime minister, parliament,and a bureaucratic system thatreaches down to the village level. Over past decades the prime minister‘s personal power has steadily increased, largely because of the Thai tendency to express their concerns to the highest-ranlc ing authority, in nation as well as family, with the result that provincial delegations frequently appear at Government House requesting decisions on local problems. The Constitution is the highest law, governing through a system of centralisation. Legislative power is vested in the Parliament, and exercised through a bicameral National Assembly consisting of the publicly elected House of Representatives and the Senate appointed by the King. The Parliament must approve all legislative matters of national policy, which then require the King’s signature before becoming the law of the land.Judicial power is exercised through Law Courts with three levels, namely the Courts of First Instance, the Court of Appeal, and
the Supreme Court.
Executive power is exercised through a Cabinet headed by a Prime Minister.Essentially, the Royal Thai Government is composed of a Prime Minister and a Council of Ministers who head 15 major ministries.
These ministries are the Office of the Prime Minister; the Finance Ministry; the Foreign Affairs Ministry; the Defense Ministry; the Agriculture & Co-operatives Min
istry; the Education Ministry; the Transport and Communications Ministry; the Commerce Ministry; the Public Health Ministry; the Science,Technology & Environment Ministry; the Ministry of University Affairs; the Ministry of Justice ;the Ministry of Labour and Social welfare ; the Ministry of lndustry ; and the largest and most powerful,the Interior Ministry, under whose auspices come a wide range of
responsibilities, from provincial government to the police department, reaching down to the villages at the base of the pyramidal government structure. The system of administration is centralised but divided into regional and provincial administrations. The city of Bangkok has its ovvn administrative bodies and elects its own governor. Provincial adniinstration is the responsibility of the lnterior Ministry which appoints a governor for each of Thailand's 76 provinces. Regional administration has its ovvn regional electoral system governed by the administrative bodies.

The Capital

Thailand's capital - known internationally as Bangkok but to Thais as Krung Thep, or City of angels - sprawls over an area of some 1,500 square kilometres on both sides of the Chao Phraya River.Founded in 1782 it is a complex, constantly changing metropolis not merely fortyfive times the size of its nearest rival but also the kingdom‘s unchallenged cultural, commercial, and political centre- the exemplar of modern urban life

Today, Bangkok houses over 6 Million people (one in every ten thais is a Bangkokian); and here the king has his official residence and persides over the magnificent ceremonies thai have traditionally symbolized the Thai monarchy. Here are located all the government ministries,the military and police headquarters,the Supreme Patriarchate of the Buddhist faith,the most prestigious universities and preparatory schools. the best medical facilities,the greatest collections o art, museums, the newspaper publishers.television stations and the studios that produce films for movie and television screen across the nation.

Most major Thai and foreign companies are located in Bangkok; the greater volume of Thailand’s imports and exports pass through its port and some 90% of Thailand's automobiles are registered there. The city is a major point—of-entry for foreign travellers, some six or seven million per year by the
latest estimate, drawn by the magnetic allure of Bangkok’s dynamic tempo and limitless possibilities. Metaphorically and literally, all Thai roads converge on Bangkok. Established as the capital by King Rama I, founder of the Chakri Dynasty, it was originally a vvateoriented city modelled after the splendid Ayutthaya further upriver.

Bangkok‘s location, at a vital travel and trade routes‘ crossroads, makes it an important regional centre. Most of the six to seven million tourists, who come to Thailand each year, arrive at Don Muang International Airport, a hub of air travel in Southeast Asia serving some thirty airlines. The airport has just undergone extensive expansion and renovation, making it one of the region's best. Other A than being the centre for business and banking, the Thai capital also hosts important international organisations, including UN regional offices, the offices of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF), and the headquarters of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization and Secretariat (SEAMEO and SEAMES).

At least for the present, Bangkok is also the centre of an industrial revolution that is gradually moving the Thai economy away from its traditional agrarian base. Modern factories on the city’s outskirts are turning out a wide range of export products, among them textiles, garments, integrated
circuits, processed foods and chemical products. Most reach the outside world via the Port of Bangkok at Klong Toey, which handles around 5.1 million metric tons of cargo annually.

Consequently, the Thai capital is the Orient's most cosmopolitan city where past and present mingle harmoniously, and where English is widely understood and a major commercial language. Bangkokians number among the world's friendliest and most fun-loving people. Boxing stadiums, race and golf courses, tennisand squash courts, opulent nightclubs, gourmet restaurants representing the world's major cuisines, concert halls, amusement parks, museums,theaters, art galleries, cocktail lounges, discotheques, Zoological gardens and cinemas lure pleasure—seekers throughout
the year.

Modern Thailand

Modern Thailand is as much attuned to the microchip as to its traditional Buddhist culture. Gas wells in the in the Thai Gulf provide invaluable energy; refineries process Middle East and Thai oil; cement, mining, textiles, electronics and food processing number among major industries; the modern Thai executive uses a personal computer instead of traditing an astrologer; but tradition prevails in villages where some 80% of all Thais live and are connected in some way with agriculture.

Thailand's economy is one of Asia's strongest, with figures from the Federation of Thai Industries showing between 6.5 to 8.5% growth in the GNP for the last few years. Traditionally agrarian, it has evolved to the stage where diverse manufacturing industries employ sophisticated technology while the agricultural sector provides national self sufficiency and makes the kingdom one of the world's largest food exporters, indeed the sole net food exporter in Asia.

Thailand's economic strength is complemented by regional alliances and relationships, the most important of which is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) which is dedicated to A economic and cultural development between member countries (Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, singapore, the Philippines,Thailand and Vietnam) and corollary social and diplomatic harmony.


Internationally, Thailand enjoys diplomatic relations with every major government and is represented abroad by 54 embassies, 2 permanent missions to the United Nations, l5 consulates and 6 trade centres.Thailand is also a member of World Trade Organization (WTO) which counts 112 countries as members. Over the past several decades, Thailand has built perhaps the most modern network of highways. and feeder roads to be found inany Southeast Asian country.Some indication of the magnitude 2 of this achievement can he seen in the fact that the total roadl system grew from 26,000 kilometres 9 in 1971 to approximately 176,259 kilometres in 1992.

Beliefs

Buddhism accounts for much of the Thai psychological make up. The common phrase, "mai pen rai" (never mind, it doesn't matter) when misfortune occurs, springs from the feeling one must grace fully submit to external forces beyond personal control such as effects of past karma. Buddhism in Thailand coexists with older beliefs, mostly centring around a host of invisible beings, whose powers are widely believed to extend over many things.Thais also rely on other forms of protection for their earthly well being. Most, for example, wear or carry some kind of amulet, usually in the form of a Buddhist votive plaque, believed to prevent various ills from befalling its owner. Some rely on magic tattoos, frequently of elaborate design, for the same purpose. Other beliefs concern animism. Arcane sciences such as astrolo gers and spiritual mediums are routinely consulted for advice on business matters, personal problems, travel plans, and auspicious dates for nearly every important undertaking. Thai respect for age and experience manifests in deference towards parents, elders and teachers, while love and loyalty for the family extends beyond the immediate environ to crystallise on a national scale, as patriotism, and as loyalty and reverence for the King who is regarded as nothing less than head of the Thai national family.

Martial Arts

Thai martial arts survive today in the form of swordfighting which is frequently staged at cultural shows, and Muay Thai, or the ever popular sport of Thai Boxing, as it is better known. Muay Thai and swordfighting had evolved by the 1500s when Ayutthaya, the ancient Thai capital, dominated much of Southeast Asia. Muay Thai, originally an unarmed form of self-defense, formed part of the military training given to all Thai conscripts.

Culsine

Most Thai food is highly spiced and chilli hot, and varies from region to region. Generally, northern food is milder than that enjoyed in the central plains whereas northeastern food is mostly very spicy with fiery salads and specialty dishes. Southern cuisine makes delicious use of sea food and sweet, mild curries abound in the southernmost, predominantly Muslim provinces.

Language

The Thai language is liberally sprinkled with words from Pali and Sanskrit (the classical languages, respectively, of Theravada Buddhism and Indian Hinduism). Written Thai employs an alphabet of 44 consonants and 32 vowels that combine to form syllabic sounds. The sounds are combined with five different tones to fashion a melodious, complex language. There are 17 ways of saying "l" and 19 ways of saying "You". Because the Thai pronominal structure illustrates rank and intimacy, and different nouns and verbs are used by different classes (royalty, ecclesiastics and laynien), there are in effect four different languages a royal language, an ecclesiastic language,a polite everyday vernacular, and a pithy, expressive slang.

Handicrafts

Her Majesty Queen Sirikit has led in the revival of traditional handicrafts as an alternative source of income. These are numerous and vary from region to region in style and quality. Several, such as wood carving, bronzeware and nielloware, support artisan's families. Others, such as silk weaving and basketry, have long been practiced for self-sufficiency. Silk and cotton weaving, lacquer ware, mother-of-pearl inlay, silver ware, ceramics and jewelry comprise but a few of the crafts for which Thai artisans are justifiably famed.

Folk Dances

These are integral parts of a vibrant folk culture and vary greatly from north to south, east to west. Some are vigorous, some sensual, some almost static. Most concern farming rituals, courtship or welcoming ceremonies, and express the eternal motions of joy,love.sorrow and loss.

Music

Classical Thai music was influenced by Indian, Javanese,Chinese, Burmese, Malaysian and Khmer musical traditions, and is customarily played by wind and percussion ensembles at funerals, weddings and festivals. Folk music ranges from the essential to the boisterously syncopated and varies from region to region.

Sculpture

Thai sculptors have concentrated mainly on religious statuary, particularly Buddha images. Several million Buddha images have been created, ranging in size from Sukhothai's gigantic seated Buddha in Wat Si Chum, which measures some ll metres from knee to knee, to tiny, fingernail-sized necklace Buddhas worn as amulets. Other religious statuary includes demonic and mythological figures, some human, some animals, some hybrids, most quite fantastic, which grace all maj or Thai temples.

Painting

Classical Thai painting was confined to temple and palace interiors and book illustrations. Murals decorated chapel interiors, usually filling all four walls from floor to ceiling. Excerpts from the Buddha’s life, scenes of Buddhist hells, tiers of gods, goddesses, spirits, saints and angels worshipping the Buddha, or scenes of contemporary Thai life were commonly depicted. Many of the murals sparkle with impious gaiety: drunkards sleep under trees, lovers embrace and dogs steal food from palace kitchens. The finest examples number among the world's greatest expressions of Buddhist art.

Architecture

Buddhism has made one of its most significant contributions to Thai culture through architecture. The first great Thai temples rose in the kingdom of Sukhothai when the then Thai King Ramkamhaeng made Buddhism the dominant religion. The increasingly magnificent edifices that earned merit for royal builders reached a peak of splendour in those of the late Ayutthaya and early Bangkok periods. Buddhist architecture provides the most dazzling examples. Each Buddhist temple comprises several structures and buildings. Briefly, the following are the rnost important: The Bot, or main chapel, with its multi-tiered roof, contains the temple's principal Buddha image and is the site of major ceremonies such as ordinations. The Viham, or secondary chapel, houses less important Buddha images and is used for meetings, sermons and collective meditation. The Sala is an open - sided,roofed pavilion used for meditation classes and funeral rites. The sala is often made of wood and elevated on stilts. The Chedi is a gracefully tapering tower. The classic chedicomprises a square or round base which supports a smooth bell shaped dome topped by a series of diminishing discs which gracfully tapcr into a spirc. Traditional Thai dwcllings are distinctive:. Easily dismantablo,and casy to rcasscmblc, thcy are numborcd among the world's first prcfabricatod dwcllings. Stccply gablod roofs and ovcrhanging cavcs providc protcction against rain and sun, and thcir stiltcd clcvation assurcs suitahlc air circulation and protcction against floods and wild animals.

Drama

ln the purcly classical form,Thai drama and dance are indivisible.The Khon masked drama is derived from Indian temple rituals and dancing, and draws its story lines from the epic Ramakian. Lakhon dance drama is less formal and most actors do not wear masks. Khon and Lakhon comprise what is loosely termed "classical dance". Other drama forms include Likay folk dramas, Nang Yai and Nang Talung shadow plays and Hoon Krabok puppet shows.

Literature

Early Thai literature primarily concerned the Buddhist religion. poetic forms are highly developed. Indeed until 1850 all literature was in verse form. The epic Ramakian, a unique Thai version of the Hindi Ramayana, is the major Thai literary work. Other epics in verse form provide material for painting and drama, and popular folk tales, constantly retold and re-embellished, provide both moral guidance and entertainment Contemporary literature deals more graphically with daily life and societal problems and partiality The changing philosophy is direction the contents more towards facts rather than fiction.

Art and Culture

The Thais have their own culture (including literature, drama, architecture, music, painting, sculpture, folk dances and many handicrafts), their own language, their own cuisine, their own martial arts and their own beliefs. Though many fortuitous Indian and Chinese influences partially had a hold upon Thai culture in many aspects, it is the mixture of these and Thai eclecticism that founded its idiosyncratic culture.

Towards the end of the 19th century, a passion for the outward trappings of Western culture manifested itself in Thailand. However, the more refined Thai arts and crafts, those elegant accessories and ceremonial objects created for use in royal palaces, aristocratic homes and Buddhist temples, were not entirely suppressed by the new found taste for Western goods. Such items, displaying the highest levels of skill, had been produced in the first independent Thai capital of Sukhothai and continued through the 400-year rule of Ayutthaya and into the Rattanakosin, or Bangkok,period. They and their creators were known as "chang”, which roughly means craft or craftsmen. Production of such refined crafts increased enormously in the Ayutthaya period. To supply these needs, a large body of changs evolved, passing their specialised skills down from master to apprentice and eventually forming a hierarchy of their own. They were never regarded as artists in the Western sense but rather as superior manual labourers and, even in early Bangkok, the names of only a handful of gifted mural painters, goldsmiths and wood carvers were preserved for posterity, but they formed a significant segment of Ayutthayan society and played a major role in its cultural development. It seems probable that artisans who worked on royal commissions were grouped by category as they were in the early Bangkok period. Some of these categories overlapped, and some of the Thai terms for them that have been passed down through historical chronicles are obscure. For the sake of convenience, however, they are usually divided into ten classic crafts, or chang sip moo:
(1) Drawing (which includes lacquer painters, muralists, manuscript illustrators, engravers and draughtsmen); '
(2) Engraving (which includesornamental, architectural and sculptural woodcarvers, precious metal inlayers, jewelers and seal engravers);
(3) Turning (lathe workers, carpenters and joiners, ivory carvers and cabinet workers, often working to gether with other specialists);
(4) Sculpting (not in stone, as for Buddha images, but rather decorative fruit and vegetable carvers and makers of banana-leaf items used for ceremonies);
(5) Modelling (bronze casters,dance mask and puppet makers,stucco and clay figure modellers);
(6) Figuring (makers of animal and mythological figures, dummies,possibly also puppets and masks);
(7) Moulding (makers of clay and beeswax moulds, part of the work of bronze and metal casting);
(8) Plastering (plaster craftsmen,bricklayers, makers of Buddha images out of brick, plaster and stucco);
(9) Lacquering (involves the finishing of a variety of crafts, including lacquerwork, glass mosaic,mother-of—pearl inlay, and gilding);
(10) Beating (metal beaters,closely related to, but distinct from, makers of monks’ bowls, jewellery and small Buddha images).

People

The overwhelming majority of Thailand's sixty million or so people live in rural areas, mostly in small villages. These differ widely. They may stretch along the bank of a winding river or an arrowstraight canal, lie half hidden under a canopy of trees in the midst of vast rice fields, or perch precariously on stilts over the sea. Their homes may reflect affluence or abject poverty. Yet despite their differences, nearly all the country's countless hamlets share certain cultural traits that have been produced and shaped by centuries of tradition. Throughout her long history, Thailand has gently absorbed immigrants. Many were skilled as writers, painters, dancers, sculptors, musicians and architects that enriched the indigenous culture. People inhabiting Thailand today share a rich ethnic diversity mainly Thai, Mon, Khmer, Laos,Chinese, Malay, Persian and Indian stock with the result that there is no typical Thai physiognomy of 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 some way with agriculture which, in varying degrees, influences and is influenced by the religious ceremonies and festivals that make Thailand such a distinctive country.Life is not all hard work, however. The Thai penchant for semuk, or fun, finds an outlet even in the smallest hamlet and the most solemn rituals. Rural life, however, is not as static as it once was. In many parts of the country significant changes are taking place, prompted by a variety of forces that were scarcely known a generation ago. The mass media is breaking down the age-old sense of rural isolation. ln 1976 only l9 percent of Thai villages enjoyed the luxury of electric power; today the inhabitants of over 75 percent
of them can sit before a television set and watch the flickering shapes of the future materialisea in their traditional world.

Religion

Theravada Buddhism came to Thailand over a thousand years ago, brought by missionary monks from India. The Buddhist way was adopted by the Mons and later by the Thai King Ramkamhaeng who made it the dominant religion of his capital at Sukhothai. Theravada Buddhism is the professed religion of more than 90% of all Thais and casts strong influences on daily life.

Along with the broad rice field,the most characteristic feature of the Thai scene is the fanciful outline of a Buddhist wat: the steep roof seeming to strain gracefully toward the sky, adorned with symbolic embellishments that often glitter with gold and glass mosaics in the sunlight. But it is not in architecture, however striking, that Buddhism has made its most significant contribution to Thai culture. Besides moulding morality, providing social cohesion and offering spiritual succour, its tolerant precepts, ideally suited to the native character, have also allowed the assimilation of other beliefs and influences, and enabled it to pervade almost every aspect of life, with the result that in both the monastery and market place it governs behaviour in countless subtle ways.

Ordination into the Buddhist priesthood is one of the basic steps in attaining maturity for Thai men, fr0m the King himself d0wn t0 the humblest farmer. There are few Thai Buddhist families in which at least 0ne member has n0t studied the Buddha’s teachings in a mcnastery.

Most enter the monastery for a limited period, a few weeks for the average city dweller, three months during the rainy season for villagers. Around a quarter of a million, however, have elected to stay a much longer time, in some cases for life,and with this brotherhood rests the responsibility of maintaining the faith in its more visible manifestations.

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 centre giving them a vital role in Thai society.

Buddhism is one of Thailand's fundamental institutions, with the Supreme Patriarch as head of the faith in the kingdom. Though freedom of belief extends to other
religions and there are substantial minority groups of Muslims, Christians, and Hindus, the great majority of Thais follow Buddhist teachings, which have played a highly significant role in shaping social behaviour over the centuries.

Thailand History

The word "Thai" means free, and therefore Thailand means the "land of the free". Previously the country was well-known to the world as "siam" and only on May 11, 1949 did an official proclamation changed the name of the country into " Prathet Thai" or "Thailand" by which it has since come to be known throughout the world.

The Thais, most historians believe, began migrating from southern China in the early part of the Christian era. At first they formed a number of city-states in the northern part of the country, in places like Chiang Saen, Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai, but these were never strong enough to exert much influence outside the immediate region. Gradually the Thais migrated farther south to the broad and fertile Central Plains, the area which is now Thailand, and expanded its dominance over nearly the entire Indochina Peninsula. Contradictory as it may seem, however, recent archaeological discoveries around the northeast hamlet of Ban Chiang suggest that the world's oldest Bronze Age civiliz.ation was tlourishing in Thailand some 6,000 years ago.

By the early 1200s the Thais had established small northern city-states in Lanna, Phayao and Sukhothai. In 1238 two Thai chieftains, Khun Bang Klang Tao and Khun PhaMuang, successfully rebelled against Khom suzerainty and established the first truly independent Thai kingdom in Sukhothai a kingdom that was short lived but of immense cultural importance in the nation‘s history.

Sukhothai saw the Thais' gradual expansion throughout the entire Chao Phraya River basin and the establishment of Theravada Buddhism as the paramount Thai religion. lt was here that the first evidence of written Thai was left, along with distinctively Thai styles of art such as painting, sculpture, architecture and literature, which survived after Sukhothai was absorbed by the kingdom of Ayutthaya a dynamic young kingdom further south in the ChaoPhraya River valley.During ‘Ayutthaya's 417 years as the capital, under the rule of 33 kings, the Thais brought their distinctive culture to full fruition,totally rid their lands of Khom presence and fostered contact with Arabian, Indian, Chinese, Japanese and European powers, especially during the reign of King Narai the Great (1656-1688) in which an envoy was sent to France to establish foreign diplomacy with the country. Founded in 1350 Ayutthaya remained the Thai capital until the advent of the Thonburi Period (1767-1782).

Ayutthaya’s downfall was as severe a blow to the Thais as the loss of Paris or London would have been to the French or British.However, a Thai revival occurred within a few months and the Burmese were expelled by King Taksin who later made Thonburi the shortest-lived capital in Thai history. In 1782 the first king of the present Chakri dynasty, Rama I, established his new capital en the site ef a riverside hamlet called Ban Kek (Village ef the Wild Plums).

During the Rattanakesin Peried (1782 - present) twe Chakri menarchs, King Mengkut (Rama IV) whe reigned between 1851 and 1868 and his sen King Chulalengkern (Rama V, 1868-1910),saved Thailand fren} the pewerful tides of Western celenialism threugh adreit diplemacy and selective medernizatien.

Teday, Thailand is a Modern censtitutienal monarchy. Since 1932, Thai kings, including the present monarch H-M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), have exercised their legislative powers through a national assembly, their executive wers through a cabinet headed by a prime minister and their judicial powers through the law courts.

Thailand Introduction

Thailand was known for centuries by outsiders as Siam a cuntry as remote and exotic as Japan or China. lt first made a real impression on the West at the end of the 17th century through the reports of a series of inquisitive Frenchmen. They were not the first Europeans to spend time in the kingdom, however. The Portuguese sent an envoy to the capital in 1511,shortly after they seized Malacca,joining resident Chinese,Japanese, Malays and Persians to make the Siamese capital one of the most cosmopolitann cities in the vast region now known as Southeast Asia. Modern and redominantly Buddhist, it is a Southeast Asian kingdom whose ancient equilibrium and present standing mingle in evolving harmony.

Substantially, Thailand‘s distinctive and unparalelled characteristics stem from Indian and Chinese influences (harmoniously blended by Thai eclecticism), rich ethnic diversity, abundant natural and human resources, over seven hundred years of cherished independence (Thailand is the only important Southeast Asian society never to have been colonized by Westerners), and a traditional culture delicately tuned to the time-honoured Buddhist‘s non-confrontational approach to life, and ideals of charity, tolerance and loving kindness.

The Monarch

The words of the Thai royal anthem, performed at most official ceremonies and before The start of every movie, may strike a Westernear as somewhat archaic. After all, the system of absolute monar chy ended in 1932, following a revolution staged by a small group of disaffected civil servants and military men. Since then Thai lcings have ruled under a constitu tion, their powers theoretically no greater than those of the few surviving crowned heads of Europe. Yet since he was officially crowned in 1950, His Majesty King Bhumibol has assumed the role of constitutional monarch and has worked tirelessly on behalf of his people, gaining in the process a measure of personal devotion that is probably more intense than that felt for any of his all powerful ancestors. lt has been said that Their Majesties King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit are the hardest working royal couple in the world - with a workload once estimated to be equal to at least one function everyday of the year. Of the several institutions that form the foundation of modern Thai life, the one he personifies is not only the most visible but also the most revered.

His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej has devoted himself to public service and made enduring contributions to Thailand's development, initiating vital "roy-ally—suggested" projects such as crop rotation, fish breeding, irriga-tion, natural watershed programmes,dairy farming, reforestation, road building and self help villages.His Majesty has travelled countrywide by helicopter, jeep,train, boat or on foot, often to the remotest corners of his kingdom,in pursuit of his projects and is held in affectionate esteem nationwide for his profound interest in his people’s welfare.

Her Majesty Queen Sirikit frequently accompanies His Majesty and shares a close interest in the welfare of rural Thais. Her Majesty wholeheartedly helps establish foundations such as SUPPORT which assists Thai1and's rural populace in producing and selling traditional craft products for supplementary income.

The Thai monarchy is revered and regarded as the central, unifying element in the triad of nation, king and religion. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej was born on December 5, 1927, as cended the throne on June 9, 1946,and married Her Majesty Queen
Sirikit on April 28, 1950.

Their Majesties have four children, namely Their Royal Highnesses Princess Ubol Ratana, born April 5, 1951 (and presently
residing in the United States); Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, born July 28, 1952; Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, born April 2., 1955; and Princess Chulabhorn, born July 4, 1957.

The Royal Couple are conscientiously assisted by their three youngest children who frequently accompany them and represent Their Majesties at official functions and ceremonies.

With 50 years on the throne,His Majesty is the longest reigning monarch in Thai history and the world.