Thailand | Culture and Religion

Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep

Thailand is a meeting place where people from diverse backgrounds come together and combine their cultural and ethnic characteristics. Thailand has a territory and a population around the same size as France, with the Thai population composed mainly of ethnic Thais and other ethnic groups such as: Myanmar, Chinese, Lao, Khymer and hill tribes. The people are mostly Buddhist, with less than 10% belong to another religion such as Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Brahmanism.

The country is divided into four regions- the North, North-East, Centre and the South- and borders on Malaysia in the South, Myanmar in the West and Laos and Cambodia in the East.

Language

The Thais have their own language. The common standard language is that which is spoken in the central plains of the Kingdom. This is taught in all schools and is used to broadcast on the radio and TV and printed in publications. The language has developed from words of other languages, especially Sanskrit and Pali from India that entered Thailand together with Brahmanism and Buddhism. In addition, there are also words from languages of neighbouring countries, which are used such as words from Chinese Khymer and Laos. The Thai language is standardized and is used all over Thailand. Every region does, however, have its own dialect.

Thailand has three seasons: rainy from July to October, cool and dry from November to February and hot from March to June. Thailand has more than three dozen different sorts of fruit, which vary greatly in colour and taste. The flowers bloom abundantly with a wide range of colours and bring delight to the eye and refresh the spirit throughout the year.