Did you know these interesting facts about Thailand

Bangkok’s name

Bangkok’s real name is Krung Thep, which means city of angels.  But that’s not the full name. The full name translated into English is…

‘Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit.’

Colonization

Thailand is the only country in South East Asia that was never colonized.  It retained its independence throughout.

Haircuts not on Wednesdays

Don’t expect to get a haircut on a Wednesday, as you’ll find many hair salons closed on Wednesdays. This is because it’s believed to be bad luck to cut your hair on a Wednesday. As a foreigner you can of course please the hair salon owners who are open by going on this day and helping their turnover on Wednesdays.

Coastline and parks

Thailand has 3219 km of coastline.  That’s a lot of beach!  There are around 80 national parks in Thailand.  18 of them are marine parks.

Calendar

Thailand’s calendar is different from the western calendar.  We are now in 2552, not 2009.

Thailand name

It was only in 1939 that Siam became known as Thailand.  We know Thailand as the land of smiles, but the meaning of Thailand is the land of the free.

Temples and monks

Thailand has around 26,000 temples.  There are around 200,000 months in Thailand.  Every man in Thailand is expected to be a monk for a short time in his life.  Thailand has the world’s biggest Buddha image.

Thai language

Standard Thai is composed of several distinct registers, forms for different social contexts. There’s Street Thai, which is informal, without polite terms of address, as used between close relatives and friends. Then there’s elegant Thai, which is the official and written version, and includes respectful terms of address, these are used in simplified form in newspapers. There’s also rhetorical Thai, which is used for public speaking. There’s also religious Thai (heavily influenced by Sanskrit and Pāli), which is used when discussing Buddhism or addressing monks. Finally, there’s Royal Thai: (influenced by Khmer), which is used when addressing members of the royal family or describing their activities.

Thai weddings

The number of guests in a Thai wedding tends to always be a mystery. It is difficult to know the precise number of guests who will attend because invited persons might not come and uninvited persons might come. During a traditional Thai wedding ceremony nine monks are invited.  Monks sit on straw mattresses and have a glass and a bottle of water in front of them. The newly weds are near an altar, which is close to the first monk. A sacred thread joins the heads of both groom and bride and then it unrolls into the monks’ hands.

Thailand Motorbikes and road safety

In Thailand, if you are not wealthy enough to afford a car, a motorbike will do fine for you and your family. Up to five people (two adults and three kids together) can fit on it, as well as the dog sometimes. When it rains, you can see people riding their bikes holding an umbrella in one hand to keep them dry with little or no consideration for the risks they are running. It's perhaps no surprise that Thailand ranks among the three highest countries in the world in terms of road accident statistics.

Soft drinks in a plastic bag

It’s a mystery how Thailand got by before the plastic bag was invented. They’re used for everything, even cups. You’ll see Thais buying some iced tea/coffee, adding ice cubes and a straw and away they go.

Garbage bins from used tires in Phuket

The majority of the garbage bins you see on the side of the road in Phuket are made from used tyres. This is thanks to the Phuket Provincial Prison inmates who are in charge of making them. Car or truck tyres are turned inside out and sealed on the bottom.

Policemen soaked on Songkran Day

Thailand becomes a huge water battleground on Songkran day. Even the police have no choice and they get soaked.