Thailand, or Land of Smiles, is one of the top tourist destinations in the world and if you are planning a holiday in this unique nation, here are a few fun facts that you probably didn’t know.
- Thailand used to be called Siam – In 1939, Siam changed its name to Thailand, while it was briefly switched back to Siam in 1945 until 1949, when the government reverted to Thailand, as it is now known. There is even a breed of cat called ’Siamese’, which originated in Southeast Asia.
- Thailand has never been colonised – Yes, the Land of Smiles somehow managed to avoid being colonised by the British and French by giving the British land in the south and the French lands in the north. If you are looking to buy real estate in Thailand, there are Pattaya condos for sale by a top real estate agent.
- The full name of Bangkok is the longest in the world – The Thais call the city ‘kreung Thep’, yet the full name is, ‘Kreung Thep mahanakorn Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Nopparat Rachatani Burriram’.
- Thailand is home to the biggest solid gold Buddha in the world – As Thailand is a predominately a Buddhist country, it comes as no surprise that the largest gold Buddha in the world is located in Wat Traimit, a Bangkok temple. The statue is 15-foot tall, weighs an impressive 5.5 tons and is very well protected.
- The Thai language has a total of 76 characters – While English has 26 letters, the Thai language consists of 44 consonants and 32 vowels; Thai is a tonal language, with 5 tones; high, rising, mid, lowering and low.
- Unique cultural aspects – The head is revered and regarded as sacred, while the feet are regarded as dirty, never point the soles of your feet at a Thai person! You should also refrain from touching a Thai person on the head.
- The Thai National Anthem is played twice a day in public places – The Thais revere their Royal Family and at 8 am and 6 pm, the Thai National Anthem is played in public places; it is considered respectful to stop while this is underway.
- The world’s biggest water fight – April 13-15th sees everyone throw water at each other during the Thai New Year festival Songkran, which has to be seen to be appreciated. In Bangkok, for example, there are certain zones where revellers fire water pistols at each other; water is mixed with talcum powder and some ice! Click here for information about medical tourism in Thailand.
- There are more than forty thousand temples in Thailand – Thailand is a large country and as Buddhism is the main religion, there are temples in every settlement. If you are visiting a Buddhist temple, make sure you dress conservatively, which means covering your shoulders and females should wear a skirt below the knee.
- The smallest mammal on the planet lives in Thailand – It is called the Bumblebee Bat and while a sighting is rare, they are in the jungles of northern Thailand.
If you are planning to spend some time in Thailand, we recommend that you do some online research to plan your holiday.