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The Kingdom of Thailand has long been the most visited country in the whole of South-East Asia and boasts a tempting mixture of natural beauty, magnificent temples, ruined ancient cities, and innumerable truly outstanding restaurants, where traditional Thai dishes await. This exciting country has many different faces and no trip to Thailand will ever be quite the same.

Many tourists fly into Thailand to visit its neighbouring islands and sandy beaches, such as those around Ko Chang, Ko Pha-Ngan, Ko Samui and Ko Tao, which are true tropical paradises and often lined with mature palm trees. Others simply wish to soak up the country's rich culture and enjoy the architecture, sumptuous traditional Thai curries and plentiful noodle stands.

Thailand stands to the west of Cambodia and Laos, and directly north of Malaysia, comprising a number of distinctive regions and 76 provinces in total. Northern Thailand is known for its mountainous scenery, while the very heart of the country is fairly flat, particularly around the Chao Phraya river valley. Southern Thailand is where you will find the narrow landbridge of Kra Isthmus, linking the nearby Malay Peninsula.

Contrasting with Thailand's beautiful natural scenery are a number of modern cities and resort areas. Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, is located alongside the Chao Phraya River and is amongst the most tourist-friendly cities on offer, where the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) and lively market districts are all unmissable. Other popular locations include Phuket and Songkhla to the south, the Khao Yai National Park in central Thailand, and Chiang Mai to the north.

	WORLD GUIDES TO THAILAND
	World Guide to Bangkok, Thailand Thailand's stunning capital city, Bangkok is amongst Asia's most popular tourist destinations and is home to a number of towering skyscrapers and historical oriental shrines. Consider travelling around by Skytrain, river taxi or 'tuk tuk'.
	World Guide to Chiang Mai, Thailand With a rather splendid moat, cobblestone alleyways, ancient temples, historical ruins, massage parlours, traditional Thai cooking schools and countless noodle stands, Chiang Mai has quickly become a major player in the Asian tourism market.
	World Guide to Phuket, Thailand A truly legendary tourist destination and situated in Thailand's south-westerly region, the island of Phuket is quite spectacular. For many, Phuket contains everything needed to make a perfect holiday, including many miles of beaches.

Thailand Information / Thailand Fast Facts

• Country: Thailand (South-East Asia)
• Population: 65 million
• Population Growth Rate: 1 percent
• Capital city: Bangkok (population 6.5 million)
• Language: Thai
• Main exports: rice, textiles and shoes, rubber, jewellery, vehicles, electrical goods and computers
• Area: 198,840 square miles / 515,000 square kilometres
• Currency: Thai Baht (THB)
• Time zone: seven hours ahead of GMT / UTC (daylight-saving time observed)
• Country dialing code: +66
• Religion: 95% Buddhism, remainder predominantly Muslim