Thailand

An Introduction to Thailand

Thailand is a South East Asian kingdom with coasts on the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.

It borders Myanmar (Burma) to the north-west, Laos to the north-east, Cambodia to the south-east and Malaysia to the south – and it’s big, about the same size as Spain, with a population of 65 million.

It is a magnet for travellers, the most popular destination in South East Asia, and it’s not hard to see why.

It has great food, a tropical climate, fascinating culture and great beaches. You can find thick green jungle and bays with the clearest blue water in the world. And it’s cheap – but boasts every modern amenity you could want.

There is every sort of accommodation, from backpacker hostels to some of the best luxury hotels in the world. Getting around is easy: Thailand has well developed train and road communications.

Even though the tourism industry is highly developed, Thailand retains its distinctive culture and character. Its people are friendly and carefree. Many travellers arrive here and stay much longer than they intended – and some never leave. Of course, Thailand has its problems. Its politics are fractious, its economic development is very uneven, and its extremes of poverty and wealth are often shocking.

But it’s definitely somewhere you should take in if you can, either as a stop in a round the world tour or in a shorter multi-country or single-country trip.