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Thailand is popular travel destination for travelor from all over the world who appreciate its beautiful landscapes, rich culture, delicious local cuisine, hospitality and safety.

The Central Plain

The geographic, economic, and cultural core of the country is the Central Plain. It contains the highest density of population and the great metropolis of Bangkok. The region was formed by deposits of sediments from the Chao Phraya River—which flows south through the plain to the Gulf of Thailand—and its tributaries. The river has provided irrigation water and fertile silt for the intensive cultivation of rice and other crops. This fertile region is low-lying and mostly flat and includes the river's delta.

The Northern Highlands

In the north and northwest is the rugged Northern Highlands. It is a region of north-south mountain ranges soaring to more than 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) and deep, narrow valleys of tributaries to the Chao Phraya. Hardwood forests grow in some of the mountainous areas. The valleys and uplands have been cleared of much of their natural vegetation and planted with rice, fruits, tobacco, and corn (maize).

The Northeast

A vast tableland called the Khorat Plateau occupies the northeast. It extends from the low hills that separate it from the Central Plain toward the Mekong River, which forms part of the boundary with Laos in the northeast. Mountains separate the plateau from Cambodia to the southeast. The rolling terrain slopes downward from northwest to southeast. The region's soils are infertile and hold water too poorly for productive rice farming. The land may flood during the rainy season, but it is parched the rest of the year. Dams have irrigated some areas. Relatively large areas near the Mekong are covered with salt caps.

The South

The southern portion of Thailand extends for hundreds of miles on the Malay Peninsula through the Isthmus of Kra to Malaysia. The terrain is rolling to mountainous, with areas of rain forest. People farm rice in the river valleys and along narrow coastal plains, especially in the east. In some places where the rivers deposit silt and extend land along the coast, there are mangrove swamps teeming with life. Where silting does not occur, sparkling sandy beaches are rimmed with coconut palms or graceful casuarina trees. Several large islands lie off the rugged west coast. Economically, the region is a center of rubber cultivation and fishing, and it is rich in deposits of tin and other minerals, especially on the island of Phuket.

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Bangkok lies in the central lowland region of Thailand, on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River across from Thon Buri. The climate is tropical, hot, and humid. During the long rainy season, from May through October, nearly every day brings sharp, sudden downpours. From November to February the cooling monsoon wind blows from the mountainous interior; temperatures range from the 60s (??F; 15??C) to the 90s (??F; 32??C). The hottest period of the year comes between February and May, when temperatures may exceed 100??F (37??C).

“Venice of Asia”

Europeans have called Bangkok the “Venice of Asia” because of its many canals. The Chao Phraya and its canals carry Bangkok's famous floating market: hundreds of small boats that come into the city every morning to sell fruits, vegetables, flowers, and fishes. People who live on houseboats or in the wooden houses at the water's edge traditionally use the canals for washing and bathing.

In the 20th century some of the waterways were blocked, and streets superseded them as the city's main traffic routes. Pushcarts, motorcycles, three-wheeled taxis, and crowded buses make traffic congestion a major problem.

On the east bank of the Chao Phraya stands the walled city of the Grand Palace, the former residence of the kings of Thailand. Just outside the wall, huge weekly markets are held on the Phra Mane Ground, a park formerly used for royal cremations. Near the park are the national museum, library, and theater; two universities; and government offices.

To the people of Thailand, Bangkok is the “Divine City” or “City of Angels.” More than 300 Buddhist temple complexes, or wats, remind the visitor that Bangkok is the capital of a Buddhist country. A typical wat includes living quarters for the temple monks as well as shrines, towers, and a community meeting place. The best known wats, many of which are quite ornate, edge the Chao Phraya River.


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