Thailand is in the heart of Southeast Asia.
- OFFICIAL NAME: Kingdom of Thailand
- FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Constitutional monarchy
- CAPITAL: Bangkok
- POPULATION: 68,615,858
- OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Thai
- MONEY: Baht
- AREA: 513,115 square kilometers (198,115 square miles)
Southeast Asia is home to Thailand. The country is bordered to the east 황제여행 and northeast by Cambodia and Laos, and to the northwest by Myanmar. Located southeast of Burma, the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand are to the west. The long southern region of the country, which connects to Malaysia, is hilly and forested. Northern Thailand has the highest mountains.
The majority of the population is Buddhist, but about three million Muslims live near the Malaysian border in the south.
The Thai education system consists of six years of elementary school. Then they may enroll in high school for another six years, but their families are responsible for paying for it. The ninth grade is the beginning of military training for boys.
There is a strong influence of Chinese and Indian cultures on Thai food. Thai food is typically spicy, and many dishes include chilies, lemongrass, basil, ginger, and coconut milk.
Mulberry trees are cultivated by Thai farmers to feed silkworms. Silk is created by the worms, which is used to make clothing in Thailand, France, and the United States.
There are 83 canals in Bangkok, making it the Venice of the East. A floating market created by 10,000 boats full of fruits, vegetables, and fish crowds the canals.
A number of Buddhist structures, including gold-layered spires, graceful pagodas, and giant Buddha statues, can be found in Bangkok.
During the months of May and September, rain falls almost every day. Thailand’s humid and moist weather promotes a diverse and abundant wildlife population.
Thais love lotus flowers, which are common and popular. Lotus flowers live above the surface, but they are rooted in the mud. There are many flowering trees and shrubs, and fruit trees. In the jungle, one can find carnivorous (meat-eating) plants such as the mysterious insect-eating pitcher plant.
Tigers, elephants, wild ox, leopards, and Malayan tapirs live in the deep forests. Tapirs have black fur on the front and white fur on the back. Thailand also has crocodiles and cobras.
Thailand, known until 1939 as Siam, is the only Southeast Asian country never conquered by a European power. Constitutional monarchy was established in 1932 as a result of a revolution.
The king is the country’s leader. The king appoints the prime minister from among members of the House of Representatives.
The most important industries in Thailand are agriculture and tourism.
Despite the devastating Indian Ocean tsunami that hit Thailand in December 2004, the economy has largely recovered from the disaster
In the early 2000 B.C., Thailand’s hillsides were populated by people who built settlements. Ben Chiang is thought to be the first. Pottery, tools, and jewelry dating from 200 B.C. through 300 AD have been found here.
Up until 1939, Thailand was known as Siam, which means “land of the free.”
The EU-Thailand relationship has evolved into a mutually beneficial partnership as the country’s living standards have improved. Today’s cooperation strategy revolves around providing technical assistance to help the country achieve its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
Among the areas of cooperation between Thailand and the EU are governance, the environment, health, higher education, and technology and economic development.
As part of the Thailand 4.0 strategy, which emphasizes innovation and technology, Thai authorities are expanding their grant programs for PhD study abroad. The More than 150 Thai students have been trained in French institutions since 2011, and almost 600 Thai students are enrolled in France for the 2018-2019 academic year.