The kingdom of Thailand is the gateway to the Far East and a wonderful place to visit. The culture, architecture and laid-back lifestyle are a welcome change from the west. There can be few countries which offer so much variety to the travelling diver who has non divers in the party. Thailand has such a rich offering of sightseeing that one holiday will just never be enough.

History
Thailand was known as Siam until 1939. The country's chequered history includes various squabbles (or migration) as a result of the activities of Kublai Khan, the Burmese, Khmers and later the Japanese. The Bridge on the River Kwai is a lasting memorial to those who died on the notorious Thai-Burma railway in WW2. The Vietnam War and The Killing fields of Cambodia played their part in the latter half of the 20th century. Refugees from these conflicts can still be found in villages along the border.

The Monarch, king Rama IX is 75 years of age, having ruled since 18. The Monarchy and Buddha are revered in Thailand, indeed andquot;The King and Iandquot; starring Yul Brynner as King Rama v (1868-1910) remains banned.

Geography/Climate
Thailand is bordered by Burma (Myanmar) to the north and west, Laos (North and East), Cambodia (East) and Malaysia to the south. The climate is tropical and the landscape varies from Mountains (in the north and to a lesser extent in the south) to flat rice growing land in the centre and east. There are 3 Seasons; Hot, Cool and Wet (Monsoon). In the Hot season (Easter) the temperature can exceed 40°C, while in the cool Season it drops to 25°C (or as low as 10°C in the Mountains of Chiang Mai). The timings vary, depending on where you are. I suspect this is because the country divides the Indian Ocean from the South China Sea. The Monsoon on Koh Samui occurs in November yet takes place in April 8 hours (by road) away on Phuket.

The country has 2 coastlines; to the east lies 1500km of coast skirting the gulf of Thailand, while on the west there's 560km skirting the Andaman sea. Both offer magnificent islands and marine conservation areas for the vast amount of wildlife to be seen above and below the waterline.

Note: Malaria and Dengue fever are never far away. Speak to your GP about preventative measures and do not travel uninsured!

Population, Culture and Religion

a) Thailand is 95% Buddhist. The remainder varies, with a Muslim stronghold in the south (harmonious, despite events elsewhere).
b) Up to 10% of the population are ethnic Chinese, hence the widespread celebrating of the Chinese New Year in February. The population of Thailand is 56 million.
c) Monks wear Orange; Nuns wear white. They CANNOT TOUCH THE OPPOSITE SEX so do not be offended if a handshake is turned down.
d) Never touch a Thai person's head, or point with your feet (The head is the highest and feet the lowest part of the body in Thai culture).
e) Thais greet each other using the " Wat" (hands together in "prayer" position). The junior person "Wats" first (it's polite to "wat" a Monk/Nunn or Goverment official whenever you come into contact with them).

Bangkok (Central)
Bangkok is the nation's capital. It has many places of interest including palaces, temples, markets (some floating) and a wealth of entertainment venues. It is usually hot and covered in smog so I don't recommend staying there long. The Airport includes a domestic terminal for most internal destinations and is a gateway for China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Anchor Wat, Philippines, Bali, Australia and New Zealand.

Note: Australia and New Zealand are 24 hrs flying time from London. Breaking your journey in Thailand allows you to get a suntan, buy some bargains, dive and relax. It also reduces the risk of deep vein thrombosis.

Chiang Mai (north)
Thailand's second city is north of Bangkok near the border with Burma. I travelled by sleeper train (14 hrs/£20). This region seemed to be the agricultural capital in so far as fruit, flowers, rice, and bananas were growing everywhere and were beautiful. One of Thailand's best exports is orchids. A box of 20 cost less than a packet of cigarettes in UK and lasts more than a month.

A typical tourist day in Chang Mai would consist of;
a) A trip to the Thai/Burma/Laos border, known as "the opium triangle".
b) A display of elephant logging followed by a 2 hour elephant trek in the jungle.
c) Bamboo rafting on the Mai Kong river (this flows into Vietnam, as seen in 'Apocalypse now').
d) An Oxcart ride.
e) A visit to a snake farm, followed by a trip to an umbrella factory and a jewelery maker. (The umbrellas were the decorated variety associated with the Japanese).

Or how about bathing in hot springs before venturing into the hills to see the Karen tribe, ethnic Burmese driven from their homeland by their (Cold War relic) Government. The Karen are famous for their women with long necks. These women weave sarongs and sell crops for a living. You will see men climb 120 feet up a tree to collect honey... using a single strand bamboo ladder!!

Note: There's no love lost between Thailand and Burma. Gun fire/border disputes occur regularly and there are refugee villages (including the Karen) throughout the area. The need for vigilance cannot be underestimated when traveling near the border, but go, nonetheless.

(Chiang Mai is also renowned for it's legendary night market)

Surin (east)
Surin is located some 9 hours from Bangkok by train.

Miles and miles of flat, open landscape, rather like the fenns in UK, surround Surin. The local economy thrives on rice and livestock production. Foreigners seldom venture this far and you therefore find people stare (out of curiosity) or practice their English.

The night market in Surin transforms the town. You will be particularly struck by the delicacies on display; scorpion, locust, dung beetle, cockroach, maggot-like grubs, ants eggs etc., all fried and served in a spicy coating. Go on! Try the lot!

Note: The Karen in Chiang mai regarded barbequed Tarantula as a delicacy, cooked in banana leaf and the fangs used as toothpicks.

The many bars, restaurants and street vendors cater for western palates if you don't fancy local cuisine.

In autumn Surin hosts an elephant festival. The elephant is sacred in Asia and the Mahouts dress and parade them through the streets. There are also some interesting ruins from the Khmer era (to rival Anchor Wat) a couple of hours away by bus.

The Gulf of Thailand:

The Gulf of Thailand is the area where Thai tourism began in resorts like Pattaya and Hua Hin and it has continued in the idyllic offshore islands like Koh Samui. Resorts here span the entire spectrum of budget and taste from cheap to expensive, backpacker style to six star luxury, quiet and idyllic to brash and boisterous. Diving is very popular and there are some excellent sites and many operators. For more information on visiting the Gulf of Thailand, see Gulf of Thailand

Had Yai (South)
Had Yai is near the border with Malaysia. The towns' economy centres on the sex trade arising from its geographic location (men south of the border get "The call of the Salmon" at weekends!!)

The border is handy for the expat community, required by law to "Border Bounce" from time to time. The hotels, bars and restaurants are adequate/affordable (many restaurants are 'al fresco'), and there's a bus station with regular busses to Bangkok/Samui/Phukett etc.

Note: The border region with Malaysia has seen a marked increase in violence since Sept 11 2001, indeed several hundred people have lost their lives in 2004. There's no direct threat to tourists (YET) but extreme vigilance must be observed by anyone travelling here or in popular tourist resorts. The FCO website has the latest info re current threat.

Phuket and The Similian Islands:
Phuket is probably the most popular beach and diving destination for British holidaymakers. Its days as a deserted paradise are long gone and it is now very much a developed resort island with large hotels all around the shoreline and some on the offshore islands. As long as you are not expecting a secluded desert island, you will still have a fantastic holiday here. The beaches are excellent, long curling sand crescents, backed by palm trees. There are a range of resorts for every pocket and taste from luxury to basic. There are many dive operators in Phuket and its islands as not only are there a number of dive sites locally, but it is the launch pad to the Similian Islands to the north, which offer world class diving generally by liveaboard.

For more Phuket and The Similians information see Phuket. On December 26 2004 the west coast was hit by the Indian Ocean Tsunami resulting in substantial loss of life. Phuket has recovered quickly but it may take longer for Khao Lak, Koh Phi Phi and other remote areas to do so. The east (Gulf of Thailand) coast remains unaffected and open to divers and tourists.

Other factors
Public transport is cheap and affordable. Food is also cheap and plentiful - and absolutely delicious.
Getting There:

Various international carriers fly from regional airports in the U.K. to both Bangkok and Phuket. British Airways, Thai Airways, Emirates to name a few. There are also charter flights. From Bangkok, Thai Airways fly to regional airports around the country.

Links
Satellite weather map of Thailand
British Embassy, Bangkok
Tourist Authority of Thailand
Commonwealth War graves commission-Far East campaign.
www.bangkokpost.com
www.thenation.com English Language newsmedia.
Wrecks in Thailand

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Fascinating sightseeing, great beaches, excellent hotels, inexpensive restaurants, fantastic shopping bargains and overall value for money. Bangkok traffic is hectic, but the sights, sounds, temples and palaces more than compensate. Due to inclement weather during May to Oct in Phuket watersports and swimming may be restricted.

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