Across
this landscape live Thailand's population of abo Situated in the heart of Southeast Asia and as a gateway to Indochina. Thailandborders Lao PDR in the norht and northeast; the Union of Myanmar in the north and west; Cambodia and the Gulf of Thailand in the east and Malaysia in the south. Thailand covers a land area of 513,115 square kilometres, roughly the size of France and extends about 1,620 kilometres from north to south and 775 kilometres from east to west. Geographical Regions Thailand can be split up into four distinct geographical regions: Northern Region: Mountains, forests and fertile valleys. Bordered by Myanmar and Laos, characterised by forested mountains - lower extremities of Himalayan foothills - and fertile river valleys, northern Thailand encompasses part of the fabled Golden Triangle. Diverse elements, including crisp mountain scenary, exotic hill tribes, forests worked by elephants, colourful festivals, invigorating cool season weather, ancient cities, exquisite northern Thai and Burmese-style temples, and friendly people contribute to northern Thailand's enduring charm. [Tourist Information] North-Eastern
Region: A high, semi-arid Central
Region: Mainly flat and fertile due to the the large Chao
Phray
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60 million people. Along with the ethnic Thais, who make up around
80 percent of the population, there are significant groups of Chinese
(about 10 percent), Malays (about 4 percent), Lao, Mons, Khmers, Indians
and Burmese - reflecting this country's long history at the crossroads
of Southeast Asia.
plateau used mainly for cattle and growing crops such as rice and
maize. This is the poorest region of Thailand mainly due to some bad
droughts in the past. Known by Thais as I-San, the sprawling Northeast
Plateau is bordered to the north and east by the Mekong River and
Laos, and to the south largely by Kampuchea (Cambodia). The Northeast
is a distinctive region thanks to topography of lovely forested mountains
and national parks and rolling farmland as well as to its colourful
inhabitants who speak their own melodious dialect, have a delicious
highly spiced cuisine, and a hospitable, vibrant folk culture; and
because of archaeologically significant excavations and shrines -
such as Ban Chiang where the world's oldest Bronze Age civilization
flourished some 3,600 years ago; and venerable prasart hin (stone
castle) temples, legacy of I-San's former importance to the Angkor-centred
Khmer empire. [
a River. This is the main rice-growing
area of Thailand. Geographically,
the Central Region extends from rugged western mountains bordering
Myanmar (Burma) to the northeast plateau to the east; northwards to
Nakhon Sawan where the Ping, Wang, Nan and Yom rivers unite to form
the Chao Phraya River (River of Kings) which flows southwards to dissect
Bangkok before entering the Gulf of Thailand; and southwards to Prachuap
Khirikhan where Thailand is compressed to its narrowest point, some
60 kilometres wide between western mountains and the Thai Gulf. The
Chao Phraya River largely irrigates the Central Plain, one of the
world's major rice and fruit-growing areas, and sustains as intricate
network of canals that irrigate bountiful orchards and market gardens;
host vibrant floating markets; and support a unique, waterborne way
of life. The Central Region is extremely rich in historical sites.
These include Nakhon Pathom, Kanchanburi, Bang Pa-In, Ayutthaya, Saraburi,
Lopburi and most important of all, Bangkok, Thailand's capital and
major point of entry. [
Southern
Region: Hilly and mountainous, covered mainly in rain forests.
The land is rich in mineral deposits. This area also receives the
most annual rainfall. Lush
tropical islands, dazzling palm-fringed beaches, coral reefs teeming
with colourful marine life, picturesque fishing villages with distinctive
handpainted boats, remote national parks, forested mountains, waterfalls,
historic cities, ubiquitous rubber estates, scenic wildlife sanctuaries,
the juxtaposition of temples and mosques clearly define the region's
visual appeal. Geographically, southern Thailand extends through the
Kra Isthmus from Chumphon, 460 kilometres south of Bangkok, to the
Thai-Malaysian border, and is bordered in the east by the Gulf of
Thailand, to the west by the Indian Ocean. [|
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