Bayer - Eco-Minds - About the Host Country

Eco-Minds 2007

About the Host Country: Thailand

General Information

The kingdom of Thailand lies in the heart of Southeast Asia, making it a natural gateway to Indochina, Myanmar and Southern China. Covering a land area of 513,115 sq. km, the country comprises 76 provinces that are further divided into districts, sub-districts and villages. Bangkok is the capital city and centre of political, commercial, industrial and cultural activities. It is also the seat of Thailand's revered Royal Family, with His Majesty the King recognized as Head of State, Head of the Armed Forces, Upholder of the Buddhist religion and Upholder of all religions. Thailand is a constitutional monarchy with His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, or King Rama IX, the ninth king of the Chakri Dynasty, the present king. The King has reigned for more than half a century, making him the longest reigning Thai monarch. Thailand embraces a rich diversity of cultures and traditions. With its proud history, tropical climate and renowned hospitality, the Kingdom is a never-ending source of fascination and pleasure for international visitors.

Population

Thais are well-known for their friendliness and hospitality. Over 62 million citizens of Thailand are Thai (80%), Chinese (10%), Malay (3%) and the rest are minorities (Mons, Khmers, hill tribes)

Language

Spoken and written Thai is largely incomprehensible to the casual visitor. However, English is widely understood, particularly in Bangkok where it is almost the major commercial language. Thai-English road and street signs are found nationwide.

Religion

Buddhism (95%), Muslim (4%), others (1%)

Government

Thailand has had a constitutional monarchy since 1932. Parliament is composed of 2 houses, The House of Representatives and the Senate. Both representatives and senators are elected by the people. A prime minister elected from among the representatives leads the government.

National Flag

The red, white, and blue stripes symbolize the nation, Buddhism, and the monarchy, respectively.

Time

The time in Thailand is seven hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (+7 hours GMT).

Climate

Thailand enjoys a tropical climate with three distinct seasons-hot and dry from February to May (average temperature 34 degrees Celsius and 75% humidity); rainy with plenty of sunshine from June to October (average day temperature 29 degrees Celsius and 87% humidity); and cool from November to January (temperatures range from 32 degrees Celsius to below 20 degrees Celsius with a drop in humidity).

Electricity

The electric current is 220 volt AC (50 cycles) throughout the country. Many different types of plugs and sockets are in use. Visitors should carry a plug adapter kit.

Currency

The Thai unit of currency is the baht. 1 baht is divided into 100 satang. Note are in denominations of 1,000 (brown), 500 (purple), 100 (red), 50 (blue), 20 (green) and 10 (brown) baht. Coins consist of 25 satang, 50 satang, 1 baht, 5 baht and 10 baht.
V.A.T. Refunds : Visitors entering the Kingdom on a tourist visa are entitled to refund of the 7% V.A.T. on goods purchased at registered retail outlets.

Currency: Average Interbank Exchange Rate = 38.151 Baht/US Dollar (as of July 17, 2006)
To check the exchange rate, please visit the website Bank of Thailand

Emergency Telephone Numbers

Central Emergency (Police, Ambulance, Fire): 191
Crime Suppression: 195 or 0 2513 3844
Tourist Police (English, French and German spoken): 1155
Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Call Centre: 1672
Immigration Bureau: 0 2287 3101-10

Information Source: Tourism in Thailand