Thailand tours & travel

The population of Thailand is mostly comprised of ethnic Buddhist Thais. Friendliness, politeness and respect are important parts of everyday life. For the Thai, smiling is a way of saying hello and showing kindness, so be sure to smile back. Greet new friends by placing your hands in a prayer sign, and try to use your right hand when giving and receiving (the left is used for the toilet). Finally, never touch a Thai person’s head, or reveal the bottom of your feet, as these are signs of disrespect. 

Thailand is a Southeast Asian country sharing borders with Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia. The country has lengthy coasts along the South China Sea and the Andaman Sea. Thailand’s geographical regions vary from the mountainous and forested area in the north to the soft sandy beaches of the south. Thailand’s highest mountain is the Doi Inthanon and its two major rivers at the Chao Phraya and Mekong River. Travellers to Thailand will experience the best of two world: pristine natural surrounds in rural areas and a crowded metropolis in Bangkok. 

Aside from smiles, elephants and pearly beaches, Thailand is also famous for its shopping. For an authentic market experience, head to the streets of Bangkok and Chiang Mai. Night or day, you’ll find markets selling everything from fresh produce to souvenirs and more. Beautiful items that are classically Thai include batik died scarves and shawls, rubies and sapphires which are found in the region, and green glazed pottery. Handicrafts made from wood, bronze and bamboo include sculptures, masks and traditional dancing dolls. 

Songkran

New Year in Thailand is celebrated with a ritual cleansing – also known as a water fight. Traditional foods, elephant parades and impartial hurling of water make this a boisterous celebration.

Phi Ta Khon

It’s the festival of ghosts for the Isan people with origins in an ancient Buddhist rite to wake the dead. Villagers dress up in elaborate masks and carry phalluses, making a lot of clatter as they procede through the town.

Loi Krathong

Celebrated in the southwest villages, this beautiful festival involves floating candles in banana leaf boats. Flowers and fireworks all contribute to a very pretty event.

Thai food is based on the principles of blending five flavours: sweet, spicy, sour, bitter and salty. Some typical Thai dishes you’re likely to encounter on your travels include the famous tom yum soup, made with spicy and sour tastes, as well as pad thai, stir fried rice noodles. Some more exotic treats of Thailand include the northern specialty of khanom chin nam ngiao (fermented noodle soup made with pork blood tofu), and khao phat American (American style fried rice) made with tomato ketchup. Brave travellers might also like to try the infamous smelly fruit, durian, for a midday snack. 

• One Fourteenth of an Elephant: A Memoir of Life and Death on the Thai-Burma Railway by Ian Denys Peek
• Fieldwork by Mischa Berlinski
• Sightseeing by Rattawut Lapcharoensap
• Siam Becomes Thailand: A Story of Intrigue by Judith A Stowe
• The Beach by Alex Garland