Thailand: Facts and Features

Formerly known as Siam, Thailand is in South-east Asia, stretching 1640 kilometres north to south.

The Land
Thirty per cent of Thailand is covered with forests and woodland. The country's north is mountainous, forming the southern foothills of the Himalayas. This is where many hill tribes live.

Women of the Yao hill tribe who live in mountains in the north of Thailand

The northeast of the country is the driest part. The flat central plains area - the Mae Nam Chao Phraya Basin - is a fertile area where rice is grown. It is also Thailand's most industrialised region. The southern peninsula and nearby islands, which feature jungles, rocky mountains and white sandy beaches, are popular tourist destinations.

Rivers
Three rivers, the Yom, the Ping and the Nan, flow southwards down the country, joining in the centre and
becoming the Chao Phraya River, which flows through Bangkok to enter the sea.
The place where the three rivers meet is called the Mae Nam Chao Phraya Bas.

Chao Phraya River runs through Bangkok

Thailand's many rivers are connected a network of canals, called klongs. The klongs are like busy streets for the many people who live in houses right on the edges of the klongs. There are even floating shops and markets. A busy floating market on a klong near Bangkok

Animals and plants
Many wild animals, such as Asian elephants, several species of deer, wild buffalo, Asiatic black bears, sun bears, clouded leopards (pictured left), tapirs and monkeys, live in the jungles of Thailand.

Also living in Thailand are several species of venomous snakes, such as the cobra, the viper and the krait. There is abundant flora, such as lotus flowers, which grow in ponds, and orchids, which grow in jungles.

A cobra, the snake's venom will be 'milked' to make
antivenom medicine to save people bitten by a cobra

Climate
Thailand's climate is tropical, hot, and humid for most of the year. However, in the north of the country, it is always cooler. This is because cool breezes are brought by a north-east monsoon from November to February and heavy rain is brought by a south west monsoon from May to November.

In the south of the country, there are two seasons - the wet and the dry. Between April and October, the west coast has most rain, and between September and
December, most rain falls on the east coast.

A Thai house, built on stilts to keep it cool and dry.
Lotus leaves float on the water of the canal

Population
Approximately 60 million people live in Thailand. The capital city Bangkok is located in the south of the country, and is the largest city in Thailand.

The Flag of Thailand

The red bands represent the Thai nation, the white represents the Buddhist religion and the blue represents the monarchy. This flag has been the official Thai flag since 1917.

Acknowledge this source in your bibliography like this:
Thomas, R. & Sydenham, S. Thailand [Online] www.kidcyber.com.au (2008)

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updated November 2008 © kidcyber