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Thailand In Brief :
Thailand is a Southeast Asian,
predominantly Buddhist kingdom almost
equidistant between India and China.
For centuries known by outsiders as
Siam,
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People and Culture :
Over the years,
Thailand has attracted many immigrants.
The people of Thailand share a rich
ethnic diversity consisting of Thai,
Mon, Khmer, Laotian, Chinese,
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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.
English and some European Languages
are spoken in most hotels, shops and
restaurants in major tourist destinations,
and Thai-English road and street signs
are found nationwide.
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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).
Much lower temperatures are experienced
in the North and Northeast during
nighttime.
The South has a tropical rainforest
climate with temperatures averaging
28 degrees Celsius almost all year
round.
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Time:
The
time in Thailand is seven hours
ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (+7 hours
GMT). |
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Business hours :
Most
comercial concerns in Bangkok
operate on a five-day week, usually
from 8 am to 5 pm.
Many stores open seven days a week
from 10 am to 10 pm.
Government offices are generally open
between 8.30 am and 4.30 pm with a
noon to 1 pm lunch break,
Monday to Friday except on public
holidays. Banks are open Mondays to
Fridays from 9.30 am to 3.30 pm except
on public holidays. |
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Thai food :
Thai
food is internationally famous.
Whether chilli-hot or comparatively
bland, harmony is the guiding principle
behind each dish.
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Shopping guide :
Fixed
prices are the norm in department
stores and a number of shops in Bangkok,
but at most other places bargaining
is acceptable and expected. Generally,
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Event&Festival :
January
New
Year's Day - January 1 -
Observed
by many Thais as a day off work
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