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The Kingdom of Thailand is a country in Southeast Asia, bordering Laos and Cambodia to the east, the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia to the south, and the Andaman Sea and Myanmar to the west. Thailand was previously known as Siam (Thai: ????; IPA: [sa'ja?m]), which was the country's official name until May 11, 1949. The word Thai (???) means "freedom" in the Thai language and is also the name of the majority Thai ethnic group. According to archeological evidence various indigenous cultures have existed in Thailand from the time of the Ban Chiang culture(4420 BC-3400 BC) onwards, however due to its Geological location Thai culture has always been greatly influenced by China and India. The founding of the first Siamese/Thai State is traditionally tied to the Buddhist kingdom of Sukhothai founded in 1238 by Pho Khun Si Indrathit, following the decline and the fall of the Khmer Empire in the 13th -15th century. A Century later the power of Sukhothai was over shaddowed by the larger Siamese kingdom of Ayutthaya, established in the mid-14th century. Following the sack of Angkor itself in 1431 by the army of Ayuthaya, much of the Khmer court and its Hindu customs were brought to Ayuthaya which lead to the adoption of Khmer customs and rituals in to the courtly culture of Siam. Following the fall of Ayuthaya in 1767, Thonburi was the capital of Thailand for a brief period under King Taksin the Great, until a coup d'etat in 1782. The current (Ratthanakhosin) era of Thai history began in 1782 following the establishment of Bangkok as Capital of the Chakri dynasty under King Rama I the Great. Contact with various European powers began in the 16th century but, despite continued pressure, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. There are two main reasons for this. First, Thailand had a series of very able rulers in the 1800s. Secondly, it was able to utilise the rivalry and tension between the French and the British and thus remained as a buffer state between parts of S.E.Asia that were colonised by the two colonial powers. Western influence, however, including the threat of force, led to many reforms in the 19th century and major concessions to British mercantile interests. This included the loss of the three southern provinces, which later became Malaysia's three northern states. A mostly bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. Known previously as Siam, the country first changed its name to Thailand in 1939, and definitively in 1949 after reverting to the old name post-World War II. During that conflict Thailand was in a loose alliance with Japan; following its conclusion Thailand became an ally of the United States. Thailand then saw a series of military coups d'état, but progressed towards democracy from the 1980s onward. In 1997, Thailand was hit with the Asian financial crisis and the Thai baht was soon worth 56 baht to the US Dollar compared to about 25 baht to the dollar before 1997. Since then the baht has regained some strength and currently trades around 36-38 baht to the dollar. The official calendar in Thailand is based on Eastern version of the Buddhist Era, which is 543 years ahead of the Gregorian (western) calendar. For example, the year AD 2006 is equal to the year 2549 BE in Thailand. click here for more

Andaman Cove Condos , Holiday Accommodations and Vacation Rental Apartments Phuket ThailandAndaman Cove Condos consist of two luxury holiday condos available for rent within the 5-star Evason Phuket Resort; Hotel and Six-Senses Spa. Thailand.

Thailand Search
The Most Comprehensive Thailand Business Directory & Search, both in English & Thai.

Thailand Directory

BackpackThailand
This the first fully interactive online travel community where you, the independent traveller get to tell how it really is!

Unique Gourmet Food and Drink
Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of
Thailand Unique.

Dial-Samui.Com
A One-Stop-Travel-Shop offering secure online
payment. All hotels/resorts/long-term rentals/rooms/accommodation/scuba diving courses, PADI/tours/flights/car rental on Koh Samui, Thailand.

Carpe Diem hotel
Located in Koh samui Bophut village

ThailandGateway.com
A complete directory and guide to travel in Thailand.

Phuket.Net - Insider Guide to Phuket
Phuket Thailand Travel Information and Living Guide from Phuket.Net

Seaside Restaurant, Hua Hin, Pachup Kirki Khan, Thailand
Seaside Restuarant, Hua Hin, Pachup Kirki Khan, Thailand. We are located on the Seafront in the centre of Hua Hin, close to the Hilton Hotel. For the best Home Cooked Thai and International Cuisine in Hua Hin, Thailand.

The Pattaya People newspaper
The Pattaya People newspaper online offers daily news, features, online accommodation bookings and video clips.

Amazing Thailand Tourism & Travel Directory
A comprehensive resource containing a range of reviews and advice on holidays in Thailand plus news, entertainment and attractions guides.

The Sutlet Group Bangkok
Cost effective company registration, visa, work permit, accounting and promotions services.

Ko Chang Hotels & Resorts Thailand
Great Deals on hotels & resorts in Ko Chang of Thailand

Koh Samui Hotels - Discount Hotel in Samui Island Thailand
Book your hotel rooms in Koh Samui at Special Discount Rates!

ThaiFocus.com

Elephant Nature Park

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