Ko Phi Phi, Southern Thailand (16K)
Full country name: Kingdom of Thailand
Area: 517,000
sq km
Population: 57.5 million (growth rate 1.4%)
Capital city: Bangkok (pop 6 million)
People: 75% Thai, 11% Chinese, 3.5%
Malay, also Mon, Khmer, Phuan and Karen minorities
Language: Thai
Religion: 95% Buddhism, 4% Muslim
Government: Democratic constitutional monarchy
Prime Minister: Chuan Leekpai
Head of
state: King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX)
Karen family, Um Phang (17K)
Thailand shares borders with Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Laos
and Cambodia. The country's east coast borders the Gulf of
Thailand and the west coast abuts the Andaman Sea. The
country is divided into four main zones: the fertile, central
plains of the Chao Phraya River; the poorer region of the
300m high north-east plateau; the fertile valley and
mountains of Northern Thailand; and the rainforested southern
peninsula. The highest peak is the 2596m Doi Inthanon in
Chiang Mai province.
Elephant and mahout, Mae Sarit (20K)
A quarter of Thailand is covered by monsoon forest or
rainforest, and the country has an incredible array of fruit
trees, bamboo and tropical hardwoods. There are more than 850
resident and migratory species of birds and dwindling numbers
of tigers, leopards, elephants and Asiatic black bears. There
are 66 national parks and 32 wildlife sanctuaries, covering 11%
of the country.
The earliest civilisation in Thailand is believed to have been that of the Mons in central Thailand, who brought a Buddhist culture
from the Indian subcontinent. In the 12th century, this met a
Khmer culture moving from the east, the Sumatran-based
Srivijaya culture moving north, and citizens of the Thai state
of Nan Chao, in what is now southern China, migrating south.
Thai princes created the first Siamese capital in Sukhothai,
and later centres in Chiang Mai and, notably, Ayuthaya.
The
Burmese invaded Siam in both the 16th and 18th centuries,
capturing Chiang Mai and destroying Ayuthaya. The Thais
expelled the Burmese and moved their capital to Thonburi. In
1782, the current Chakri dynasty was founded by King Rama I and
the capital was moved across the river to Bangkok.
In the 19th century, Siam remained independent by deftly
playing off one European power against another. In 1932, a
peaceful coup converted the country into a constitutional
monarchy, and in 1939 Siam became Thailand. During WW II, the
Thai government allowed Japanese troops to occupy Thailand.
After the war, Thailand was dominated by the military and
experienced more than twenty coups and countercoups
interspersed with short-lived experiments with democracy.
Democratic elections in 1979 were followed by a long period of
stability and prosperity as power shifted from the military to
the business elite.
In February 1991 a military coup ousted the Chatichai government, but bloody demonstrations in May 1992
led to the reinstatement of a civilian government with Chuan Leekpai at the helm. This coalition government collapsed in May 1995 over a land-reform scandal but replacement Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa was no better. Dubbed a 'walking ATM' by the Thai press, he was forced to relinquish the prime ministership just over a year later after a spate of corruption scandals. Ex-general and former deputy PM Chavalit Yongchaiyudh headed a dubious coalition until late 1997 when veteran pragmatist Chuan Leekpai retook the reins. Thai cynics will tell you that, despite all the leader-swapping, things never change. Widespread vote-buying and entrenched corruption make a joke of democracy at any rate, and until this is rectified Thailand's claims to democratic status and political stability will remain as shaky as ever. In 1997 the Thai baht pretty much collapsed, dragging the economy (and many other South-East Asian economies) down in a screaming heap. In August the International Monetary Fund stepped in with a bailout package of austerity measures, which - although it slowed Thailand's growth dramatically and hit the poor hardest - seemed to have turned things around by early 1998.
The South-East Asian currency crisis has rendered most economic information obsolete. Things change daily, so check a few news services for the latest.
Annual growth: -6%
Inflation: 2%
Major products: Computers, garments, integrated circuits, gems, jewellery
Major trading partners: ASEAN, USA, European Union
Monarchy and religion are the two sacred cows
in Thailand. Thais are tolerant of most kinds of behaviour as
long as it doesn't insult one of these. Buddhism is the
dominant religion, and orange-robed monks
and gold, marble and stone Buddhas are common sights. The
prevalent form of Buddhism practised is the Theravada school,
which emphasises the potential of the individual to attain
nirvana without the aid of saints or gurus. Make sure you are suitably dressed when visiting a temple - no shorts or singlets.
Buddhist monk (9K)
Novices on alms rounds (18K)
Thai is a complicated language with its own unique alphabet,
but it's fun to try at least a few words. The main complication
with Thai is that it is tonal: the same word could be
pronounced with a rising, falling, high, low or level tone and
could theoretically have five meanings!
Thai art, principally sculpture and architecture, is divided
into a number of historical styles beginning with Mon (6th-13th
C), Khmer (7th-13th C), Peninsular (until 14th C), Lan Na
(13th-14th C), Sukhothai (13th-15th C), Lopburi (10th-13th C),
Suphanburi-Sangkhlaburi (13th-15th C), Ayuthaya A (1350-1488), Ayuthaya B (1488-1630), Ayuthaya C (1630-1767) and Ratanakosin (19th C to present). Classical Thai music and theatrical dance are also popular artistic forms.
Buddha detail, Wat Si Chom, Sukhothai (10K)
Buddha, Wat Pho, Bangkok (6K)
Thai cuisine is pungent and spicy, seasoned with heaps of garlic and chillies and a characteristic mix of lime juice, lemon grass and fresh coriander. Galanga root, basil, ground peanuts, tamarind juice, ginger and coconut milk are other common additions. Fish sauce or shrimp paste are mainstays of Thai dishes, and of course rice is eaten with most meals. Main dishes include hot and sour fish ragout, green and red curries, various soups and noodle dishes. Thai food is served with a variety of condiments and dipping sauces. Snacks and appetisers include fried peanuts, chicken, chopped ginger, peppers and slices of lime. There is an incredible variety of fruit available, either fresh or juiced. Sugar-cane juice and, for something stronger, rice whisky are favourite local tipples.
Many festivals are linked to Buddhist or Brahman rituals and follow a lunar calendar. New Year, Songkran, is celebrated in mid-April by `bathing' Buddha images, paying respects to monks and elders by sprinkling water over their hands, and generally tossing a lot of the H2O in the air for fun. Expect to be soaked unless you want to party-poop in your room. The sowing and harvesting of rice has given rise to a cycle of festivals. To kick off the official rice-planting season in early May, the king participates in an ancient Brahman ritual in a large field in central Bangkok. A Rocket Festival is held in May in the country's north-east, using a volatile mixture of bamboo and gunpowder to convince the sky to send rain for the new rice season. The rice harvest from September through to May leads to joyous local celebrations throughout Thailand. The Vegetarian Festival in Phuket and Trang during which devout Chinese Buddhists eat only vegetarian food runs for nine days from late-September to early-October. Merit-making processions are the most visible expression of this festival, but there are also ceremonies at Chinese temples. The Elephant Roundup in Surin in November is an elephantine festival popular with the kind of people who enjoy watching pachyderms play soccer.
The Cambodian and Myanmar border areas contain a volatile mixture of land mines, bandits, smugglers and rebels, and are the scene of occasional low-level military stoushes. Travellers should steer well clear of the borders or contact their embassy to receive the latest reports on the security situation. Anyone foolish enough to accept free air-tickets and a new set of luggage from sudden friends in Bangkok deserves to be called a mule.
Visas: Most visitors can stay for 30 days without a visa
Health risks: AIDS, cholera, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, malaria, rabies
Time: UTC plus seven hours
Electricity: 220V, 50 Hz
Weights & Measures: Metric with
local variations (see the conversion table.)
Tourism: 6.7 million visitors in 1995
Currency: Baht
Exchange rate: US$1 = 40B
Relative costs:
- Budget meal: US$2-4
- Restaurant meal: US$4-7
- Cheap room:
US$2-5
- Mid-range hotel room: $US8-12
If you're travelling on a budget, you should be able to fairly easily get by on around US$15-25 a day anywhere in Thailand. Visitors staying in comfortable hotels and eating at restaurants should budget on around US$20-30 a day outside Bangkok and around double this amount when in the capital. If money is no object, then you can spend to your heart's content while in Bangkok, since the capital has several of the world's most sumptuous hotels. Your spending levels will be curtailed by the scarcity of luxury accommodation and quality restaurants if you get off the beaten track.
The baht lost 20% of its value overnight in mid-1997 so it's worth keeping an eye on the exchange rates printed in the Bangkok Post every day. Banks or legal moneychangers offer the best rates. For buying baht, US dollars are the most readily acceptable currency, though travellers' cheques get a better rate than cash. Credit cards are becoming increasingly acceptable in quality shops, hotels and restaurants. Visa is the most useful, followed by MasterCard. ATMs which accept Visa and other credit cards are easily found in the larger cities, and many exchange booths will give you a cash advance on your credit card.
Tipping is not customary in Thailand, although Thais are getting used to the idea in upmarket hotels. Bargaining is common practice in markets and tourist shops, and when catching non-metered taxis. Treat it as a form of social discourse rather than a matter of life and death.
The best overall time for visiting most of Thailand vis a vis climate is between November and February - during these months it rains least and is not too hot. The south is best visited when the rest of Thailand is miserably hot (March to May), and the north is best from mid-November to early December or when it starts warming up again in February. If you're spending time in Bangkok, be prepared to roast in April and do some wading in October - probably the worst two months, weather-wise, in the capital. The peak tourist months are December and August, and the least crowded months are May, June and September.
Bangkok
It's worth putting up with the coronary-inducing traffic jams, pollution, annual floods and sticky weather to experience one of Asia's most exciting cities. Bangkok has dominated Thailand's urban hierarchy, as well as its political, commercial and cultural life, since the late 18th century.
Bangkok proper seethes on the east side of the Chao Phraya River and can be divided into two by the main north-south train line. Old Bangkok glitters in the portion between the river and the railway and it is here that most of the older temples and the original palace are located. The new Bangkok is east of the railway, covering many times more area than the old city. It incorporates the main commercial and tourist districts, which give way to a vast residential sprawl.
For a city of this size, Bangkok is surprisingly full of quiet escapes. Just step out of the street noise and into the calm of one of the city's 400 wats (temple-monasteries) or take a river taxi on the Chao Phraya River. Must sees include Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace, Wat Pho and Wat Traimit. This latter is the Temple of the Golden Buddha, home to the impressive 3m tall, 5 1/2-tonne solid-gold Buddha image. Silk entrepreneur Jim Thompson's House manages to avoid being a touristy nightmare by virtue of the singular vision which created this haven of traditional Thai art and architecture. An expat American, Thompson was a tireless curator and promoter of Thai culture until his mysterious disappearance in 1967.
Reclining Buddha, Wat Pho (6K)
Other sights include the touristy Wat Sai floating market in Thonburi, a boat trip through the city's extensive and pongy network of canals (klongs), the Saovabha Institute Snake
Farm and the renowned Oriental Hotel.
Reality Check...child prostitution...
Entertainment ranges from classical dance and Thai boxing to the unfortunate go-go bars of Patpong. For alternative night entertainment, check out the night markets behind Ratchaprarop Rd in Pratunam. Bangkok is a great place to shop if you don't overdose on T-shirts and fake designer clothing. It's worth stocking up on cheap clothes for your trip or getting smarter clothes for your wardrobe at home.
Thai boxers in action (13K)
Khao San Rd in Banglamphu is the traditional budget-traveller centre, but the Sukhumvit Rd area has a better selection of mid-range hotels. Banglamphu and neighbouring Thewet are the best spots for budget eating. If you want to go for a city stroll and experience day-to-day Bangkok, head for Chinatown and Pahurat, the busy Chinese and Indian market districts.
As might be expected from one of Asia's major transport hubs, getting to and from Bangkok is harder to avoid than to engineer. All Thailand's major train and bus routes terminate here and this is a good spot to shop around for local and international travel bargains. Getting around Bangkok is a lead-lined lung and sooty-booger affair, with none of the desperately needed schemes to alleviate traffic congestion breaking out of air-conditioned boardrooms. River or canal journeys are infinitely preferable to road transport but increasingly, tarmac is the only option. Bangkok's bus system is fairly easy to navigate, but its efficiency is hampered by the snail's pace of traffic (a zippy 13km/h average during commuter hours). Taxis are mostly metered and not too expensive, tuk-tuks (three-wheeled power saws gone beserk) are not much cheaper but have the perilous advantage of being able to weave in and out of choked traffic. Train is the best city-airport connection, taking only half an hour as against up to three hours by bus or taxi.
Nakhon Pathom
Nakhon Pathom, 60km west of Bangkok, is regarded as the oldest city in Thailand and is host to the 127m, orange-tiled Phra Pathom Chedi, the tallest Buddhist monument in the world. The original monument, now buried within the massive orange-glazed dome, was erected in the 6th century by Theravada Buddhists. The chedi has endured various incarnations at the hands of Khmer, Burmese and Chinese refurbishers. There is a floating market nearby at Khlong Damnoen Saduak.
Ayuthaya
The 16th-18th century temple ruins at Ayuthaya, 86km north of Bangkok, date from the most flourishing period of Thai history. Ayuthaya was the Thai capital from 1350, and 33 kings of various Siamese dynasties reigned here until the city was conquered by the Burmese in 1767. The old capital was, by all accounts, a splendid city which was courted by Dutch, Portuguese, French, English, Chinese and Japanese merchants. By the end of the 17th century, Ayuthaya's population had reached one million and virtually all visiting foreigners claimed it to be the most illustrious city they had ever seen.
Off the record: Wat's a wat?
Ayuthaya's scattered temples and ruins have been declared a World Heritage Site. The forbidding list includes the 14th century Wat Phra Si Sanphet, the largest in Ayuthaya in its time, which once contained a 16m standing Buddha that was covered in 250 kg of gold. Unfortunately the Burmese conquerors felt obliged to melt it down. The 16th-century, fortress-like Wat Phra Meru escaped destruction in 1767 and boasts an impressive carved wooden ceiling, a splendid Ayuthaya-era 6m high crowned sitting Buddha, and a 1300-year-old green-stone Buddha from Ceylon, posed European-style in a chair. Wat Phra Chao Phanan Choeng was built in the early 14th century, possibly by Khmers, before Ayuthaya became the Siamese capital. It contains a highly revered 19m Buddha image from which the wat derives its name. A restored Elephant Kraal brings relief for those tired of temple-trudging. The huge wooden stockade, built from teak logs planted in the ground at 45 degree angles, was once used during the annual round-up of wild elephants. The king had a special raised pavilion built so that he could watch the thrilling event.
There are frequent buses to Ayuthaya from Bangkok's northern terminal during the day. They take around two hours. Trains are slightly faster and leave frequently from Bangkok's Hualamphong railway station.
Thailand's second-largest city and the gateway to the country's north was founded in 1296. You can still see the moat that encircled the original city, and there are 300 wats, including Wat Chiang Man (home of the 1800-year-old 10-cm-high Crystal Buddha), Wat Phra Singh (built in the classic northern-Thai style) and Wat Chedi Luang (partially ruined by earthquake, cannon fire and recent restoration efforts). Doi Suthep, topped by one of Thailand's holiest wats, rises 1676m to the west of the city providing a dramatic backdrop and, should you venture up, fine views of the city.
Modern Chiang Mai is easily managed and very traveller-friendly. It's well-known for its restaurants and also has heaps of good guesthouses (although the hotel 'safes' are notoriously not). Compared to Bangkok, Chiang Mai's evenings are cool and conducive to moseying around the central Night Bazaar. To get value for money, bargain patiently but mercilessly; no less is expected of you. When you're sick of honing your free-market warrior attitude, Chiang Mai is a good base for mountain treks. Just about every guesthouse advertises treks to visit the hill tribes who live in the surrounding area. You may want to think twice about joining such an excursion if you have qualms about interrupting the traditional patterns of life in hill-tribe areas. This part of Thailand is considerably overtrekked and some hill-tribe villages have been turned into little more than human zoos.
There are air links to Chiang Mai from eight Thai cities plus a handful of Asian cities. Heaps of buses negotiate the 10 to 12-hour trip from Bangkok. Express trains to Chiang Mai from Bangkok take between 12 and 13 hours.
This beautiful island off south-eastern Thailand is covered with coconut plantations and circled by (call us clichéd but it's true) palm-fringed beaches. It was once an 'untouched' backpackers' mecca, but is now well on its way to becoming a fully-fledged tourist resort. Coconuts are still the mainstay of the local economy, however, and up to two million of them are shipped to Bangkok each month.
The most popular beaches are Hat Chaweng and Hat Lamai: both have good swimming and snorkelling but are getting a little crowded. For more peace and quiet, try Mae Nam, Bo Phut and Big Buddha on the northern coast. The main town on the island is Na Thon.
Most of the beaches have plenty of rustic, thatched-roofed bungalows but accommodation can still be hard to secure in the high seasons between December and February and July and August. The best time to visit is during the hot and dry season between February and June. There are flights from Bangkok to the island's Don Sak Airport. Several ferry and jetboat companies operate from Surat Thani: express boats take two and a half hours and jet boats take one and a half hours. Local transport comprises songthaews, though several places hire motorcycles.
Ko Samui's northern neighbour, Ko Pha-Ngan, is more tranquil, and has equally good beaches and fine snorkelling. Its renowned beach parties at Hat Rin are popular with backpackers, though not with the local police. The island is a half-hour boat ride from Ko Samui.
Dubbed the `Pearl of the South' by the tourist industry, Phuket is Thailand's largest island and lies in the Andaman Sea off the country's south-western coast. The island is connected to the Thai mainland by a bridge, but has retained a distinct culture fused from Chinese and Portuguese influences combining with the culture of the chao naam, the indigenous sea-faring people. About 35% of the island's population are Thai Muslims.
The island's terrain varies from rocky beaches and long, broad sweeps of sand to limestone cliffs and forested hills. It has good beaches, tropical vegetation and a pleasant, relaxed atmosphere, but its ambience and ecology are under pressure from extensive and irresponsible development. The main resorts include Patong, Karon and Kata, but better beaches are scattered all around the island. Roads radiate from Phuket Town, in the south-east of the island, making it a good base for exploring. Don't ignore the island's interior which has rice paddies, plantations of rubber and cashew nut, cacao, pineapple and coconut, as well as Phuket's last slice of rainforest.
There are plenty of flights to Phuket from Bangkok. First-class air-con buses take about 14 hours to reach the island from the capital. Local transport includes songthaews, which run to many of the island's beaches, and motorcycle taxis. Motorcycles and jeeps can also be hired by the day. (A law passed in 1996 makes it compulsory to wear helmets, so be sure to get one from the company that rented you the motorcycle - the fine can be up to 500 baht if you fail to comply.)
Chachoengsao
Tucked away in the countryside to the east of Bangkok, this provincial town is hardly visited by foreign tourists - mainly because it's not on the major road or rail networks out of the capital. It's home to one of the most sacred Buddha images in Thailand - Phra Phuttha Sothon - which is housed in the Wat Sothon Wararam Worawihaan. The origins of the modest 198-cm-high Phra Phuttha Sothon are cloaked in mystery but the image is said to be associated with a famous monk with holy powers who supposedly predicted the exact moment of his death.
Chachoengsao makes a great day-trip destination to escape Bangkok's turbulence and Ayuthaya's tourists and touts, and it's a fine place to experience provincial Thai life. Buses to Chachoengsao leave frequently from Bangkok's eastern terminal; ditto trains from Bangkok's Hualamphong station. It takes one and a half hours to reach Chachoengsao by both modes of transport.
This one-town island offshore from Chonburi Province on the Gulf of Thailand is practically deserted, making it great fun to explore. Its attractions include a meditation centre with hermit caves, decent beaches with good snorkelling, a ruined palace, limestone caves and a Chinese temple perched on a cliff overlooking the sea. Most of the population are fisherfolk, mariners, customs officials or workers in aquaculture projects. Camping is permitted anywhere on the island, but if you don't want to tent it, there are numerous hostels and bungalow-style operations.
To get there, take a bus from Bangkok's eastern bus terminal or from Pattaya to Si Racha, about 105km (65mi) from Bangkok. Boats to Ko Si Chang leave hourly from the pier in Si Racha.
In northern Tak Province, close to the Burmese border, Mae Sot has a reputation as a frontier town with an outlaw image. It has a thriving black-market trade (guns, narcotics, teak and gems) and is an increasingly important official jade and gem centre. It attracts an interesting mixture of ethnicities - Burmese Muslims, members of the local Karen hill tribes, Chinese and Indian shopkeepers and poppy-clad Thai army rangers. It's a departure point for the fascinating border markets which trade Burmese handicrafts and foodstuffs.
Prasit Hin Khao Phanom Rung Historical Park
The Khmer temple complex at Phanom Rung in north-eastern Thailand is the largest and best restored of all the Khmer monuments in Thailand. The temple was constructed between the 10th and 13th centuries with the bulk of the work done during the reign of King Suriyavarman II (1113 to 1150 AD), which was the apex of Angkor architecture.
The complex is located on an extinct volcano and dominates the surrounding countryside. It has a fine promenade leading to the main gate, numerous galleries and halls, and the only three naga bridges left in Thailand. The craftwork represents the pinnacle of Khmer artistic achievement, and is on a par with the reliefs at Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The best time to visit Phanom Rung is before 10 am, when it is still cool, the light is good for photography and the site has few visitors.
Phanom Rung is not an easy place to reach but it is well worth the effort. Trains and buses leave Bangkok for Khorat (also known as Nakhon Ratchasima) and take between four and five hours. From Khorat you need to catch a Surin-bound bus and get off at Ban-Ta-Ko. Wait here for a songthaew to the complex.
Thaleh Ban National Park
This 101 sq km park on the Thai-Malaysian border in southern Satun Province is home to one of South-East Asia's best preserved sections of white meranti rainforest. Its hilly terrain includes caves, waterfalls, limestone cliffs, lake views and wildlife such as mouse deer, gibbons, macaques and many rare bird species. Once inside the park, you can camp or bunk at one of the longhouses situated on the shores of a large lake.
The nearest large town is Satun, a 15-hour bus trip from Bangkok. Share taxis run from Satun about 40km away to Wang Prajan near the park entrance. From here you need to hitch or hop on one of the infrequent songthaews into the park. Road access is also possible from Malaysia.
Thailand's two coastlines and countless islands attract schools of water babies. Diving and snorkelling are particularly popular around Phuket, Pattaya, and the Similan and Surin islands. The islands of Chumphon Province, just north of Surat Thani are less developed and the reefs here are practically undisturbed. Touring the islands and coastal limestone formations around Phuket and Ao Phang-Nga by inflatable canoe has become an increasingly popular activity. The typical sea-canoe tour seeks out half-submerged caves, timing excursions so that they can paddle into the caverns at low tide. Inland raft trips are available down the Mae Klong River in central Thailand in Kanchanaburi Province and on the Pai River in Mae Hong Son Province.
Wilderness walking is northern Thailand's biggest draw. Chiang Mai is the main centre for treks into mountainous areas inhabited by hill tribes, but there are also trekking areas around Mae Hong Son and Chiang Rai. Cyclists favour the flat terrain and lush river scenery of the Mekong River area in the north and north-east of Thailand.
Meditation study is a decidedly less sweaty 'activity' popular with many visitors to Thailand. There are dozens of temples and meditation centres dotted throughout the country which welcome sincere guests. Instruction and accommodation are free of charge, though donations are expected. There are centres which provide instruction in English in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Chachoengsao, amongst others. If you'd prefer to direct your energies outward, tuition in Thai boxing is available in Bangkok and in Naklua, north of Pattaya. Be warned that the training is gruelling and involves full-contact sparring. Chiang Mai has also become a centre for classes in Thai cooking and traditional massage.
Most travellers fly into Bangkok, which has a major international airport. Flights in and out of Thailand are often overbooked so it's imperative that you reconfirm ongoing flights as soon as you arrive. The departure tax on international flights is 250B. Overland travel from Malaysia is also popular and there are four border crossings between Thailand and Malaysia, two on the west coast, one in the centre and one on the east coast. It's not possible to buy through-fare tickets for rail journeys between Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur or Singapore, but the trip can be made on express trains via the Thai-Malaysia border at Pedang Besar. The journey usually requires an overnight stop in Butterworth (Malaysia) in order to comfortable make train connections. The opulent Eastern & Oriental Express does run directly between Bangkok and Singapore, but expect to pay well over US$1000 for the privelege. There are plenty of crossing points between Thailand and Myanmar, Laos or Cambodia, but very few border crossings are made - officially, at least.
Thai International has a useful domestic flight network, but travellers tend to prefer Thailand's good bus and train
transport. Buses are phenomenally (read hair-raisingly) fast, and they're also well serviced and air-conditioned. Trains are comfortable, frequent, punctual, moderately priced and rather slow. Cars, jeeps or vans can be rented in Bangkok and large provincial capitals. Motorcycles can be rented in major towns and tourist centres.
Local transport includes taxis, tuk-tuks (motorised rickshaws), samlors (bicycle rickshaws) and songthaews (small pick-ups). Taxis are (mostly) metered in Bangkok and songthaews tend to run regular
routes, but samlors, tuk-tuks and taxis outside Bangkok require bargaining and agreement on a fare before departure.
- Culture Shock! Thailand & How to Survive It by Robert & Nanthapa Cooper.
- Thailand; A Short History by David Wyatt.
- Hill Tribes of Northern Thailand by Gordon Young.
- Part of Spalding Gray's Swimming to Cambodia is a humorous account of being on location in Thailand while playing a minor role in The Killing Fields.
- There's a chapter on Thailand in Pico Iyer's Video Night in Kathmandu.
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