In Thailand, different regions have different style of cookings and eating habits. In the Northeastern part of Thailand where the Isan people live, the food is known to be very very spicy. That region is famous for 'Som Tam', a spicy Northeastern Thai dish very popular in Thailand. The food in the north, central plain and the south are also different. That's why if you are in Thailand, you can experience different kinds of Thai cuisines.

        Most of the time, for people who haven't been to Thailand, they would think that Thai people always drink Tom Yum soup and tend to eat spicy food. Actually, they have got the wrong idea. Thais don't just have the traditional Tom Yum, we have other kinds of soup as well. if you ever go to any traditional Thai restaurants, why not try 'Tom Kha Kai'? It is the chicken coconut soup.

        Besides traditional Thai dishes, Thailand also offer lots of Thai local food like 'khao man kai' (Chicken Rice), 'kway tiao' (Rice Noodle - sen lek, sen mee and sen yai), 'kway chap' , 'yen tao foo' , 'khao moo daeng' (Charsiew Rice - Roast Pork Rice) , 'khao na ped' (Duck Ricd) or 'khao kha moo' (Pork Leg Rice). These are all made by Chinese Thais and are widely eaten by Thais everyday from morning to night because they are cheap and delicious.

   
          Padthai Noodle                          Moo Satay (pork)                   Nam Sod
 

        If we trace the origins of the Thais, we can find that their ancestors were a  southern Chinese tribe of southern China called T'ai who slowly migrated throughout the area. Some settled in what is now northern Thailand and established a fledgling Thai kingdom at Payao in 1096.

        Spurred by the Mongol conquest of China, the northern Thai kingdoms grew in size and numbers, with Lanna Thai and Sukhothai becoming especially important. Mengrai, a tribal leader who founded Lanna Thai, " A Million Rice Fields", named his Chiang Mai city which  today serves as a bastion of traditional Thai ways.

        Meanwhile sukhothai rose to pre-eminence under King Ramkhamhaeng who is thought to have invented the Thai writing system and established the basis of the Thai nation. By the 14th century, the seat of power was transferred to Ayutthaya under King Ramathibodi. The Ayutthaya period lasted for some four hundred years, during which time the organization of government and a strong tradition of art and literature were firmly established. The Portuguese, who were especially influentail as traders, also introduced firearm technology to Thailand.

        Ayutthaya finally fell to the Burmese in 1569. The young Prince Naresuan, taken by the invaders, returned to defeat his formers captors and to rebuild and expand the kingdom of Ayutthaya.

        Sadly, Ayutthaya, then rich in culture and with a strong economy, fell for the second time to the rapacious Burmese who, in 1767, burned the city to the ground, and took thousands of prisoners as slave labor. Their reign was however, short-lived. Under the inspired leadership of General Phya Taksin who was a mixture of Thai and Chinese parentage, The Thais once again drove out the Burmese and re-established the capital at Thonburi on the west bank of the Chao Phraya river. Taksin's mental health ultimately deteriorated, and when he was finally put to death, his successor, King Rama I, founded his new capital on the opposite bank of the river in 1782 at a small trading center called "Krung Thep". In Thai the words mean "City of Angel" and refer to what is generally today, called Bangkok. The derivation of the word "Bangkok" gets a little tricky here. It stems from the transliteration district where Krung Thep was situated, "Ban-gog" or "Bang-magog" - a place full of olive trees.
 

The Chakri Dynasty

        Referred to as the Rattanakosin or Bangkok period, the chronology of the Chakri dynasty extends from King Rama I to Thailand's present monarch, his majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX who ascended to the throne in 1946.

        Earlier, from 1809 to 1851, during the reigns of Rama II and Rama III, Bangkok developed rapidly with the whole country benefiting from the opening up of international trade.

        King Mongkut, Rama IV, who reigned from 1851-1868,initiated the modernization of state institutions and dialogue with Western nations. His successor King Chulalongkorn, Rama V, expanded the process and maintained Thailand's independence. His reign, from 17869-1910, is considered by many to have been one of the most important in recent Thai history.

        King Vajiravudh, Rama VI who succeeded King Chulalongkorn and reigned from 1910-1925, continued the reform process with the introduction of compulsory education. He also aligned Thailand with the allies in World War Two. His successor, King Prajadhipok, Rama VII, 1925-1935, was to be the last of the absolute monarchs.

         After a bloodless revolution in 1932 that changed the system to a constitutional monarchy, King Prajadhipok, abdicated and lived for six years in exile in England. On his death, his nephew, King Ananda ascended to the throne. When the young King Ananda died in tragic circumstances in 1946, he was succeeded by his brother, Thailand's much loved present day monarch, His majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
 

        Of all the Asian nations, Thailand has perhaps produced the most dramatic shift in economic fifteen years. Over the past six years the country's economy has grown at an annual average of some 8% and is expected to maintain this rate of growth over the next two to three years.

           From an early dependence on agriculture, the economy now rides high on a strategic mix of manufacturing and service-based industries. In terms of foreign exchange, tourism continues to provide the biggest source of revenue with over 6,000,000 visitors expected during 1995. Other leading earners are textile and garment manufacturing and, more traditionally, the export of rice.

        In an era where phrases such as 'information Technology' and 'Globalization' are now cliches in their own right, Thailand has also invested heavily in technology, both as an important tool for development, and in certain areas such the manufacture of integrated circuits, in establishing its own manufacturing capability. High technology manufacturing now represents some 20% of the country's exports.

        Growth in the financial sector has paralleled that of industry and commerce in general with the establishment in 1990 of the Stock Exchange of Thailand and the expansion and strengthening of financial institutions. International investment, particularly in the manufacturing sector, has been substantially encouraged by the Board of Investment which grants tax concessions and other privileges to suitable applicants.

           Bangkok's chronic traffic problems, and the country's other communication and bureaucratic difficulties, long recognized as hindrances to full economic development, are now being tackled with the implementation of large-scale road and infrastructure projects, both in Bangkok and in other parts of the country.

           The once faltering telephone system has also been vastly improved under a continuing and comprehensive program of modernization. Independent operators now offer a choice of mobile telephone systems, while satellite based television and telecommunication networks are rapidly being developed.

           One of the most visible signs of Thailand's continuing economic growth is the ever-changing skyline in the country's main cities. Second or third-time visitors to Bangkok in particular, will not fail to notice the new office towers, residential apartments, hotels and shopping malls which thrust their glistening new faces skywards almost daily.

           While its leaders steer Thailand towards their goal of establishing the country as a regional, financial and manufacturing hub, visitors to this still fascinating land will no doubt content themselves with the excellent value this economic tiger offers as a tourist destination.

          "Mai Pen Rai" "Never mind, it doesn't matter" is a phrase visitors will often hear and one which serves well to illustrate the apparent ambivalence of the Thai people's nature.

          Their country's reputation for being "The Land of Smiles" is still well deserved, although in today's changing social climate you may have to coax a little before being rewarded with a typical beaming Thai face.
 
        The famous Thai smile is also the outward manifestation of the Thai's natural inclination to be conciliatory and hospitable. This fundamental characteristic is now translated to the renowned service in hotels and restaurants, where every guest is made to feel genuinely welcome, and where every "Sawaddee Krap" seems like a personal invitation.

          Largely Buddhist, with a Muslim minority mainly in the south of the country, the Thai people have evolved from a racial group that includes the Laos, the Shans of Burma and early migrants from China. They are also a people who have maintained their country's independence from any form of colonialism throughout its history.

          Acknowledged for their natural grace and beauty, the Thais are artistic and fun loving, needing little excuse to get together for a picnic style meal and a singsong. And although they seem to take life at a casual pace, many rise before dawn to be at their place of work on time, whether it's a government office or market stall.