10 mesmerizing facts about Thailand
Even if you’ve never had the pleasure of visiting Thailand, you probably know that it has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, the friendliest people and the tastiest food. Located in Southeast Asia, Thailand is officially known as the Kingdom of Thailand. While these reasons are more than enough to convince you to see Thailand for yourself, there’s nothing quite like some fun facts to show what makes a country and its people truly unique. Smiles was like no other place in the world before, just wait ’til you hear these weird and fun facts! From curious customs to linguistics, read on to learn all these facts about Thailand!
10 mesmerizing facts about Thailand
1- Before 1938, the old name of Thailand is ‘Siam.’
Siam, derived from the Sanskrit word “syam”, was a Portuguese adopted name from the 16th century when it became the official geographical designation. It was not until 1938 that dictator Luang Phibunsongkhram, a staunch nationalist and modernizer, declared “Thailand” the country’s new name.
2- There are over 40,000 temples in Thailand
Most of them are active, while others lie in ruins, as is the case with many of the structures still standing in Ayuttaya and Sukhothai Historical Parks.
Thailand is truly a land of temples. Visiting them requires modest clothing, meaning no shorts or sleeveless shirts.
3- Thailand Is Made Up of Many Islands
Thailand has up to 1430 islands. The beautiful islands attract thousands of tourists to the country every year. Some of the islands, like Koh Phi Phi Lee Island, have been used for the production of Hollywood movies, which makes them even more famous. The island of Koh Phangan is known as the party island of Thailand. It is the site of Thailand’s full moon parties as well as the black moon party.
4- Buddhism Has The Largest Following In Thailand
Thailand is a predominantly Buddhist nation. It is estimated that 95% of Thailand’s population practices Buddhism. Previously, all males in the country were required to become Buddhist monks for a limited period before they turned 20. The practice has been abandoned in modern Thai society. There are more than 35,000 Buddhist temples in Thailand.
These temples are not only important places of worship but also popular tourist attractions. Visitors to Buddhist temples are expected to dress appropriately.
5- Thailand Is Home To The World’s Largest Solid Gold Buddha
One of the most impressive sights in Thailand has to be the 15ft high golden statue of Phra Phuttha Maha Suwana Patimakon. Although looters stole from temples over the centuries, this statue was covered with stucco and thereby saved.
If you see a Buddha statue, make it this one, especially since it’s worth millions of dollars and weighs an impressive 5.5 tons. You can find it at Wat Traimit in Bangkok. Check it out as part of this Bangkok itinerary.
6- Most Thais Have A Nickname
The majority of Thai people use their full official name and a nickname. But in Thailand, nicknames are meaningful and are chosen by your parents at birth, in contrast to other nations where they are typically just a shortened version of your real name.
Parents in Thailand frequently choose names with Thai meanings or words they want their children to sound like in other languages. For both boys and girls, popular nicknames include Bank, Neung (one), Benz, Tangmo (watermelon), Chompoo (pink apple), and Nan.
Thai parents frequently select names that have cultural significance in their native tongue or words that sound good in another language. For both boys and girls, popular nicknames include Tangmo (watermelon), Chompoo (rose apple), and Nan.
7- Thailand’s Monkey Buffet
Thailand has a famous annual monkey festival held in a village in Lopburi province. A celebration is a popular event for both locals and international visitors. It takes place outside of the Pra Prang Sam Yot Temple. More than 600 monkeys linger over a buffet of meat, fresh fruit, salads and ice cream. Local residents hold the festival to thank the monkeys for bringing tourists to the area.
8- Thailand is known as the “Land of Smiles”
A smile can go a long way and you will find more smiles in Thailand than anywhere else. In fact, it’s sometimes called the “Land of Smiles” because the people of Thailand always seem to be ready with a smile. They are a peace-loving culture that desires harmony over conflict.
9- Rice Is a Staple At Every Meal
To Thai people, rice is such a staple that it stands alone as its own category. Rather than a type of food, it’s an essential part of every meal, including breakfast.
In fact, a common way to greet people translates as ‘Have you eaten rice?’, while saying you’re hungry in Thai has the literal meaning, ‘I want to eat rice.’
10- Thais Eat With Spoons And Forks
First-time visitors to Thailand are often surprised to see a distinct shortage of chopsticks. But the truth is that Thai people only use chopsticks when eating Chinese food.
Otherwise, they use a spoon as their primary eating and cutting utensil, while using a fork to push food onto the spoon.
