Here’s some basic facts about Thailand to get you started –
1. Thailand is actually the same size as France
2. It’s home to 69 million people
3. 90% of the population are Buddhists
4. Siamese cats originate from Thailand – Thailand used to be known as Siam. That’s a two-fer and we’re only four facts in!
5. The Thai language has 76 letters
Let’s talk people –
6. A set of Thai brothers, End and Chang Bunker inspired the term Siamese twins. They were conjoined twins at the chest. The connected bro’s died back in 1873
7. 39-year-old Kanchana Ketkaew, is the only Thai woman to hold two Guinness World Records. One for living with scorpions in a glass box for 33 days and the other for the longest time holding one of the arachnids in her mouth for a terrifying 3 minutes and 28 seconds
8. Thai people must hold their head lower than that of anyone older than them
Bizarre law enforcement facts –
9. Logging is banned in Thailand as a result of only a quarter of the nation’s hardwood forest remaining today – only Singapore has lost more forest. Although Thailand is still home to some of the world’s most incredible national parks.
10. It’s illegal to drive shirtless in Thailand
11. It’s also illegal to step on any Thai currency
12. You can’t go commando in Thailand. It’s illegal to leave your house without underwear on
13. The head is sacred in Thailand so you must never touch anyone on the head there (even a child!)
What about the lay of the land – some facts loosely based on geography –
14. Thailand once had so many canals that it’s buildings were constructed on stilts. However, these have now been filled
15. Bangkok holds the record for the longest named captial in the world. Bangkok’s actual name is… Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Ayuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit.
16. Phuket is the largest of Thailand’s 1,430 islands
If we could turn back time –
17. History buffs will know that the Bridge over the River Kwai is in Kanchanaburi in Thailand
18. Thailand is also home to the Burma Railway, cheerfully dubbed the “Death Railway” due to the estimated 80,000 prisoners who lost their lives constructing it from 1940 – 1944
19. While we’re talking about death the Siriraj Medical Museum is rather enammered by the process, with lots of displays of fatalities from the country’s past and there’s even a mummified serial killer
20. Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country to not be colonised by a European power. Hence why “Thailand” translates as “Land of the Free”
Let’s get cultural –
21. There are approximately 35,000 temples in Thailand
22. You can see the world’s largest solid gold Buddha in Phra Phuttha Maha Suwana Patimakon temple. The gilded deity is 15-foot tall and ways approximately 5.5 tons
23. If you’re in the country from April 13-15 you can take part in Songkran Festival, the world’s largest water fight
Time for some monkey business… and other general animal facts –
24. You can find both the world’s smallest mammal (the bumblebee bat or Kitti’s hog-nosed bat) and the world’s largest fish (whale shark) in Thailand
25. Thailand is home to a approximately a tenth of the world’s animals and a tenth of all birds 🤯
26. Snake lovers will know you can find both the largest snake (the reticulated python) and the largest venomous snake (king cobra) in the world here. Yikes!
27. There’s an annual Monkey Buffet at the Pra Prang Sam Yot temple Lopburi province where tons of meat, fruit, veg and even ice cream are dumped for the monkeys to feast on. This is a thank you from the people to the monkeys for bringing tourists to the region
28. The national flower of Thailand is the orchid, in fact the country is the largest exporter of the tropical flower in the world
Food and drink… the good stuff –
29. You can order a colour-changing tea in Thailand
30. Thailand are the largest exporter of rice in the world
31. You can buy the world’s smelliest and most expensive fruit here. The melon-sized Durian fruit sells for around 100 USD a fruit, but it’s banned in many places due to its putrid odour
