Basic Facts about Thailand

• Officially called the Kingdom of Thailand, it is a country in the South East of Asia.
• It shares borders with Laos and Cambodia to the East, Malaysia to the South, and the Andaman Sea and Myanmar to the West.
• Thailand was previously known as Siam. This name was changed for the first time in 1939 by Prathet Thai, and then again in 1949 (after being reverted during WWII). Prathet means “country” and the word “thai” means “free” or “freedom” in Thai language.
• Around 75% of the ethnic population is Thai, 14% is Chinese, and 3% is Malay. The remaining 22% is made up of minority groups and tribes.
• The official language in Thailand is Thai, also known as Siamese.
• The most popular religion is Buddhism, practiced by 95% of the population.