
Thailand is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. A country of many distinct facets, with glorious beaches as well as forests, jungles and mountains. Whether you want to swim, sunbathe or explore the wildlife, a family holiday in Thailand will never be dull. The Royal Barge National Museum in Bangkok houses several barges built for Thailand's kings; the beautifully detailed carving is quite breathtaking. Thailand has a mediocre but improving performance in the global Environmental Performance Index (EPI) with an overall ranking of 91 out of 180 countries in 2016
Thailand was the most visited country in Southeast Asia in 2013, according to the World Tourism Organisation. Asian tourists primarily visit Thailand for Bangkok and the historical, natural, and cultural sights in its area. Western tourists not only visit Bangkok and surroundings, but in addition many travel to the southern beaches and islands. The north is the chief destination for trekking and adventure travel with its diverse ethnic minority groups and forested mountains. The region hosting the fewest tourists is Isan To accommodate foreign visitors, a separate tourism police with offices were set up in the major tourist areas and an emergency telephone number.
Thailand ranks 5th biggest medical tourism destination of inbound medical tourism spending, according to world travel and tourism council, attracting over 2.5 million visitors in 2018. The country is also Asia 's number one. Agriculture has been experiencing a transition from labour-intensive and transitional methods to a more industrialised and competitive sector. Rice is the most important crop in the country and Thailand had long been the world's leading exporter of rice, until recently falling behind both India and Vietnam. Thailand has the highest percentage of arable land, 27.25%, of any nation in the Greater Mekong Subregion. About 55% of the arable land area is used for rice production.
The country's most prevalent religion is Theravada Buddhism, which is an integral part of Thai identity and culture. Active participation in Buddhism is among the highest in the world. Thailand has the second-largest number of Buddhists in the world after China.
WEATHER : Between November and May the weather is mostly dry, however this is broken up into the periods November to February and March to May. The later of these two periods has the higher relative temperatures as although the northeast monsoon does not directly affect the northern area of Thailand, it does cause cooling breezes from November to February. The southern region of Thailand really has only two seasons -- the wet and the dry. These seasons do not run at the same time on both the east and west side of the peninsula. On the west coast the southwest monsoon brings rain and often heavy storms from April through to October, while on the east coast the most rain falls between September and December.
FOOD : A typical Thai meal includes five main flavors: salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy. Indeed, most Thai dishes are not considered satisfying unless they combine all five. While the seasoning can be spicy for a foreign palate, Thai food ensures that a balance of all flavors is present.
CURRENCY : The official currency of Thailand is the Thai Baht or Baht. 1 Baht is divided into 100 Satangs, i.e 1 Baht = 100 Satangs. The Bank of Thailand is responsible for issuing the currency notes in the country. Banknotes of 20, 50, 100, 500 and 1000 Bahts are used. Coins of 1, 2, 5 and 10 Bahts are used. Coins of 50 and 25 Satangs are also used.
VISA : Thailand issues below type of Visas
Tourist Visa
This is a 60-day Tourist Visa to Thailand that can either be a multiple or single entry and can be extended for up to another 30 days by means of a visa run.
Non-Immigrant Visa
This is normally a single entry visa to Thailand valid for 90 days. Like the tourist visa, you can extend your stay by doing a visa run going to the border or nearby city/country. Obtaining a work permit and opening a bank account is possible.
Business Visa
This visa is specially designed for people who want to do business legally in Thailand.
Thai Elite Visa is a long-term visa categorized under Privilege Entry Visa allowing residency in Thailand along with benefits for a period between 5 and 20 years depending of the chosen package in exchange of a membership fee. The Elite Visa is a 5-year renewable multiple entry visa with an extendable 1-year length of stay per each entry.