| Thailand is a modern democratic Nation in Central | | | | less than 150 metres above sea level and is thus |
| South East Asia. '' Thai '' is the Tai word for '' free ''. | | | | similar to Thailand's Central region. However the two |
| The '' Thai '' identity was formed in the late 13 th C | | | | mountain extensions of the Upper North, [ 1 ] |
| at Sukhothai and is not to be confused with '' Tai '' | | | | Thanon Thang Chai Range to the west and, [ 2 ] |
| the name of the ethnic groups of people who | | | | Petchabun Range to the east attract an extension of |
| migrated from Yunnan in the 12th & 13th Centuries. | | | | swidden hill tribe communities as in the Upper North, |
| The character of the Thai Nation today and of its | | | | all part of the exodus from China of these ethnic |
| people can only be appreciated by exploring its 2000 | | | | minorities over the past hundreds of years. The |
| years of recorded history and the cultures of the | | | | geographic differences in topography need to be |
| various peoples who live here. Thailand's natural | | | | appreciated as the ethnic, sociological and cultural |
| landscape includes tropical wet evergreen forests in | | | | differences are essentially between lowlanders and |
| Southern Thailand to temperate deciduous forests in | | | | highlanders [ Hill tribes ]. These classifications and |
| North Thailand and we explore these in the Thailand | | | | detailed explanations are discussed in North Thailand |
| National Parks. Thailand art architecture and | | | | People . |
| decorative objects need to be considered with | | | | About Central Thailand |
| regard to the influences of religion, mythological | | | | Central Thailand is situated on the central plains of |
| beliefs and regional artistic styles. Thailand is so large | | | | the Chao Phraya River and the Meklong River valley. |
| and diverse we detail all about Thailand in separate | | | | The first substantial civilisation here was that of the |
| regions, North or Northern Thailand, South or | | | | Mon people and during the 6th - 9th C its Buddhist |
| Southern Thailand, Central Thailand and North East | | | | Kingdom was referred to in chinese records and on |
| Thailand [ I 'san ]. | | | | silver coins as '' Dvaravati ''. Influences from India |
| North Thailand Travel & Places Of Interest | | | | when merged with Mon characteristics formed the |
| The Thailand Government defines North Thailand as | | | | basis of religion, art, architecture and public |
| consisting of both [ 1 ] the 84,000 square kilometres | | | | administration. |
| comprising 8 provinces of Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, | | | | About South Thailand |
| Phayao, Nan, Lampang, Lamphun, Phrae and Mae | | | | South Thailand comprises the Southern Peninsula with |
| Hong Son, which area originally comprised the Lan Na | | | | the Andaman Sea to the West and the Gulf of Siam |
| principalities detailed in the North Thailand History link [ | | | | to the East. It is a mountainous region and the |
| the Upper North ], and [ 2 ] the 86,000 square | | | | Phuket Mountain Range is the most important on the |
| kilometres of the Lower North, comprising the | | | | West from Chumphon to Krabi and to the East is the |
| provinces of Kamphaeng Phet, Tak, Sukhothai, | | | | Nakhon Si Thammarat Mountain Range from Surat |
| Uttaradit, Uthai Thani, Nakhon Sawan, Phichit | | | | Thani to Satun. Between these ranges are the plains |
| Phitsanulok and Phetchabun, which area originally | | | | and limestone hills and to the South the Sannkalakhiri |
| comprised the Kingdoms of Sukhothai and later the | | | | Mountains which divide Malaysia and Thailand. |
| northern parts of the Kingdom of | | | | Thailand has in excess of 138 wildlife sanctuaries and |
| Ayutthaya, Thon Buri and Bangkok Kingdoms. | | | | National Parks. The major locations are listed in the |
| The Differences Between The Upper North Thailand | | | | opposite links and we detail 20 National Parks and eco |
| And The Lower North Thailand | | | | tourism locations. Thailand is home to over 15,000 |
| One discernable difference between the Upper and | | | | species of vascular plants and 16,000 species of |
| Lower North Thailand is topography. Upper North | | | | animals |
| Thailand is characterised by long valleys generally | | | | Thailand travel and tourism to Thailand places of |
| running north south. The climate has three seasons, | | | | interest is not a matter of a few choices as is the |
| hot [ April to May ] cool and rain [ July to September | | | | case with many Asia destinations. Thailand is large |
| ]. Approximately 72% of the area is mountainous, | | | | and diverse with a large selection of travel and |
| 21% upland and 8% lowland. The lowland is cultivated | | | | holiday options. In 2005 over 14 million tourists visited |
| by the Tai people to produce wet rice. | | | | Thailand and their range of interests varied. |
| Lower North Thailand has 45% of its total land mass | | | | |