Thailand

1

Thailand has a $395.3 billion GDP.

2

The nominal GDP per capita is $16,800.

3

Thai is the official language of the country and is spoken by over 90% of residents.

4

A small percentage of Thai people speak Burmese and other languages.

5

Almost 95% of the population practices Buddhism.

6

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy and is one of the few remaining countries in the world to have this type of government.

7

King Bhumibol Adulyadej was the longest-serving head of state in the world. He has been king for 70 years before passing in 2016. He was succeeded by Maha Vajiralongkorn.

8

It is illegal to disrespect the monarch in any way. This includes tearing or stepping on money, which features the monarch’s portrait.

9

Thailand is the only country in southeast Asia that was not colonized by Europe.

10

There are over 5,000 elephants in Thailand and about half are domesticated. This may seem like a lot, but it’s not many when you consider that there were about 100,000 over 100 years ago.

11

Thailand’s national flower is the orchid, and it’s no wonder – there are over 1,500 species that grow in this country.

12

Bangkok, Thailand, has been named the hottest city in the world.

13

Thailand used to be known as Siam.

14

Thailand is believed to be where Siamese cats originated. There were once 23 types of Siamese cats. In modern times, there are just six types.

15

Red Bull’s origins lie in Thailand. The Thai drink, Krating Daeng, is what the recipe of Red Bull is based on, however, it has been altered to better suit tastes around the world.

16

The Monkey Buffet is a Thai festival that celebrates monkeys and their appeal to tourists. It features a huge buffet laden with tons of fruit, ice cream, and about two tons of meat.

17

The name “Thailand” translates to “Land of the free.”

18

Thailand is a country that holds multiple world records, including the largest gold Buddha, the largest restaurant, and the tallest hotel.

19

Speaking of the world’s largest gold Buddha, it weighs in at 5,500 kilograms and is worth about $250 million.

20

We know the city as Bangkok, but Thais have a much longer name for it. The official name for this city is Krung Thep Maha Nakho, but its full ceremonial name is Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit.

21

Bangkok is the world’s most visited city, with 16 million visitors coming in annually from around the world.

22

Polo is a popular sport in countries around the world, and Thailand is no exception. However, many enjoy playing elephant polo in their free time.

23

Thailand is made up of over 1,300 islands.

24

The hog-nosed bat is the smallest mammal in the world, and it can be found in parts of Thailand.

25

Rain falls in Thailand almost every single day May through September.

26

Many different animals can be found in Thailand, including tigers, elephants, crocodiles, and cobras.

27

Students in Thailand attend primary school for six years. They can also attend high school, but it is not free to attend.

28

Agriculture and tourism are the two most important and lucrative industries in Thailand.

29

Settlements were first built in Thailand in the year 2000 B.C.

30

Going without a shirt in public is illegal and can lead to a stay in jail.

31

Rice is a staple food in Thailand, but it’s also considered sacred. It is a no-no to leave any rice on the plate, and it should never be stepped on.

32

Thailand is the world’s second-largest exporter of rice, falling only behind India in recent years.

33

The national sport of Thailand is Muay Thai, which is also known as “The Art of Eight Limbs.”

34

Thailand has the second-highest rate of deforestation in Asia. Logging in the country is now illegal.

35

On Mother’s Day in Thailand, you pay respects not to your own mother, but to the queen – the mother of the country.

36

It goes against Thai culture to touch anyone on their head.

37

In the past, Thai men became Buddhist monks before turning 20 years old. This is rarely practiced today.

38

There are 32 vowels and 44 consonants in the Thai alphabet.

39

A tenth of all the world’s animal species live in Thailand.

40

Over 1,300 fish species live in Thailand’s Mekong River.

41

The movie and the play versions of “The King and I” are banned in Thailand.

42

The country is the world’s largest producer of tin.

43

Thailand’s nickname is “Venice of the east” because of the number of canals that were once in the country.

44

Unfortunately, many of these canals have been paved over and do not exist today.

45

There are more than 40,000 temples in Thailand. It is forbidden to wear your shoes in any of them.

46

Traffic police in Bangkok wear facemasks because the pollution is so bad. It’s been found that about 20% of police in the city have a form of lung disease.

47

The 2004 tsunami was Thailand’s worst natural disaster. It killed over 8,000 people.

48

One of out every ten Thais live in the city of Bangkok.

49

Thailand is home to a cavefish that has been seen walking and climbing waterfalls.

50

A common greeting in Thai culture is “Have you eaten?” following “How are you?”