Bangkok, the "City of Angles", offers an abundance of sights and attractions for tourists. The magic of the historical city, intriguing culture, peaceful lifestyle, elaborate ancient arts, and charm of the people, never fail to impress visitors who return to Bangkok time after time. The prief yet interesting information about Thailand and Bangkok provided here, is intended to make your stay in Bangkok a more pleasant one.

Thailand in Brief
Facts and Figures
Geography & Climate
Beautiful Bangkok
Cultural Practices
Food & Beverages
Others

Thailand in Brief
For centuries known by outsiders as Siam, Thailand has been a fascinating location with its graceful culture, many religious crossroads, modern technology, and charming people. Roaming around Thailand is very easy and inexpensive with regards to transportation, accommodations, and the celebrated Thai cuisine. Friendliness and hospitality of the Thai people will welcome you with a warm touch, and make you feel at home right from your first step into Thailand.

Facts and Figures

Climate: There are three seasons in Thailand - summer, the rainy season, and winter. Summer starts in early March and ends in May. The rainy season may last longer than four months, from June to September extending into October. Winter is inclined to end in February each year.

Temperature: Approximate temperature varies from 19 degrees Celsius to 38 degrees Celsius.

Humidity: 66% - 83%

Time Zone: GMT + 7

Business Hour:
Government: 8.30 - 12.00 and 13.00 - 16.00, Monday to Friday
Bank: 9.30 - 15.30, Monday to Friday
Business office hours: 8.30 - 17.00, Monday to Friday, and 9.00 - 12.00 on Saturday for some companies.

Electricity: 220 volts, 50 cycles

Population: Estimated 62 million

People: Of the people residing in Bangkok, about 75% are Thai Chinese, and other minorities are 11% and 3.5% respectively.

Language: The national language is Thai. Both Thai and English are used in business.

Religion: Major population is Buddhist, being approximately 93%. The remaining are Muslim and Christian.

Geography & Climate
Geography: Thailand is located in Southeast Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and The Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Myanmar, and west of Laos and Cambodia. Chao Phraya River is the main stream of the central plains providing 34% arable land of the total land use. Northern Thailand is teeming with the fertile valleys and has the highest peak, 2596 meters, Doi-Inthanon in Chiang Mai province. The major landscape of the Northeast are barren high plateaus whereas the Southern peninsula is mostly rainforest. Industrial productions cluster in the central and the East Coast while agricultural areas disperse to several regions. Bangkok is the center of finance, government and business transactions.
Climate: Tropical, rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-may to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid

Beautiful Bangkok
Bangkok or Krungthep Mahanakorn, the convoluted capital city of Thailand, is the cultural, political and social heartland of Siam. Situated at the mouth of Chao Phraya, the greatest river, Bangkok is a home of around 7 million Thai people surrounded by the blending of historic charm and modern western cultural influences. The hot, steamy and utterly fascinating city is a varied wonderland to those from any nation. Ancient temples share the same streets as crumbling Chinese shops and towering glass structures of the 21st century.

The cosmopolitan melting pot offers glittering palaces, historic temples and monuments, the world's most exciting nightlife, unbeatable shopping, and food dazzling the imagination. Thriving culture and affordability of Bangkok make it the city of choice for millions of visitors to Asia every year. The fascinating city is the finest destination to gain a true insight into the mysterious east and the friendly vivacious people of Thailand.

Cultural Practices
Blending Thai beauty and modern western culture, Thai cultural aspects and etiquette are quietly intricate for people outside. Even though Thai lifestyle is simple and peaceful, there are some suggestions the foreigners should be aware of.

• Buddhism is the religion of major Thai population. Its influences are expressed on Thai architectures, arts, music and culture. Temples, shrines and all Buddha images are entitled to respect. When entering the temple, always dress politely and take off your shoes.
  
  
• The head of state and the royal family play an important role of Thai community. Therefore, you should avoid discussing about them in a manner that might be interpreted as demeaning or condescending.
  
  

• A pat on Thai people's heads, especially to elders, is extremely prohibited. For Thai culture, the head is claimed to be the highest and most respected part of the body. On the contrary, a pat on the head of small children is a display of kindness for Thai people.
  
  

• Sitting with your feet pointed to others is very impolite and a show of gross disrespect. Using your feet to point or touch an object is forbidden as well.
  
  
• "Wai" is the most common way of greeting for Thai people. You can easily do it by placing your hands together, palms touching and held close to the body between the face and the chest. The Wai is often accompanied by a slight bow or touching of the palm.
  
  

• Dress in Thailand is another thing for concern. Because of the hot humid weather here, feel free to dress in clothes made from lightweight natural fiber for better air ventilation. Donning synthetic clothes will make you feel tight and hot. For business people, you can not go wrong with a business suite no matter what the temperature is. For tourists, T-shirts are acceptable, as well as shorts and sandals except when entering Buddhist temple or royal palace. You must pay respect to those by dressing more politely, a shirt, long pants or skirt, and shoes. Women should dress politely and be entirely covered.
  
  

• Monks are not allowed to be touched by women, or even sitting next to them. It is a restrictive rule for monks in Thailand, therefore, ladies should be aware of it.
  

Food & Beverage
Thailand is a heaven of gourmets. Besides the celebrity of delicious Thai cuisine, there are several other kinds of food - Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, American and European restaurants dispersed throughout many areas in Bangkok and they are very inexpensive. On some sidewalks, you can see many food carts with varied appetizing foods and desserts. Please be careful of the sanitary conditions before buying anything on the pavement.

In Thailand, a bowl of noodles or rice in the food courts at the department store costs around 25 - 50 baht, about 40 - 80 baht in Thai food shops and may cost 100 - 200 baht in Thai restaurants and up to 200 - 500 in Hotel restaurant. Soft drinks are 8 baht a bottle and 12 baht a can but might be more expensive in some restaurants or pubs and discotheques.

In general, Chivas Regal and Johnie Walker (Black Label) are priced around 800-850 baht for a 1-liter bottle. Spey Royal and Hundred Pipers are 250 - 300 baht a bottle. In many pubs or restaurants, however, they will be more expensive and if you buy them from a shop outside, you will be charged about 400 - 600 baht for a bottle.

On the average, Marlboro and Winston cigarettes are around 55 baht a pack while Thai cigarettes are 30 - 40 baht a case. All the same, they will be more pricey in some pubs and restaurants.

Others
If you are looking for a salon, you can see many of them in several department stores or shopping areas such as Siam Square. The cost for having a haircut varies from 150 to 350 baht, depending on how popular the shop is and where it is located. The most expensive may be at Siam Square zone and Silom.

The cinema in Thailand is very luxurious and not that expensive. Major Cineplex and SF Cinema City is recommended for best quality. Cinema tickets cost 100 - 300 baht, depending on the type of seat.

Bangkok Post and The Nation are the most popular English newspapers, and are 20 baht each.