Thailand is one of the most peaceful and stable countries in Southeastern Asia. Thailand – “Land of the Free” – occupies part of the Indochina and Malaka peninsulas. Thailand has a great number of small picturesque islands with beautiful beaches, which are visited by many tourists. In the central part of the country lies the fertile Menam Plain – known as the “Thailand’s rice field” and is the most densely populated place. The climate is hot and humid. The natural vegetation is of the savanna type. Here grow teak and mahogany tree, yang, bamboo, as well as various animals live here – elephants, leopards, tigers, crocodile, more than 50 snake species, etc. The coastal waters are abundant in fish.
Thailand is industrialising fast due to the production of electronics – computers, integrated circuits, television sets, etc.

The service sector is represented mainly by the tourism. Every year the country is visited by 9.5 mln tourists.

The capital of the country is Банкок. It was founded in 1782 by the Thai – a people originating from Southwestern China that emigrated here more than 2000 years ago. It is often called “Eastern Venice” as it is cut through by canals, on which more boats sail than cars drive in the city.

There are various ethnic groups in Thailand but there is rarely any tension between them. This is due to Buddhism, which is professed by 95% of the population.

One of the landmarks is the beautiful Buddhist monastery in Ayutthaya – at one time the capital of the Ayutthaya kingdom. Ayutthaya emerged on part of the present-day territories of Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia in 1350 and was destroyed by the Myanmar people in 1761.