Officially known as the Kingdom of Thailand, this South Asian destination has a lot to offer adventure seekers, culinary travelers, and culture buffs. Known globally for its delicious Thai cuisine, friendly native people, affordable prices. Its landscape includes tropical islands, exotic wildlife, and ancient temples featuring ornately detailed Buddha statues. Thailand means “Land of the Free” and is the only country in Southeast Asia to have never been colonized. In addition to Thailand’s kind people and unique history, it also offers a broad range of rare and beautiful animals. About a tenth of all of the animal species on the planet call Thailand home, and a tenth of all bird species. To put that into perspective, Thailand has more birds than Europe and America combined. There are also more than 5,000 elephants found there, though more than 50% are domesticated. Over a hundred years ago there were about 100,000 elephants with about one fifth of them wild. Today Thailand, like nearly every corner of the world, is feeling the effects of mass population, climate change, and other factors that prove it is better to go visit sooner than later!

10 Uniquely Thailand Facts

1. In Thailand the head is considered sacred, and the feet unclean.Thai culture forbids touching anyone on the head (even a child). Should you meet someone who is older or more important than you, it is best to lower your head in deference to show proper respect.
2. There are 40,717 Buddhist temples, and 34,000 of them are still in use today. To visit one you must cover your legs with a sarong and your
3. You’re lucky that you know Bangkok as “Bangkok.” Its real name is one of the longest names of a place in the world, made up of Pali and Sanskrit root words:  Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit. What does that name mean? It means “City of Angels, Great City of Immortals, Magnificent City of the Nine Gems, Seat of the King, City of Royal Palaces, Home of Gods Incarnate, Erected by Visvakarman at Indra’s Behest.
4. ”His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the United States. He is the grandson of King Chulalongkorn or Rama V. The King is highly educated, with an engineering degree from Switzerland. His grandfather was credited with bringing modernism to Thailand.
5. Thailand is home to the world’s largest gold Buddha, the largest crocodile farm, the largest restaurant, the longest single-span suspension bridge, and the world’s tallest hotel.
6. The national flower of Thailand is the orchid. If you love exotic flowers, you’ll be pleased to know that 1,500 orchid species can be found growing wild in Thai forest. There’s a reason why it is one of the world’s largest orchid exporters.
7. That street you’re driving on? In the past, it might have actually been water. Bangkok used to be referred to as the “Venice of the East” due to the number of buildings that were built on stilts above the river. Gradually, most of the canals were filled in and became the streets you see today.
8. It is common for Thai people to greet you by asking “Have you eaten yet?” instead of asking “How are you?”.
9. Thailand used to be known as Siam, and it is the country where Siamese cats originated from. Though there used to be 23 types of Siamese cats originally, there are now only six. Giving a pair of Siamese cats to a bride on her wedding day is considered good luck.
10. The demand for edible insects is so great in Thailand that they have to import over 800 tons per year from Cambodia, Myanmar, China, and Laos.

Thailand Markets

Thailand can be described as the street market capital of the world. Every market throughout the country features an amazing selection of local street snacks and meals, unique hand-crafted items, cheerful vendors and, of course, a wide array of fake designer goods. However, a few offer you a very unique experience while you shop. The Maeklong Railway Market tightly sandwiches railroad tracks that are still in use several times a day. As the train comes thru the market quickly transforms. The Floating Markets (there are many to choose from!) is a Thailand staple experience. You can take a boat through the market and browse all the goods being sold from boats all along the way. Lastly, the Chatuchak Weekend Market has 15,000 vendors and often up to 200,000 visitors a day. There you can watch tea masters do their magic, and even eat street made popsicles frozen in big metal barrels right before your eyes.

Night market shopping also offers the unequalled opportunity to witness local life and find one-of-a-kind souvenirs without wasting a beach day or sweltering under the midday sun, and it is justifiably listed as one of the must-try experiences in the Land of Smiles. Most of the best night markets in Thailand offer something different, whether it’s a special kind of goods, exceptionally low prices, special cultural shows or amazing food. To name only a few;
JJ Green Night Market, located just down the road from the famous Chatuchak Weekend Market, has a much more relaxed, bohemian vibe. The Fisherman’s Village Walking Street is probably the most popular weekly night market. Located in the delightful old part of Bophut, a charming backdrop to a lively market, with food vendors, dancers, artists and, naturally, an impressive variety of goods on sale at excellent prices. The Phuket Weekend Market, known locally as the Naka Market, is the largest night market on the island and contains a massive selection of goods, from second-hand goods, curios, pirated items and a hefty amount of great local foods. Generally speaking, it’s easier to list what isn’t on sale here than what is!