Thailand as a holiday destination

Thailand is a Southeast Asian, predominantly Buddhist kingdom almost equidistant between India and China. For centuries known by outsiders as Siam, Thailand has been something of a Southeast Asian migratory, cultural and religious cross-roads. With an area of some 510,000 square kilometers and a population of some 57 million, Thailand is approximately the same size as France.

Bangkok is Thailand's capitol and major gateway. Most visitors arrive through Suvarnabhumi International Airport which is connected by daily flights to Europe, North America, Asia and Australia aboard the world's major airlines. Further international flights, mostly from Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Hong Kong, land on a less regular basis at the southern airports of Phuket and Hat Yai and Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. Charter flights from Europe and the Orient sometimes land in Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Hat Yai and at U-Taphao for Pattaya.

Thailand enjoys a tropical climate with 3 distinct seasons – summer from March through May, rainy with plenty of sunshine from June to September and cool from October through February. The average annual temperature is 28°C (83°F), ranging, in Bangkok, for example, from 30°C in April to 25°C in December.

In addition to Bangkok, the most popular tourist destination within Thailand are Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in the north of the country, Hua Hin and Pattaya just outside of Bangkok and of course the many islands in the south, particularly Phuket and Koh Samui.