Thailand is the perfect tourist destination for nature lovers, shopping lovers and for the followers of Buddhism. Thailand is all these teemed together and much more. Situated in the heart of South East Asia, Thailand has some of the best Buddhist temples, which offer peace, serenity and tranquility.

The Grand Palace and the Emerald Buddha

The temples and monasteries of Thailand date back to a few hundred years. The Emerald Buddha Temple is one of the most sacred sites in Thailand and requires visitors to be properly dressed before they can enter the holy place. The Jade statue of the Lord, which is elevated off the ground is a visual treat for visitiors. This temple occupies just one corner of the court of the grand Palace.

Magnificent Bangkok

You must be out of your mind, if you visit Thailand and leave without visiting Bangkok. The capital of Thailand has everything that a tourist can dream of. Shopping plazas, Temples, Museums, Hotels offering exquisite Thai food, Islands, Beaches, Tall high-rises and a sprawling nightlife, Bangkok has it all. Be it the largest building in the world to be made of Teak wood, in Vinmanmek Teak Mansion, or the 46 meter long statue of reclining Buddha in the Wat Pho temple, you will never ceased to be stunned by the beauty of Thailand.

Shopping enthusiasts can head off to Siam Square, which is one of the most popular shopper’s destinations in Thailand. Ma Boon Krong and Siam Center are two of the biggest shopping centers here. You can spend an entire day here and yet comeback unsatisfied. There are so many restaurants, theatres and shops to keep you busy. Thailand also has cheap roadside shopping opportunities for tourists who do not wish to blow away much money on shopping.

For Nature Lovers

Nature lovers can head straight to the Ko Chang national park that has many activities. Apart from the wildlife, tourists can also pursue diving, snorkeling or elephant riding over here. The place usually overflows with tourists all the time. Beach lovers can head off to Pataya, which is a pretty serene beach. It is located just 150 kms away from Bangkok.

Go discover Thailand!!

Thailand is the land of smiles
You will no doubt have heard this said of Thailand and it is by and large true, I say this with tongue in cheek because the Thais are a genuinely friendly people but you
have to bear in mind their circumstances.
Whilst they are a hard working race they get no help from their government. If they have not got, or cannot find work, then they do not eat.
It follows therefore that if they get their hands on a foreign traveller with money they are gonna smile and make sure they do everything possible to keep them happy,
while at the same time helping themselves to some of that money.
Most of my time is spent in northern Thailand, which is considered to be the cultural region.
Should you be going to travel in Thailand please enjoy all it has to offer and believe me that is an awful amount but temper it with consideration for the local population
The King is the most respected individual in the kingdom and is loved by his subjects. Make derogatory remarks about any member of the royal family at your peril.
The second most important institution is the Monkhood of the Buddhist faith, 90%+ of the population follows Buddhism.
Full of beautiful and ancient temples lavished with much adornment by the community it serves. There are more than 7000 Buddhist temples in Thailand.
The wealth of the church in Thailand is probably greater than the monarchy. Every Thai individual will make “merit” by giving to the church at any opportunity. The
theory being that they will get it back in the next world.
The Thais are devout Buddhists in the main with Muslims making up 10% of the population mainly in the Deep South and Christians and other religions making up the
remainder.
It must be born in mind that Thai style Buddhism is a mish mash of true Buddhism and paganism, which has filtered down from the days of the Lanna kingdom.
Most Thais have their own spirit house in the garden for the spirits of the ancestors to reside in and offerings will be made to keep the spirits happy.
The temple is the hub of village and community life. Local government whilst centred in the Ampher House (town hall) gets its message across in the local temple. This is
the same when election time comes around, it all centres on the temple.
Every family expects their sons to join the monkhood in their teens and consider it a great honour for the family. Great ceremony is placed on the son joining the church
followed inevitably by a great party to which everyone is invited. The Thai way is to have a party for any reason however slight and I for one can see no problem with
that.
Weddings are another great opportunity for a party. The day starts with members of the family going to the temple and collecting the community owned tables and chairs
in their trucks and setting them up in the grounds of the brides family home.         
The previous evening the fatted pig would have been killed and cut into mouth sized portions and cooked in the largest Wok you have ever seen some five feet in
diameter. It is monitored throughout the night to ensure it gets stirred occasionally, in between the rounds of rice whisky drinking.
The night before is rather like a disco with a group on stage and everybody dancing. The men dance together and not with the ladies. It is most disconcerting to have a
Thai male come up to you and ask you to dance. I find it very difficult to say no without causing offence and so I end up dancing with them. They seem to be happy and
the ladies accept it.
Ask anyone who has visited Thailand if they would return and I know they will say YES! emphatically