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Mega Collection Of Thailand Facts

This is just a very long list of facts about Thailand, some useful, and some not so useful facts and Thai trivia. Feel free to add any interesting Thailand related snippets and facts in the comments box at the bottom of the page, I will add it, and eventually we will have the longest list of Thailand facts.

Thailand Facts and Trivia

  1. Commonly known as “The Land Of Smiles”.
  2. The monetary unit (currency) of Thailand is the Baht.
  3. If you leave the house without wearing underwear you are breaking the law.
  4. The first reported case of AIDS in Thailand occurred in 1984.
  5. It is estimated there are 5 cockroaches per every house in Thailand.
  6. There are 5 million migrant workers live in Thailand.
  7. Thailand is home to the worlds smallest mammal, the Bumblebee Bat.
  8. Barbers are usually closed on Wednesday, it is considered unlucky to have your hair cut on Wednesday.
  9. Bangkok is the hottest city in the world, based on average temperature throughout the year.
  10. In Thailand, more men are victims of Penis dismemberment by scorned wife’s and girlfriends than any other country in the world, the act is known as the ‘Bangkok Haircut’.
  11. The ‘Bangkok Haircut’ has called for an unusually high demand for penis re-attachment surgery, a skill at which Thailand’s surgeons are the world leaders.
  12. In 2012 a record number of tourists (22.3 million) visited the country,
  13. Public shows of affection and kissing in public are usually not advised in Thailand.
  14. Garuda (of Hindu origin) is the national emblem of Thailand.
  15. Prostitution is illegal in Thailand.
  16. Social studies estimate that there are between 300,000 – 500,000 sex workers (prostitutes) in Thailand, some researchers have estimated the numbers to be as high as 2,000,000.
  17. In 1983 monsoons killed an estimated 10,000 people in Thailand.
  18. The term “Siamese Twins” originated in Thailand in 1811 when two bothers Chang and Eng were born joined together a the chest.
  19. Thailand’s infant mortality rate is 16 deaths/1,000 live births
  20. Thailand is the world’s largest producer of tin.
  21. King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) had more than 100 children.
  22. Insects are eaten as a delicacy in Thailand.
  23. Thailand’s national flower is the orchid
  24. Mauy Thai is the national sport.
  25. They drive on the left side of the road (most of the time).
  26. Rajamangala Atinal Stadium is Thailand’s largest sports arena, it has a crowd capacity of 65,000.
  27. The Buddhist calendar used by Thailand is 543 years ahead of the western Gregorian calendar.
  28. Thailand is the world’s largest producer of rubber.
  29. Unlike westerners, Thais don’t shake hands when they greet each other, instead they raise their hands in front of their face, palms together, this gesture is known as a wai.
  30. The average Thai person eats over 100 kilograms of rice per year.
  31. Many establishments in Thailand are now providing separate toilets for “The Third Gender” (kathoeys).
  32. There are an estimated 150,000 – 200,000 kathoeys (lady-boys) in Thailand.
  33. Phu-ying praphet thi sorng song (kathoey) means “a second kind of woman.”
  34. The first all kathoey music group ‘Venus Flytrap’ was formed in 2006.
  35. Thailand exports more rice than any other country.
  36. The Thai alphabet has 32 vowels and 44 consonants.
  37. In 1998 the Thai Baht reached an all time low of 56 baht to 1 U.S dollar.
  38. Thai man Hoo Sateow grew his hair to a world record length of 16′ 11″ (sixteen feet, eleven inches).
  39. Bangkok’s famous Chatuchak Market is the largest “open air market” in the world.
  40. King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) is an Olympic standard yachtsman, accomplished saxophonist, and highly proficient photographer.
  41. Wild elephants can still be seen in Thailand, though their numbers are depleting rapidly.

Thailand Geographical Facts

  1. Thailand is Located 15 degrees north of the equator
  2. Thailand covers an area of 514,000 square kilometers (198,000 square miles).
  3. Thailand shares boundaries, is bordered by the following countries, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia.
  4. The coastline of Thailand boasts some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, the coastline covers the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea, and totals 3,219 kilometers in length.
  5. Doi Intanon is 2,565 meters (8,415 feet)above sea level, making it the highest point in Thailand.
  6. The capital city of Thailand is Bangkok, it has been the capital since 1782.
  7. Bangkok is commonly referred to by Thais as Krung Thep, meaning “City of Angels”.
  8. The largest island in Thailand is Phuket, situated in the Andaman Sea, the second largest is Koh Chang in the Gulf of Thailand.
  9. Thailand Standard time is GMT +7. Thailand does not observe daylight savings.
  10. Thailand is the world’s 51st largest country.
  11. Thailand has a total of 76 provinces, these are further divided into districts and sub districts.

Distance to Thailand from

  • Madrid: 6322.51 m. / 10174.82 km
  • Paris: 5865.21 m. / 9438.89 km
  • Berlin, 5343.29 m. / 8598.95 km
  • Stockholm; 5135 m. / 8263.76 km
  • London: 5919.32 m. / 9525.96 km
  • Moscow: 4387.52 m. / 7060.83 km
  • New York: 8651.33 m. / 13922.59 km
  • Sydney: 4679.57 m. / 7530.84 km
  • Tokyo: 2860.65 m. / 4603.65 km
  • Beijing: 2294.22 m. / 3692.08 km
  • Hong Kong: 1071.22 m. / 1723.91 km
  • New Delhi: 1811.73 2915.63 km
  • Dubai, UAE: 3034.04 m. / 4882.68 km
  • Rome: 4882.68 m. / 8825.12 km
  • Los Angeles: USA 8260.17 m. / 13293.1 km
  • Vancouver: Canada 7331.48 m. / 11798.55 km

Thailand Political Facts

  1. Thailand has been a constitutional monarchy since 1932, formerly it was an absolute monarchy, (ruled by a king).
  2. Yingluck Shinawatra is the first female prime minister of Thailand, the sister of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra assumed power in August 2011.
  3. The government of Thaksin Shinawatra was the first to win re-election.
  4. Since Thailand became a constitutional monarchy in 1932 there have been 18 coups, not all of them succeeded.
  5. The King of Thailand is also the Head of State.

Thai Historical facts

  1. The oldest written reference to the Siamese was found in the Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia, dating back to the 12th century A.D, an inscription refers to them as Syam, the word is thought to have derived from the Hindi word “Shyam” meaning “brown people”.
  2. The nation of Siam was renamed “Thailand” in 1939, the name was briefly reverted back to Siam between 1945 and 1949. The meaning is most commonly thought to be “Land of The Free”, but some say that “Land of The Thai” is a more appropriate definition.
  3. Thailand is the only nation in Southeast Asia to avoid colonization by western or European powers.
  4. Thailand ceased ro be an “absolute monarchy” in 1932, after a bloodless revolution by a movement which called themselves Khana Ratsadon.
  5. Surnames have only been used in Thailand since 1909.
  6. Polygamy was outlawed in Thailand in 1934, it was one of the Kings last official acts.
  7. The first Thai newspaper, the “Bangkok Recorder” was published in 1844 by missionary Dan Bradley.
  8. The telephone was first introduced to Thailand in 1881.
  9. The first automobile (motor car) in Thailand was imported in 1904, it was a left hand drive Mercedes Benz ordered by Prince Ratchaburi Direkrit during a visit to Paris.
  10. The first capital of Thailand was Sukhothai.
  11. The earliest known evidence of human habitation in what is now Thailand dates back more than 40,000 years.
  12. The earliest examples of Thai pottery were found in Ban Chiang, Northeast Thailand, they are dated back to 2100 B.C.
  13. In 1942 Thailand declared war on Great Britain and the United States.
  14. Thailand has existed as a nation since 1238.
  15. Slavery was abolished in 1905.
  16. Between 1984, (when AIDS was first reported in Thailand) and 2008 there has been 1,115,415 reported cases of HIV/AIDS.

Religious and Spiritual Thailand Facts

  • Thailand has the largest percentage of Buddhists in the world.
  • Over 95 percent of Thais are Buddhist.
  • The vast majority of dwellings, hotels, commercial buildings, banks, factories and sports arenas have a Spirit House positioned in the garden or in close proximity to the building.
  • Thais really do believe in ghosts, Animism (spirit worship) is practiced by the majority of people in Thailand.
  • Most Thai men spend a period of their life as a Buddhist Monk.
  • Despite being Buddhist the Thais openly worship Hindu deities and participate in Animist practices, a rather unique harmony exists which you might call ‘spiritual fusion’.
  • Most of Thailand’s provincial capitals have a ‘Lahk Mueang‘ (City Pillar) shrine which is the home to the cities Guardian Spirit.

Thailand’s Crazy World Record Facts

  • Thai couples annually break the record for the ‘worlds longest kiss‘, the Guinness Book of World Records event is hosted by Ripleys and staged in Pattaya every year.
  • In 1999 the largest Tom Yam Kung (spicy shrimp soup) was made, over 1000 gallons was made and duly devoured by local dignitaries in Pattaya.
  • In 1997, staff at Bangkok’s Mercure hotel made the worlds largest Christmas log cake, the massive caked weighed in at 2,300 kg.
  • In 1997, Hoo Sateow from Thailand had his hair measured at a world record length of 16 feet, eleven inches.
  • Two cats were married in Thailand to create the world record for most expensive pet wedding in 1996.
  • In 1999 the world free-fall formation record was set when 282 skydivers linked together for 7.11 seconds in the sky above Ubon Ratchathani in Thailand
  • Beach Road in Pattaya was the stage for the worlds longest catwalk, models strutted their stuff along the 1,594.7 meter catwalk.
  • Yet another world record for Pattaya, 2047 participants took to the sea on Pattaya Beach to prove they were not wet behind the ears when it came to breaking world records, they seta new world record for largest aqua aerobics workout.
  • Thai girl Malee Duangdee stood 6 feet, 10 inches when she held the world record for being the tallest girl.
  • In 2009 Thailand’s Nakorn Nayok province set a world record for the longest parade of automatic motorcycles, 2,474 Yamaha Fino’s formed a parade of over 5 kilometers in length

My own Thailand Trivia

  • Every day you can see the most beautiful woman you have ever seen.
  • It’s damned hot.
  • You can’t get Holland’s pies.
  • There’s no sheep.
  • Service is fantastic.
  • People don’t wear anoraks.
  • There’s no punk rockers in Thailand.
  • There is no grey in the colour spectrum.
  • You don’t need central heating.
  • You don’t have to go to the bar for a drink.
  • You can rent a room for less than 100 dollars per month.
  • 20 people can eat out for less than forty British Pounds.
  • A taxi ride to the airport won’t cost you a days wage.
  • You don’t have to wait a year to get treated in hospital.
  • Walkers salt & vinegar crisps are a delicacy.
  • There’s no coal fires.
  • Only hotels have wall to wall carpet.
  • Thais are football crazy.
  • Man United are the favourite football team in Thailand.
  • Everybody loves Mr Bean.
  • Whistles start to annoy you more than any other noise you ever heard.
  • Thais love karaoke.
  • I hate karaoke.
  • Thais are extremely patriotic.