If you are planning to take a holiday in the Land of Smiles, be prepared for an amazing experience, as you arrive in a colourful culture that is very different from anything you have ever known. Known as the land of plenty, Thailand has much to offer the tourist and with that in mind, here are a few surprising things that you probably didn’t know about Thailand.
- Thailand has never been colonised – That’s right, you heard it here first, the Royal Kingdom of Thailand has never been colonised by a western power. In former times, the British and French were in Southeast Asia and if it wasn’t for the skilful diplomacy of King Rama V, his kingdom would surely have fallen to the superior armies of the western nations. The king gave the French lands in the north and the British lands in the south, while Siam remained independent.
- Phuket is the jewel in the south – OK, we admit this is not exactly a secret; in fact, the province of Phuket is the most visited among tourists of all nationalities – what most don’t know is you can go kayaking at night, a guided tour through spectacular caves with special lighting! Book an all-inclusive hotel in Patong and you can arrange a cave tour via reception. Night fishing is a great adventure; along the jetty you will find Thai boat captains who know all the best night fishing spots, bring some drinks and he will supply the ice.
- Best roads in the world – If you were thinking Thailand is all dirt tracks and narrow streets, we are sorry to disappoint; indeed, they have a fantastic A-road system that runs through the entire country, plus some 8-lane highways for faster inter-province travel. Why not hire an SUV and explore the southern part of the country? If you’re into big bikes, you can experience the country on a powerful bike, which you can rent by the day.
- Vaping is illegal – We might have saved you a fine, as many tour operators forget to inform tourists that vaping is illegal in Thailand. It isn’t that the government thinks vaping is bad, rather they do not yet have a category for taxation, so they made it illegal until such time as they get around to giving the vape pen a classification. If you really must vape, do it somewhere out of the way and don’t bring in the pen and vape liquid, as crazy as it sounds, you can buy these things from street vendors! Click here if you are planning a trip to the Maldives.
- Flash floods – Thailand gets all its rain in one 5-month stint, the monsoon season starts at the end of May and runs through until the end of October (later in the south). A 2-hour downpour can literally flood the streets, as the high volume of water cannot drain fast enough – these floods subside after a few hours and everything dries out – especially in certain parts of Bangkok.
For more info on this unique country, the Tourism Authority of Thailand website is full of details regarding sightseeing.