|
Thailand is often dubbed' the most exotic
country in Asia', and with good reason. It offers a distinct culture
with a rich and varied heritage, and it possesses a remarkable range
of scenic beauty. Yet it is the Thais themselves, with their uncanny
ability to blend a respect for the past with a delight in the
modern, that makes the country truly intriguing.
Whenever the nation airline ads a new aircraft
to its fleet, senior Buddhist monk. Similarly every new office
building is inaugurated with propitious rites. In this strange,
paradoxical blend of age-old tradition and modern dynamism lies the
very essence of Thailand, the uniqueness that sets it apart.
This exotic land located almost equidistant
between India and China, is a tropical country of 514,00 square
kilometers (198,400 square miles) - about the same size as France.
It is bordered by Burma to the west, Laos to the north, Kampuchea to
the east and Malaysia to the south. Distances range from 1,650
kilometers (1,025 miles) north to south and, at the broadest point,
800 kilometers (1,550 miles) of coastline.
The population of 52.8 million (1986 estimate)
is now growing at less than two percent, down from more than three
percent in the 1960s, following a successful nationwide
family-planning campaign. Ethnic Thais form a majority, through the
area has historically been a migratory crossroads. Thus strains of
Mon, Khmer, Burmese, Lao, Malay, Indian and, most strongly, Chinese
stock produce a degree of ethnic diversity. Integration is such,
however, that culturally and socially there is enormous unity.
Thailand's focal point is the capital, Bangkok.
As the centre of all major political, administrative, commercial,
industrial and financial activity it is a modern, sprawling
metropolis, its skyline pierced by the thrusting tower blocks of
offices, condominiums, luxury hotels and tinselled department
stores.
Yet this Western-inspired appearance is largely
a façade, and Bangkok does preserve a remarkable amount of its
cultural heritage. The soaring roofs and gilded spires of the Grand
Palace and the city's many historic temples present a picture of
almost fairytale medieval Oriental splendour. And contained within
Bangkok's monuments and sights are treasures of the nation's art and
cultural endeavor that typify the land the people. More than
anywhere else in the country, Bangkok expresses that essential
paradox of adherence to tradition and vibrant involvement with
modern development. The successful balancing of tradition and
modernity is itself an indication of a national trait.
There is a cohesiveness through continuity,
which indelibly stamps the national and which imparts a
quintessential 'Thainess' to its. The word Thai means 'free' and the
nation is the 'land of the free'. This sounds suspiciously trite,
and yet the freedom which has permitted historical consistency and
the retention of underpinning character traits both defines the
country and sustains a pleasing individuality.
Thailand's history as a sovereign state goes
back 750 years to the founding of the first capital, Sukhothai, in
the early 13th century. This initial power base enjoyed total
autonomy for little more than 100 years, but in that time national
patterns were forged. The roots of today's political, religious,
social and cultural systems can all, to a greater or lesser degree,
be traced back to this period.
The second capital, Ayutthaya, founded in
1350, rapidly eclipsed Sukhothai and was the heart of the nation
until it was sacked and razed by the Burmese in 1767. Defeat was
literally catastrophic but, in a remarkable display of resilience,
the Thais quickly reorganized themselves under King Taksin and soon
expelled the invaders.
Taksin has set up a new capital on the west
bank of the Chao Phaya River. It was his successor, King Rama I,
founder of the present Chakri dynasty, who established Bangkok as
his power base, on the east side of the Chao Phya River about 85
kilometers (53 miles) downstream from Ayutthaya. Bangkok, known to
the Thais as Krung Thep (City of Angels), soon rivalled Ayutthaya
in beauty.
Aside from the inevitable vagaries of
historical fortune, the development of Thailand - or Siam as it was
called until 1939 - shows great continuity. The Thai way has
evolved through centuries of steadfastness had and independence in
body and spirit. This has given rise to an unflagging respect for
tradition. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the two most vital
cohesive forces that are continuous threads running through the
national fabric - Buddhism and monarchy.
Theravada Buddhism was adopted as the national
religion during the Sukhothai period and today 94 percent of the
population professes and practices the faith. The continuing
influence of Buddhism, even in cosmopolitan Bangkok, can bee seen
in the early morning when files of saffron-robbed monks go out into
the streets to receive food alms from the lay community. This dawn
scene has been the same for hundreds of years.
It is still normal practice for young Thai men
to enter the monkhood once in their lives, if only for the usual
brief spell of three months. Throughout the country there are an
estimated 27,000 Buddhist wats (temple-cum-monastery) and at any
one time these support roughly 250,000 monks. Far from being a
burden to society, this large religious community plays an integral
role in the lives of Thais as they engage in the accumulation of
merit. The more merit a person gains the closer he or she comes to
ultimate release from the cycle of death and rebirth. Giving alms
to monks as well as having a son ordained are important ways of
gathering merit.
The monarchy also has been a profound
influence on the nation since its earliest days. The kings always
have directed the country with a firm, but benign, hand. Once known
as "lords of Life', the kings formerly held absolute power,
assumed a semi-divine aura, and enjoyed the highest esteem of their
subjects.
Today, following the bloodless revolution of
1932, Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. Curtailment of
political power has, however, in no way reduced the king'' role to
that of a mere figurehead, nor diminished the people's respect.
The present monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej,
Rama IV, is a man of considerable personal accomplishment as an
artist, musician, photographer and yachtsman. He ascended the
throne in 1946 at the age of 19 and has subsequently maintained a
high and positive profile by taking a hand in initiating and
promoting numerous development projects, especially those directed
at agricultural improvement. In July 1988 he became the longest
reigning monarch in Thai history.
Nearly every home, office, ship and public
building throughout the country displays portraits of King Bhumibol
and Queen Sirikit, such is the reverence of the Thais for the
monarchy and such is its stability and continuity as an
institution.
Outside of Bangkok, Thailand still presents a
largely rural scene and agriculture, in one form or another, which
provides a livelihood for about two-thirds of the population.
Although a mainly agrarian society, the country is a dynamic modern
economy. In 1985, manufacturing overtook agriculture to account for
the largest share of gross national product and today, following an
export drive, the world buys not only most of its rice, tapioca and
tinned pineapples from Thailand, but also is consuming increasing
amounts of the country's shoes, garments, textiles, jewelry, and
other manufactured items.
In an economy that has sustained enviable
growth over recent years, nothing quite rivals the success of the
tourism industry. After a massive promotional campaign in 1987, the
country now welcomes 3.5 million visitors a year.
Topographically the country is divided into
four distinct areas, each with an individual charm and interest.
Stretching north of Bangkok are the Central Plains, a patchwork of
emerald green paddies watered by the Chao Phya River, Thailand's
Nile. By contrast, the far north is an area of teak forests and
jungle-clad mountains, distant and diminutive offshoots of the
Himalayas. Here are Doi Inthanon, at 2,565 metres (8,240 feet) the
country' s highest peak, also a host of small historic towns,
forestry work in which elephants are still employed as skilled
labour, and the undisturbed villages of colourful hilltribes,
people of separate ethnic origin who maintain independent lifestyle
little affected by the 20th century.
Different again is the northeast, or I-san in
Thai. This is a semi-arid plateau where traditional agricultural
communities follow the unchanging annual cycle of farming seasons,
punctuated only by many time-honoured festivals. To the south lies
the narrow Kra peninsula where the landscape is typified by hilly
rain forest and rubber plantations. The coastline, looking out on
to the waters of the Andaman Sea on the west and to the Gulf of
Thailand on the east, harbours some of Asia's finest beaches and
idyllic offshore islands. Most spectacular among the latter are
Phuket on the west coast and Samui Island in the Gulf, both
offering the beauty of tropical island scenery.
Within Thailand's different landscapes are
varied flora and fauna, and much can be appreciated at the several
national parks, such as Khao Vai northeast of Bangkok, and others
scattered around the country. The forests are dwindling, though
lush vegetation still abounds including many types of trees, shrubs
and flowers, of which nearly one thousand varieties of orchids are
particularly notable. Elephants, tigers, leopards, snakes, monkeys,
deer and hundreds of species of birds and butterflies are
indigenous to the country.
Despite the beauty of nature, it is Bangkok
with its Buddhist temples, unique in form and magnificent in
architecture, that is the starting point for most visits. The
fabulously ornate yet strangely serene Wat Phra Keo, Temple of the
Emerald Buddha, in the compound of the Grand Palace; the imposing
prang (spire) of Wat Arun, Temple of Dawn, on the banks of the Chao
Phya; the extensive compound the giant statue of the reclining
Buddha at Wat Po, Bangkok's largest and oldest wat - these are just
three of the most famous of Bangkok's roughly 400 temples.
Elsewhere in Bangkok cultural achievements
also can be seen at the National Museum, one of the best in Asia,
and at the private museums of Suan Pakkard Palace and Jim
Thompson's house. In both of the latter the hoses are as
fascinating as the art objects they contain.
Bangkok's environs also are interesting. Up
the Chao Phya River there are the ancient ruins of Ayutthaya. To
the west lies the world's tallest Buddhist monument, Phra Pathom
Chedi, at Nakhom Pathom, and also the infamous Bridge over the
River Kwai in Kanchanaburi, built by Allied prisoners of war during
World War ii.
To the south, for those in search of
hedonistic delights, are Phuket and Samui islands, representing the
most spectacular and most pristine of Thailand's tropical resorts.
An alternative which augments the delights of the beach with
on-shore recreation and entertainment is Pattaya resort, only a
couple of hours' drive from Bangkok.
Pattaya is unique. It is a beach resort with
city status; it is brash, bawdy, colourful and alive with activity.
It has a beach which provided as full selection of watersports, but
it also offers a profusion of open-air bars, discos, restaurants
and other entertainment facilities that produce a nightlife
rivalling Bangkok. Bangkok's Pattaya is not to everyone's liking,
but it needs to be seen to be believed.
This international playground is on the east
coast of the Gulf of Thailand. On the west side, about a three-hour
drive from Bangkok, are the more sedate beach resorts of Cha-am and
Hua Hin.
Throughout its history, the land now defined
by the borders of Thailand has witnessed the passage of a number of
civilizations which have been adopted and adapted to varying
degrees by the Thais as they forged their sovereign state. Evidence
of this cultural evolution abounds, from the pre-Thai period and
the various epochs of Thai history. Archaeological finds at the
northeastern villages of Ban Chiang have yielded evidence of a
civilization dating back more than 5,000 years. This pre-dates
China and Mesopotamia as the earliest known origins of an agrarian,
bronze-making community.
Northeast Thailand also presents some
remarkable examples of Khmer architecture, notably at Phimai and
Phnom Rung. Dating mostly from the 12th century, these monuments
are evidence of the extent of the Khmer empire. Since Angkir the
central of that empire, is not readily accessible to the ordinary
traveller in present-day Kampuchea, the ruins at Phimai and Phnom
Rung are the finest examples of Khmer religious architecture that
can be seen easily today.
On the northern edge of the Central Plains
there is, in addition to Ayutthaya, the site of the first capital
at Sukhothai. The extensive ruins here have been groomed as an
attractive historical park. About 70 kilometers (42 miles) north of
Sukhothai are the smaller, but equally fascinating, ruins of Si
Satchanalai, a sister city to the first Thai capital.
The major cultural centre outside Bangkok is
Chiang Mai, Thailand's second largest city and capital of the
North. Chiang Mai was founded in the late 13th century as the
capital of Lanna, a Thai kingdom contemporary with, but independent
of Sukhothai. The whole of the North largely was autonomous until
the early 20th century and hence displays considerable variation in
its art and architecture. The several temples of Chiang Mai, for
example, are not only far older than those of Bangkok, they also
are vastly different in style and decorative detail.
Today, Chiang Mai extends well beyond the
ancient city gates and moat (both of which still can be seen).
Besides the fine art, architecture and sculpture of the temples in
town and nearby, there is a thriving cottage industry turning out a
wide range of traditional handicrafts. Silverware, woodcarving,
lacquerware, celadon pottery, and hand-painted umbrellas are
produced according to traditional techniques. From Chiang Mai the
historic towns Chiang Rai and Chiang Saen, both of which predate
the founding of Chiang Mai, can be explored. There are also sleepy
little settlement, such as Mae Hong Son, hilltribe villages and
elephant training camps all hidden away in the timeless folds of
the hills.
Scenery and culture are no the sum total of
Thailand's attractions. Modern developments especially in Bangkok.
Have their own allure. Nightlife entertainment, much of it
male-oriented, reaches near legendary proportions. There are also
displays of classical Thai dance and music, Thai boxing matches,
dinner cruises on the Chao Phya River, concerts, plays, ballet and
other classical entertainment. Visiting companies and individual
artists of international standing perform in Bangkok from time to
time, while a local symphony orchestra and a community theatre
group perform regularly. A careful study of the 'What's on'
coloumns in the press shows that Bangkok is not a cultural desert.
There is also food. Thais love food and the
national cuisine reflects this passion. Fish and rice are the
staples throughout the land, while markets abound in vegetables and
fruits, herbs and spices, seafood and farm produce, all of which
are imaginatively employed in creative recipes.
Ultimately it is the people who make Thailand
what is. Much is made of Thailand's old soubriquet 'Land of
Smiles', but while the Thais are a gentle, hospitable people and
more likely to look radiant than to scowl, such a title cheapens
the truth with its fairy-tale connotations. There are stresses and
strains in Thailand just as in every dynamic society, though what
marks the Thais as different is their well-development sense of
fun.
This endearing trait, known as sanuk, is
visible in nearly every daily activity from a simple stroll to
eating, drinking or celebrating. Above all it is given full rein in
the numerous festivals that dot the calendar.
Such a delight in the pleasures of life is
contagious and is further encouraged by the Thai's inherent
graciousness and good manners. The well-known sport of Thai
kick-boxing-incidentally the most popular from of spectator sanuk -
is strangely at odds with this national character in its violent
aggression. In daily life the Thais maintain a gentle grace and
elegance, which is particularly valuable in a high-powered and
fast-paced world.
All this fundamentally derives from the calm
and mature desire to integrate traditional modern values.
Essentially it is this that makes the people indelibly Thai and it
is this that gives meaning to that famous musical refrain: 'We are
Siamese if you please, we are Siamese if you don't please.'
|
General Section
