1. Thailand is nearly equal the size of Spain.
2. Until 1939, Thailand was known as Siam.
3. Approximately 35,000 temples can be seen in the whole country.
4. Despite the fame of the old Hollywood movie “The King and I,” it was not shown in theaters in Thailand because the film was considered derogatory to the King.
5. Thailand follows the lese majeste rule, which states that anyone committing disrespectful acts towards the monarchy can be imprisoned for treason.
6. Visiting temples requires modest clothing. Shorts and sleeveless tops are prohibited. Some religious sites do offer cover-ups for tourists.
7. There are 44 consonants, 18 vowels and 4 tonal notations in the Thai alphabet. It originated from the Khmer culture of Cambodia.
8. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. He is the direct grandson of renowned King Chulalongkorn or Rama V, who is credited for bringing modernism to Thailand.
9. Thailand’s national flower is the orchid, which has over 27,000 varieties.
10. The flag carrier Thai Airways always offers orchids to its passengers before they leave the plane.
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