About Thailand

Located on the Southeast Asian peninsula, Thailand has a massive coastline, in addition to its nearly 1,000 small islands. Thailand is bordered by Myanmar to the north and west, Laos and Cambodia to the east, Malaysia and the Gulf of Thailand to the south, and the Andaman Sea to the west in the southern reaches of the country. Maritime borders are also shared with Vietnam, Indonesia, and India.

Thailand has one of the largest Buddhist populations in the world, behind only China. Buddhist temples (known as “wats”) are spread throughout the country, numbering at over 40,000. These temples show off unique aspects of Thai architecture that carry cultural heritage going back centuries.

While Thai is the sole official language of Thailand, there are a number of different linguistic groups represented across the country, with sixty-two languages recognized by the government. The official language is used for all educational and official purposes, and it is written in Thai script, consisting of an alphabet of 44 consonant symbols and 16 vowel symbols. 

Chiang Mai is situated in the north of Thailand and is the second-largest city by population, home to nearly 1.2 million people. Far from the capital of Bangkok, Chiang Mai is located in the Thai highlands of the north. This mountainous region has historically been home to a number of important trading routes in the region. Chiang Mai was founded in the late 1200s and is situated on the Ping River.

Home to many museums and over 100 temples within the city district alone, Chiang Mai offers a rich cultural heritage that includes major festivals throughout the year. National parks nearby offer beautiful natural landscapes as well. Characteristic of a tropical savanna climate, summers in Chiang Mai bring hot and humid weather, and warm weather generally persists throughout the fall.