|
Though Yunnan does not have a
direct border connection, there is a close link between Yunnan and Thailand. Anthropologists have
believed that the Thais, the main population in
Thailand, share the same ancestral roots with
the Dais, one of the ethnic groups living primarily in southern
Yunnan. There are many similarities in
their cultures, customs, and religious beliefs. The no-longer
widely used ancient Dai language has a lot of in common with the
Thai language. You still can find the similarities between the
present Dai language and that of the Thai language. The Lancang-Mekong
river runs through seven countries of Southeast Asia, passes both
Yunnan
and Thailand; Yunnan and Thailand are two of the most active
members in the Great Mekong Sub-Region (GMS). Bilateral economic
and trading activities have become more and more frequent.
Official foreign diplomatic relationships, as well as
people-to-people diplomacy at grassroots level, are improving for
the better. Apart from the waterway of the Lancang-Mekong River,
there are frequent airplane flights between the two countries. The
newly opened expressway linking Kunming
and Bangkok added another option in 2008 for
people to travel back and forth.
Due to these convenient transportation options and the
close geological position, Thailand has become one of
Yunnan's top tourist source countries, and vice verse,
Thailand
has long been one of the most chosen travel destinations for
people from Yunnan province.
Because of its exotic subtropical sceneries, its profound Buddhist
cultures, its unique folk customs, and well known for its abundant
tourist attractions, Thailand is one of the most popular tourism
destinations in Southeast Asia
for people from all over the world.
Located in the center of the Indo-China peninsula,
Thailand
borders with Myanmar
in the northwest, Malaysia
in the southwest, Laos
in the northeast and
Cambodia
in the southeast. It is a melting pot of multicultural races. With
Thai as the major population, there are other groups like Chinese,
Burmese, Malay, Indian and
Laos.
The mountain areas are covered by dense vegetations, within which
are a great number of rare flowers and animals. Many of these
areas have been assigned to be nature reserves or forest parks.
Mountains, waterfalls, lakes and wild animals, all these
contribute to the breathtaking landscapes and are beckoning
tourists from everywhere.
The major tourist cities in Thailand are “the City of Angels”
Bangkok, the holy land for Buddhism pilgrimage, Chiang Mai, and
tourism regions are Pattaya, the Oriental Venice, Phuket, the
pearl of Thailand, the golden triangle and the Ayuthaya, the
ancient capital city of the Siam kingdom. The major tourist
attractions are the Grand Palace and Temple of
the Emerald Buddha in
Bangkok
and Wat Prasing of Chiang Mai.
With over 90% of the population following Buddhism, Theravada
Buddhism has been regarded as the national religion of Thailand. Thailand is
known as “A Country with Thousands of Buddha”, and is reputed as a
“Yellow Roped Buddhist Country”. It is a country that has been
influenced by Buddhism culture for almost 2000 years. In this
mysterious land, there are over 30,000 ancient Buddhist temples
and magnificent palaces, all of which have mystical and legendary
stories. The temple architectures are grand and spectacular,
elegant in every detail of the buildings. They are the best
representatives and icons of Thai culture and regarded as the “Museum
of Thai Arts”.
People from all over the world are attracted to experience the
mysterious Buddhism cultures.
Bangkok
Over the years Bangkok, as the
capital city of Thailand, has
undergone dramatic change. It is transforming into a modern,
dynamic and cosmopolitan city. Visitors are presented a city with
modern development as well as the glamour of ancient history. It
is where the ancient meets the modern.
As you travel around
Bangkok, you will notice that temples are
one of the most fascinating themes of the city. There are more
than 400 Buddhist temples, each with its own beauty and
distinction. Different temples with various characteristics earn
the name “City of Angels” for the
capital city of Thailand. Early
morning will be the best time to visit most temples. There are
less crowds and the weather is more comfortable for walking. It is
also an opportunity for you to witness how monks practice their
beliefs, as most of Buddhist ceremonial activities are preformed
in the morning.
Some of the
temples are:
Wat Phra Kaew, also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha,
which enshrines the Emerald Buddha carved from a single block of
jade; Wat Arun in Bangkok, also called the Temple of Dawn, which
is believed to have hosted the victorious King Taksin after a
fight against the Burmese army at the dawn; Wat Pho, also known as
the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, which is the largest Buddhist
temple in Bangkok. It earns its fame for hosting a gigantic
reclining Buddha statue 46 meters long.
Wat
Mahathat, Thailand’s
Buddhism monastery
Vipassana
Meditation
Center, is a place where you can study
Buddhist ideas and participate in meditation. There are English
services available for foreigners. There are also many other
temples like: Wat Traimit (Temple
of Golden Buddha), Wat Sutat (Great Swing), and Wat Saket
(Temple
of the Golden Mount). Stroll around the city and explore the
tranquility and calmness derived from Buddhism.
The
Grand
Palace
in Bangkok
This is definitely one of the must-see sights in
Bangkok, one of the most eye-catching landmarks in
Bangkok. Since its construction in 1782, it
has served as the royal residence for the Thai kings.
Bangkok Museums
Museums are the windows for you to peek into the cultures and
history of a nation. There are many museums in
Bangkok
which serve this purpose. The
Ancient
City is a place where the
country’s historical significant structures are displayed as
smaller replicas. Constructions, including palaces, pavilions,
temples, halls, and Buddha images, are arranged according to their
geographic position. M.R. Kukrit's Home is the museum which was
the residence of
Thailand’s talented Prime
Minister during 1974 an 1975. Bangkok
National
Museum, located just next to the
Grand Palace, hosts the largest collection of art and crafts
in Thailand.
Bangkok Folk Museum
is a folk house turned museum. With classical setting and items,
it presents what the life of a middle class family was like during
the time of World War II. There are many museums for you to
explore at your convenience: Children's Discovery Museum,
Erawan Museum,
Suan Pakkad
Palace,
Corrections
Museum, Forensic Museum,
House of Museums, Kamthieng House, among others.
Riverside scenery
There is a close co-relationship between the history of Bangkok and the rivers running through it.
Rivers like Chao Phraya, which used to be called “Venice of the East”, and many other canals
witness the evolving of the city. Bangkok’s
most classic attractions are located along the river, such as
Grand
Palace, the Temple of Dawn
and Wat Phra Kaew. At the same time, it is also where a number of
the best five- star hotels are located. The riverside is where you
get the sense of people’s real everyday life.
Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is located in northern
Thailand
where the earliest Thai civilization was born and cultivated. It
is the home of many cultural and archaeological interests. It is
also known for its wide spectrums of diverse cultures, among which
the most appealing one is the indigenous ethnic culture.
Formerly serving as the capital to the
Lanna
Thai Kingdom
from the 12th to 18th century, throughout
history it has grown to be the hub of economics, culture, tourism
and communication. It is the second largest city in
Thailand. It is the sister city
of Kunming,
China.
Like in many other parts of
Thailand, there are many Buddhist
temples, or Wats, in this region. Some of the famous ones are: Wat
Phra That Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai's most famous and obvious
landmark; Wat Phra That Doi Kham, one of the oldest sacred
temples, which was originally built in 687 A.D.; Wat Phra That Si
Chom Thong, built in mid 1400s, and has precious collections of
relics of Buddha; Wat Chiang Man, which can be dated from 1296,
originally served as the residence for the founder of Chiang Mai,
King Mengrai; Wat Suan Dok, which was built in the 14th century
for the purpose of serving as the garden for the Lanna Thai
monarch. Its beautiful scenery makes it heaven for photographers.
San Kamphaeng Cotton and Silk Weaving
Village
The village is known for being the production site of most Thai
silk and cotton in Chiang Mai. The woven fabrics are produced
according to a traditional technique on the wooden looms. Products
of different varieties are available for customers to buy. The
village is about 13 KM (8 miles) from town.
Festivals
Being the cradle of Thai cultures, Chiang Mai has preserved many
traditional festivals. It is one of the best places to observe how
these festivals are celebrated.
The important ones are the Flower Festival, on the first Friday
and weekend of every February when flowers blossom in season; the
Songkran, on the 13-15 of April each year, is a festival to mark
the traditional Thai New Year with religious ceremonies; and Loi
Krathong, which falls on the first full-moon night of the twelfth
lunar month (November). During this festival, people float rafts
down the river made from banana plants and decorated with lit
candles, flowers, incense and other things.
Sukhothai
This is a place of history and one of the must-visit sites. Sukhothai Historical
Park, is honored to be a
World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific,
and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). In the history of Thailand, Sukhothai was known as
being the first sovereign Thai kingdom. Later on when the kingdom
reached its apex, King Ramkhamhaeng reformed the old Thai
alphabets in 1283. A new one was introduced and it has been used
ever since.
Sukhothai Historical Park
What people can see now in the
Sukhothai
Historical
Park
was the co-effort preservation of the National Fine Art Department
and UNESCO. It is the site of ruins of royal palaces, various
parts of the old city and Buddhist temples. It is the site of a
fine display of the spirit of Thailand and the
cultural heritage of mankind as a whole.
Besides this UNESCO honored site, there are other options for
visitors to enjoy their stay in Sukhothai: Si Satchanalai National
Park provides exclusive outing experiences;
Sangkhalok Museum showcases ceramic wares; Ramkhamhaeng National Park
(Khao Luang Sukhothai) presents a perfect combination of natural
beauty and a good sense of the historical; Si Satchanalai
Historical Park boasts a whole collection of temples.
|
