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Thailand is located in South Eastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma. The country's south boasts some of Asia's most popular beach resorts - Pattaya, Phuket and Ko Samui to name a few. Thailand has an excellent road and rail network offering cheap travel and living costs. In the north, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son are popular and attract trekkers and adventure travelers alike. The country's North East sees fewer western tourists despite its well developed infrastructure and many attractions.
The capital Bangkok is a crowded blend of Thai and Western influences and is famous for its golden temples, cheap shopping and nightlife. Bangkok's notorious traffic jams can now be avoided with the construction of the BTS skytrain network and an underground subway system.
Thailand has a tropical climate; rainy, warm and cloudy in the southwest monsoon season (mid-May to September); dry and cool during the northeast monsoon season (November to mid-March). Bangkok always seems hot and sticky year round, once outside the capital the weather is noticably milder.
Hotelz Asia can assist with a huge selection of Hotels in Bangkok and 45 cities and resorts across the country. Hotel accommodation in Thailand is a bargain by international standards.
A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power.
A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally following the conflict.
Thailand has a well developed infrastructure, a free-enterprise economy, and welcomes foreign investment. Thailand has fully recovered from the 1997-98 Asian Financial Crisis and was one of East Asia's best performers in 2002-04.
Increased consumption and investment spending and strong export growth pushed GDP growth up to 6.9% in 2003 and 6.1% in 2004 despite a sluggish global economy. The highly popular government's expansionist policy, including major support of village economic development, has raised concerns about fiscal discipline and the health of financial institutions.
Bangkok has pursued preferential trade agreements with a variety of partners in an effort to boost exports and maintain high growth, and in 2004 began negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement with the US. In late December 2004, a major tsunami took 8,500 lives in Thailand and caused massive destruction of property in the southern provinces of Krabi, Phangnga, and Phuket.
Separatist violence in Thailand's predominantly Muslim southern provinces is a problem and has prompted border closures and controls with Malaysia to stem terrorist activities.
As at early 2006, travelers in the country's southern most provinces of Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani are warned to exercise caution because of ongoing violence.
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HOTEL RESERVATIONS 
