In Thailand, freedom of religion is enshrined in law, but most of the population (95%) professes Buddhism, 4% of the population professes Islam. Christianity and Hinduism are also represented.
Plant and Animal World in Thailand
In the past, most of the territory of Thailand was occupied by forests; they currently cover only 20% of the country’s territory. The forests are mostly deciduous. In the mountains in northern Thailand and near the border with Myanmar, moist monsoon mixed deciduous forests dominate, in which teak, planer xylia, large-fruited pterocarpus and other hardwood species grow. These forests are interspersed with thickets of bamboo. Oak forests occur on open slopes in northern Thailand, at altitudes of more than 1000 m above sea level, giving way to Merkuza and Khazi pine forests. Moist evergreen broad-leaved monsoon forests are common in the Mekong Valley in the west and in the wettest places in the southeast. Dry monsoon forests are found in the Korat Plateau, the Central Plain, and in the high mountains of western Thailand. These forests are dominated by stunted trees, bamboo and thorny shrubs. Evergreen rainforests are widespread in the south and southeast. They are dominated by yang, takyan, hopei, anisoptera, sal tree, palm trees (areca, sago), bamboo, pandanus are found. Lianas are widespread. There are mangroves on the coast.
Hunting and loss of natural habitats have contributed to a sharp decline in the number of wild animals in Thailand. However, in some remote areas and in protected areas, elephants, tigers, leopards (including the very rare clouded leopard), white-breasted and Malay bears, gaur and banteng bulls, Asiatic buffalo, serow, and a very rare animal black-backed tapir are still found. There are numerous monkeys (white-handed gibbons, macaques, orangutans, langurs), muntjac and sambar deer, small and large deer, antelopes and other mammals. Domesticated elephants and buffaloes are widely used in agriculture. There are several dozen species of snakes in Thailand, including poisonous ones. The fauna of birds is extremely diverse: there are many waterfowl (herons, white pelicans, ducks), pheasant, wild chickens, partridges, parrots, peacocks (including green),
Minerals in Thailand
Thailand has rich reserves of tin and tungsten; antimony, lead, zinc, barite, iron and manganese ores are also mined; there are deposits of rubies and sapphires, brown coal, rock and potash salts, and oil.
Banks in Thailand
Banks are open on weekdays from 8.30 to 15.30. The resorts have a network of exchange offices that are open from 8.30 to 20.00 or even until later.
Money in Thailand
The monetary unit of Thailand is the baht (THB). There are 100 satang in one baht. In circulation are coins in denominations of 25 and 50 satang, 1, 2, 5 and 10 baht; banknotes are issued in denominations of 10 baht, 20 baht, 50 baht, 100 baht, 500 baht and 1,000 baht.
In Thailand, only local money is accepted for payment. You can exchange currency at the hotel, however, as a rule, the exchange rate at banks and exchange offices is more profitable, and in Bangkok it is more favorable than in other cities. At airports, the exchange rate is acceptable. When exchanging US dollars, it should be borne in mind that old-style banknotes (until 1993) and banknotes of some later years of issue are not always and everywhere accepted, due to the large number of counterfeit banknotes of this year of issue. In Thailand, the exchange of dollars is quite specific – depending on the denomination of dollar bills, the exchange rate also changes. The lowest rate is offered for banknotes in denominations from 1 to 20 dollars, the highest – for banknotes of a new sample in denominations of 50 and 100 dollars. There are also exchange machines, but they do not accept all banknotes.
Most hotels and shops accept international credit cards Visa, American Express, etc.
Rate: 100 Thai Baht (THB) = 2.72 USD
Political State in Thailand
Since 1932, Thailand has been a constitutional monarchy. The head of state is the king, formally having broad powers in the field of legislative, executive and judicial power. The country’s highest legislative body is the bicameral Parliament, which consists of the House of Representatives (500 deputies elected for 4 years) and the Senate (200 people appointed by the king for a term of 6 years). According to politicsezine, the head of Parliament is the prime minister, who is in fact the most powerful man in the country.
Population in Thailand
The population of Thailand is 62 million people. This is a multinational country. The most numerous people are Thais (75% of the total population), which includes over 15 ethnic communities; followed by Chinese (11%), Malaysians (3.5%), Khmers, Karens, Vietnamese, Indians.
Language:
Thai is the official language in Thailand. English is widely spoken in tourist centers. A small part of the population speaks Japanese, Chinese and Malay.
