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Thailand's culture, symbols, traits, and treasures
by The National Identity Board, Royal Thai Government
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The following texts and images are taken from: Thailand: Traits and Treasures, published by The National Identity Board, ©2005 by Office of The Permanent Secretary, The Prime Minister’s Office, Royal Thai Government, ISBN 974-9771-52-4 (without footnotes and annotations).
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Archaeology and history
What is now Thailand has been home to a number of ethnic groups since the dawn of human history. More... |
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The Thai monarchy
The Thai people have an invaluable cultural heritage that their forefathers had diligently created
and maintained for posterity to be proud of. More... |
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Phra Sayam Thewathirat
The Thai people believe that Phra Sayam Thewathirat is a Deva-guardian, or supreme deity, safeguarding the Nation, the King and the Royal Family. More... |
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The national symbols of Thailand
Thailand’s best-known national symbol, the elephant, has been associated with the Thai people for centuries. More... |
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H. M. the King’s birthday anniversary
In the past, Thailand did not have any distinct royal ceremonies to celebrate the monarch’s
birthday anniversary, as is practised nowadays. More... |
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The role of Thai women: Queen Sirikit
Understanding the many facets of the role of Thai women broadens and deepens foreign readers’ knowledge about Thai culture. More... |
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The role of Thai women in broad perspective
Rooted in an agrarian society, culture and economy, Thai women have played vital roles
throughout the kingdom’s history. More... |
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The Royal Ploughing Ceremony
The Ploughing Ceremony marks the start of the season when paddy land is prepared for rice
cultivation. More... |
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The Royal Kathin Ceremony
Kathin is a Pali word for the wooden frame used to measure length and width by which the robes of Buddhist monks are cut. More... |
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Royal processions
In history, royal processions were, first and foremost, to display might and discourage the enemy. More... |
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Royal processions on land
As of yore, royal processions on land were composed of elephants, horses and troops marching. More... |
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The Royal Barge Suphannahong
The Royal Barge Suphannahong is known worldwide as a masterpiece of Thai cultural heritage. More... |
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Religions in Thailand
Every Thai constitution since 1932 has provided that a person shall have complete freedom to profess any religion. More... |
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Thai architecture
Since historical time, Thai architecture has been grouped into three categories: Buddhist temples and their monasteries, palaces, and houses. More... |
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The Grand Palace
The Grand Palace was the principal residence of the
king and the royal family as well as the premise of the royal household in the past. More... |
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Thai literature
Thai literature has had a long history. Even before the establishment of the Sukhothai Kingdom
there existed oral and written works. More... |
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Thai legends and folkstales
Legends and Folktales customarily consist of tales and stories handed down from generations
to generations. More... |
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Traditional performing arts in Thailand
The traditional performing arts in Thailand provide an excellent insight into Thai cultural identity
and its rich variety. More... |
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Traditional Thai music
Traditional Thai music has characteristics of both art and science. It has finally become a vital element of the Thai way of life. More... |
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Festivals of Thailand
Yala is an ancient city with a history of coexisting cultures where Thai, Muslim and Chinese communities live in harmony. More... |
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Traditional sports: Kite flying
Kite-flying has been a sport favoured by Thais since ancient times, during the period when the southwest monsoon blows, between March
and May. More... |
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Sanuk
Prominent among the cultural traits of Thai society is sanuk, an essential ingredient of the Thai way of life. More... |
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Traditional sports: Takraw - The rattan ball game
Takraw is played in various versions, in most parts of Southeast Asia, but perhaps nowhere else
with the enthusiasm and vigour shown by the Thais. More... |
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Traditional Thai sports: Muay Thai - Thai boxing
Muay Thai, or Thai boxing, the most favorite martial arts of the Thai has been in existence for
almost as long as the Thai themselves. More... |
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Thai food
It is probably not an easy task for anyone to trace back the history of Thai food. More... |
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Thai herbs and spices
Herbs and spices are almost synonymous with Thai food. The more the herbs, the more
spicy the food.
More... |
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Thai fruits
For hundreds of year ,Thai fruits and the life of the Thai people have been interwoven. More... |
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Thai handicrafts
Thai handicrafts are the products of intricate creativity and long held heritage of the Thai people in various parts of the country. More... |
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OTOP - Souveniers from Thailand
One Tambon One Product [OTOP] development strategy at subdistrict level has been launched by the Royal Thai Government, as of the year 2004. More... |
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Northern headwater mountains and valleys
Historically, earliest evidence of culture within the boundaries of contemporary Thailand, exists in the northern headwater mountains and valleys. More... |
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Northern river plains and mountain flanks
Four major rivers sustain steadily broadening plains, crossed by their tributaries, and ultimately converge to funnel their vital waters into a vast wetland More... |
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Central plain upstream river basins
The physical map of the northern area of Thailand’s Central Plain shows a maze of seemingly countless creeks, rivulets, streams and rivers. More...
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Central plain downstream river basins and estuaries
The wide alluvial plain has been expanding southward toward the Gulf, since time immemorial. More... |
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Isan heartland
Thailand’s north-eastern region,
widely known as Isan, is a well
defined geographical area. More...
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Isan western plateau
To the west of the heartland of
Isan lies the
highland, which separate
the northeastern from the central
region. More... |
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Isan northern and eastern riparian belt
In the north and east of the heartland
of Isan, as Thailand’s northeastern
region is widely known, lies
the riparian belt flanked by the
Mekong River. More... |
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Isan southern plateau
The southern plateau of Isan together
with its surrounding mountains
is almost identical with the Mun River
Basin. More... |
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Eastern mountains, valleys, and coast
Features of great variety are
spatially concentrated in the
eastern region. One example is its
topography, with some of Thailand’s highest
mountains. More... |
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Western mountain ranges, valleys, and plains
Mountain ranges dominate the
western flank of Thailand,
from the far north to the peninsula. More... |
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Peninsular river basins and gulf coast
Where the land base projects into the seas and is lined by islands is the Thai and Malay peninsula. More... |
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Andaman sea coast
The mountainous backbone of
the peninsula runs rather
lopsided near the western coastline
facing the Andaman Sea. More... |
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