Thailand is a country of varied natural scenery from the mountains of Mae Hong Son to the limestone islands of the Andaman Sea. With something to interest any type of tourist, Thai culture can be found in sculpture and architecture, music, dance and cuisine. Bangkok, the cultural and political capital of Thailand, has over 400 temples of
differing styles to discover.
The climate of Thailand is determined by the monsoon, which produces tropical weather conditions throughout the year, resulting in high average temperatures. The seasons are marked by changes from rainy to dry months rather than by any temperature differences as found in Europe and elsewhere.
The population of Thailand is an ethnic mix which does not stop at the political boundaries. Both sides of the semi-inaccessible mountains to the west are inhabitated by hill tribes who can be said to have links with both Thailand and Myanmar. In the south lives a race closely allied both ethnically and culturally with the Malays and including a large number of Moslems.
Thailand's vegetation can be described under two themes; while the north and south regions of the country are predominantly tropical forest, the agricultural land of the Menam Basin is covered in paddy-fields almost as far as the eye can see and that of the Malay Peninsula is synonymous with rubber plantations. Nearly half the country is forest.