Thailand is a country of 514,000 sq. km with a population over 60 million people. It is divided into four geographic areas, mountainous in the north, fertile central plains, a semi-arid plateau in the Northeast. The Southern peninsula is the more popular tourist destination as there are many beautiful tropical beaches & off shore islands to explore.

Bangkok, which means "the city of angels" is the capital and has a population of over 6 million. The main language is Thai, although English is widely used and understood in most major cities.

The tropical climate is humid and hot throughout the year with an average annual temp of 28 deg C (83 F) and more hot Mar-May, Rainy Jun-Oct and cooler form Nov-Feb)
Buddhism is the main religion and the tolerance taught in Buddhism helps to make Thailand a very friendly country.

To visit Thailand you will need a passport, and check with a Thai Embassy or your travel agent for visa requirements. Note that narcotics, obscene literature, & firearms are strictly prohibited and if you want to take out antiques and artistic objects, a licence is required.

Other notes:
Thailand is not an affected sars area and is safe at the time of writing.
There are no required vaccinations.
HIV is very widespread so if travelling for sex, take a good supply of condoms.
Electricity 220 V, 50 Hz
GMT + 7 hours
Public internet access is becoming more readily available.
Currency - 1000 Thai baht is about NZ$41.00 - US$23.00
Water - drink bottled, or boil tap water.

When I was visiting, I found the people charming and hospitable, and that politeness and curtsey opens doors to a very interesting and enjoyable holiday. There are scams operating and there is a certain amount of crime and corruption, however if you don't go looking for trouble, safety is not an issue and the greatest challenge may be to cross the busy streets in safety.

Thailand Hotels Accommodation from $15.00 per night.
Bangkok >> Phuket >> Chiang Mai >> Phuket >> Cha-Am >> Hua Hin >> Krabi >> Pattaya >> Samed Island >> Ko Samui