The Land And Its People

         Thailand display considerable geographical and climatic variety in its four major regions. The far north, where the nation’s borders meet those of Burma and Laos, is mountainous with valleys watered by a number of rivers and streams; during the winter months temperatures are cool enough to permit the cultivation of such temperate – zone crops as coffee, lychees, and strawberries, suffers from frequent droughts, although thise are being allevialed by an increasing number of reservoirs and other man – made water facilities. The central plains region, through which flows the Chao Phraya River, is one of the most fertile rice-growing areas in the world and has been the scene of Thailand’s greatest historical development. The narrow southern peninsula, stretching to Malaysia, has coastlines with spectacular beaches along both the Gulf of Thailand and the Indian Ocean and lofty jungled mountains in many areas,

            The country is blessed with an equal variety of natural resources. Though logging is now restricted in the leak forests of the north, the region contains rich deposits of flourite, wolfram and tungsten and its riverine valleys support a large number of orchards and farms. Potash is plentiful in the northeast, and mulberry plantations have traditionally sustained the cultivation of silkworms. Both flourite and gems are mined in the west, while some of the finest sapphires in the world come from the mountains of the southeast. The Chao Phraya valley is a vast network of irrigation canals which supply water not only to countless rice fields but also to vegetable farms and fruit orchards. Natural gas deposits in the Gulf of Thailand are supplying energy for many development projects, particularly along the Eastern Seaboard. In addition to a plentiful supply of seafood, the south has extensive deposits of tin and huge plantations of coconuts, cashews, and other fruits,

            Though the great majority of Thailand’s 50 million people are ethnically Thai and Buddhist, the country has a substantial number of minority groups who have historically lived together in harmony. Of these the Chinese are perhaps the most numerous, particularly in urban areas, though they have become so thoroughly assimilated it would be difficult to isolate them as a distinct group. Similarly, while there are Laos and Khmer groups in the northeast and west, nearly all regard themselves as Thai, culturally as well as by nationality. More clearly defined are the Muslims, who are mainly concentrated in the southern provinces, and assorted hill tribes who live in the far north; there are also sizeable communities of Hindus and Sikhs in large cities like Bangkok.