Background
Location & Geography
Situated in the heart of Southeast Asia and a natural gateway to the Greater Mekong Sub-region, Thailand is bordered by Laos in the north and northeast, Myanmar in the north and west, the Andaman Sea in the west, Cambodia and the Gulf of Thailand in the east and Malaysia in the south.
Thailand covers a land area of 514,000 square kilometres, roughly the size of France, and extends about 1,620 kilometres from north to south with a 3,219-kilometre coastline.
Thailand is divided into four natural regions. The north is a forested and mountainous area with deep, narrow, alluvial valleys. The central plains make up the fertile basin of the Chao Phraya River. The northeast is a plateau of undulating hills, subject to floods and droughts, and the south is hilly to mountainous with thick virgin forests and rich deposits of minerals and ores.
Nature
Thailand has some 50 national parks and wildlife sanctuaries covering more than 25,000 square kilometres. Evenly spread throughout the kingdom, such places afford nature lovers opportunities to enjoy Thai flora and fauna in unspoiled surroundings.
Some 200 kilometres northeast of Bangkok, Khao Yai National Park covers more than 540,000 acres, has an average elevation of 800 metres and its highest peak is 1,351 metres. The park supports elephants, tigers, bears, giant hornbills and other protected wildlife, countless species of wild flowers, trees and spectacular waterfalls.
Located in Chiang Mai province, and home to Thailand’s highest mountain (2,565 metres), Doi Inthanon National Park’s forest stands above 1,800 metres and is covered with lichens and wild orchids, while at lower levels, several lovely waterfalls share the mountainside with Meo and Karen ethnic villages.
Close to Phuket in Phang Nga province, Ao Phang Nga National Park is known for its verdant limestone islands, honeycombed caves and aquatic grottoes, and almost perpetually calm waters. Major attractions include prehistoric rock paintings and a stilted Muslim fishing village.
Located in Surat Thani province and covering an area of over 250 square kilometres, Koh Samui and Ang Thong Marine National Park comprise various islands noted for colourful coral reefs and abundant marine life.
Climate
Although there can be variations from north to south, Thailand generally has a tropical climate with three distinct seasons: a hot dry season from March to May, a rainy season from June to September, and a cool season from October to February. In the far south, the climate is humid, warm and variable year round. In the north, changes are more marked with daytime temperatures in the hot season often approaching 40°C, and in the cool season, occasionally dropping below 20°C.