Thailand A Brite Star World Cultures Copyright © 2023 by The Brite Star Foundation, Inc., a 501 (c)3 All rights reserved. Published by The Brite Star Foundation, Inc. 11411 Southern Highlands Parkway Suite 338 Las Vegas, Nevada 89141 Vincent W. Goett, Publisher
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“Good morning,” said Ms. Betty. “Today we are starting our class project to learn about other countries. I know you are all working hard on your reports. Today we will hear from our newest classmate, Liz, who will tell us about her home country of Thailand.” Liz smiled as she came to the front of the class to start herpresentation.
Map andFlag “My brother, Alex, and I are from Thailand, a beautiful country in southeast Asia,” Liz said. “For many years Thailand was called Siam. This is the flag of Thailand. The flag has five stripes, with the middle stripe being twice as big as the others. The red stripes represent the land and people. The white is for religion, the blue is for the king.”
Land “Nearly 70 million people live in Thailand even though the whole country is only about the size of Texas. It is bordered by Myanmar to the west, Laos to the north and east, and Cambodia to the southeast. Thailand’s capital is Bangkok, which is also its biggest city with over 8.2 million people. The second biggest city is Chiang-Mai, a city in the northern mountains. Thailand is best known for it’s beautiful beaches which make it a popular vacation destination.”
Climate “The next part of my presentation is about the climate of my country,” said Liz. “Thailand is tropical. That means it’s hot and humid. There is a rainy season when it rains nearly every day. That’s from July to October. Depending on where you are in Thailand the daytime temperature averages between 77and 99 degrees at different times of the year.”
People The people ofThailand are called Thai and are very friendly, which is why my country is known as the Land of Smiles.” “Respect is an important part of Thai culture and is shown by greeting others with a wai. Children greet adults with a wai and adults use a wai to show respect to their elders.” Liz demonstrated how to wai. “Put your hands together and hold them close to your chest. Then slightly bow your head.”The class practiced the wai. They thought it was fun.
Thai People
Language “The language of Thailand is called Thai. The words you say in Thai are different if you are a boy or a girl. A boy ends a sentence with the word krub. Girls end with ka. Here are some Thai words you can practice. Remember to end with krub or ka.” As Liz said each word the class repeated it, adding krub from the boys and ka from the girls. • Sawadee —Hello • Khob khun —Thank you • Yin Dee —You’re welcome • Rongreīyn —School • Koon Khrū —Teacher “Wow, those words are hard to say,” said Anita. Liz laughed. “For Thai people, English wordsare hard to say.”
Religions “The primary religion in Thailand is Buddhism,” Liz continued. “Images of Buddha areeverywhere. There are many beautiful Buddhist temples allover the country. Temples are called wats. Some of the best ones to visitare: • Wat Rong Khun, the WhiteTemple • Wat Phra Si Sanphet in the former Thai capital • Wat Pho famous for its reclining Buddha.
You will see many monks in Thailand. Monksare people who dedicate their lives to Buddhism.”
Currency “The money in Thailand is called baht,” Liz explained. “It takes about 30 baht to equal one US dollar. Thailand has the second largest economy in southeast Asia. It is known for manufacturing goods such as electronics and cars, and for exporting goods like rice and rubber. Thailand’s biggest trading partners include China and the United States. Thailand has been a close ally of the United States for manyyears.”
Government “Thailand still has a king but there is also an elected government that makes decisions forthe country. However, the king is very important to the Thai people. Everyone has great respect for the royal family.” Liz continued, “Elephants are an important part of Thai culture, too. Thai people hold them in high regard. Hundreds of years ago, Thaiwarriors rode elephants in battle. Elephantsare a national symbol and you can see them throughout the country.”
Food “Thailand is also known for it’s delicious food. People who visit Thailand are excited to enjoy our food. Thai restaurants are very popular around the world. But, be careful -- some Thai food is very spicy!” Here are a few popular Thaidishes: • PadThai • Tom Yum soup • Papaya salad • Thai tea Liz finished her report and sat down and Ms. Betty said, “Great job. Liz! Now, we have a specialsurprise for everyone.”
Chef Lou came into the classroom with trays of food that looked just like the pictures Liz had shown. “In honor of Liz’s report about Thailand I have cooked a special Thai lunch for all of you.” The kids took turns trying different foods. Some of them were reluctant to try something new, but everyone bravely tried a little and then ate more of the dishes they likedbest. Everyone had a great time learning aboutThailand. The whole class thanked Liz for sharing about her country.
Think AboutIt 1. What did Thailand used to be called? 2. What do the colors on the Thai flag represent? 3. What is the capital city of Thailand?
4. How does a boy end a sentence in Thai? How does agirl? 5. What is Thai moneycalled?
Let’s Work Together! Learning about different countries, cultures and people around the world is important. It helps you understand people from those places better. It can be exciting too! You will learn about things you may enjoy!
I will. .. • • •
Practice saying the Thai words – with the correct ending. Bravely taste some Thaifoods. Greet a friend with awai.
It’s fun to learn some of the practices of other countries. Doing so gives
you a broader understanding of a world that is bigger than just your own country. Do some of your own research to learn more about Thailand.