Thailand : Past and Present

The legacy of the ancient Kingdom of Siam, modern Thailand is a colorful natural paradise. Forest-clad mountain chains and luxuriant river valleys characterize the north, along the border with Laos and Myanmar. This area was the cradle of the Thai civilization, and boasts countless artistic and cultural artifacts testifying to the nation's history. The northeast, which borders Laos and Cambodia, is the region of the arid Khorat Plateau with its ripple of low-lying hills; here the Khmer culture's powerful influence can be sensed. The fertile central plains are Thailand's rich agricultural heartland, with rice paddies stretching as far as the eye can see. This area was the setting for the climactic events that forged the country's history, and here rose the great imperial cities of the past. Lastly, the narrow peninsula that extends between the Gulf of Thailand and the Indian Ocean is edged with spectacular beaches and circled by a string of archipelagos that form the quintessential tropical paradise.