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Thailand’s name in the Thai language is Prathet Thai, which means “Land of the Free.”
Thailand set the world record of the longest line of washed plates in May 2010 when 10,488 plates were lined up. India smashed that record less than a year later with a count of 15,295 washed plates – which is equal to 2.36 miles of plates licked clean, and of which I wish I knew when my parents used to tell me about the starving kids in India when attempting to get me to eat liver and lima beans.
Thailand is home to the world’s largest crocodile farm. And no it’s not called Sunee Plaza.
Thailand is home to the world’s hairiest child, Supatra “Nat” Sasuphan. And 1 million Pattaya punters just shuddered in horror.
Opium smoking in the hill-tribe villages in north Thailand is quite common. It is legal for the villagers to possess and use opium, but it is illegal for them to sell it. Too bad the same can’t be said of those damn wooden frogs.
Thailand is the only country in the world where kite string is still made by hand.
The King and I, in all of its various formats and productions is banned in Thailand. But the royal couple went to see the play on Broadway in 1985.
Gertrude Lawrence, the original Anna in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s production of The King and I on Broadway, was buried in the ball gown she wore during Act 2. Following a matinee performance in late August 1952, she fainted, was rushed to the hospital, slipped into a coma, and died on September 6.
Puckering up and blowing to alleviate your fear as suggested in I Whistle A Happy Tune, one of the songs from The King and I, might seem like good advice. Unless you are Thai and it’s dark out. Locals believe whistling at night calls ghosts to you.
The real-life Anna Leonowens was the maternal aunt of Boris Karloff.
HRM King Bhumibol once met America’s King, Elvis Presley.
The first Thai ladyboy to ever get legally married did so in New Zealand.
Over 300,000 Thai have settled in North America with the largest communities along the West Coast in cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Vancouver. Today, over 10,000 Americans live in Thailand.
It is considered bad luck for pregnant women to fish in Thailand.
Bangkok’s Boys In Brown are equipped with special clippers that they can use to cut an umbilical cord thanks to the numerous back-seat births that occur in the city’s notoriously congested traffic.
What Alan didn’t tell you was that the average annual number of traffic fatalities in Thailand is less than it is in Brazil. Or Mexico. Or the British Virgin Islands. (Per 100,000 inhabitants).
Nineteen Thai soldiers were killed in World War I.
One Thai bank estimated that Bangkok’s pollution woes cost the nation $2.3 billion annually in lost production, wasted energy, and health costs
In 1785, the sisters Chan and Muk safeguarded Phuket island against a Burmese invasion by ordering all women to cut their hair, dress in male clothes and beat drums loudly, which gave the Burmese commander the impression he was facing a superior number of troops so he called off the invasion. Or he could have just been familiar with the danger of facing a bunch of pissed off ladyboys.
Chiang Mai has the highest number of cockroach species recorded.
Thailand has the second-highest rate of forest loss in Southeast Asia.
It is illegal in Thailand for women to visit night-time entertainment venues without a male escort.
There were once 23 types of Siamese cats in Thailand; today only six breeds are left. Giving a pair of the sought-after Si Sawat breed to a bride is supposed to bring good luck to the marriage.
Thailand’s most expensive pure-breed of dog, the Bangkaew, sell for around $1,300. There is currently one in Phitsanulok that is watched by a security guard as it is valued at $54,000.
Swiftlet nests are made from strands of saliva from the male swiftlet bird. Swiftlet nests collected from Thai caves can fetch more than $900 per pound. It is one of the world’s most coveted and expensive food items.
At 545.67 carats, the largest faceted diamond in the world is the Golden Jubilee, bought by Henry Ho, owner of the Jewelry Trade Center building in Bangkok and given to HRM in 1997 for his Golden Jubilee – the 50th anniversary of his coronation.
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Mitch S. said:
A couple more things:
– Siam abolished slavery in 1905; however, “sex slaves” and fishing boat slave reports still continue.
– Thailand was invaded by Japan on December 8, 1941 in multiple locations (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Japanese_Invasion_of_Thailand_8_Dec_1941.png) and occupied by 150,000 Japanese troops during World War II. Good fun to discuss Thailand as a Japanese colony vs. “never” colonized claims.
Bangkokbois said:
. . . not to mention all those Pattaya visitors who are a slave to their urges.
I know that ‘never colonized’ claim is spin doctoring at its finest, but haven’t ever really delved into the subject. It would make for a good article. Now we’ll see if I actually get off my ass and research it.
Alex said:
If you write that article, please include the Battle of Ko Chang, although it predated the Japanese occupation and the Thais’ opponents were Vichy Frogs. What I would write about this battle, it wouldn’t be legal here. 😉
To be fair, however, I think occupying a country during WW II wasn’t quite the same as colonizing a country under more ‘regular’ circumstances. In many ways, when compared to the neighboring countries, it does show that Thailand hasn’t been colonized [by a Western colonial power]. Pointing that out with a lot of pride makes perfect sense from a Thai patriot’s point of view, especially considering that spin doctoring is the hallmark of organized patriotism all over the world.
Bangkokbois said:
Thanks Alex, Wikepedia offered a basic recounting of that tale. Interesting. So in 1941 “the Japanese government offered to arbitrate in the search for a peaceful settlement.” Never viewed them at that point in history as being the peace keepers!
Glenn said:
Is occupation the same as colonization?
Bangkokbois said:
That’s one of the worrisome details of that often repeated claim. I think Alex’s use of “colonized [by a Western colonial power]” comes closest to the truth. Kinda, sorta.
Mitch S. said:
Governments love euphemisms (e.g., internment camp vs. concentration camp vs. death camp). Some citizens swallow what they’re told hook, line and sinker; however, not sure why non-Thai posters here would follow suit and not be able to discern reality from myth.
Another interesting World War II fact is Thai soldiers being used to invade the Shan State in Burma. Death Railway & Bridge over River Kwai are well known. Less well known might be “Khun Yuam World War II Japanese War Museum” that has narratives that really put an odd spin on conventional WWII history and even discuss warm memories and friendships with the Japanese soldiers.
So many wars between neighboring countries in Asia though. Even Timmy! might be able to grasp that the Khmer Empire included today’s Thailand, but I’m not sure he could count how many times the Burmese invaded or occupied Thailand. Hmmm. More than one “non-Western” invader/occupier.
Puppet state definition from Wiki: “A puppet state (also known as puppet government or marionette government) is a nominally sovereign state effectively controlled by a foreign power.[1] A puppet state preserves the external paraphernalia of independence like a name, flag, anthem, constitution, law codes and motto but in reality is an organ of another state who has propelled its trusted ally from within the target nation into power.”
Mitch S. said:
I’m sure “Territorial losses of Siam” to Western countries would be completely off topic as well: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ThailandWithFlags.gif 😉
Mitch S. said:
Interesting list — “A Chronicle of Siam’s 14 Boundary Losses”: http://www.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/chronicle_boundary_losses.html
Bangkokbois said:
Nice link Mitch. You can’t delve into Chiang Mai’s history far without realizing it’s Burma’s history too.
Bangkokbois said:
Damn French!
🙂
Bangkokbois said:
Speaking of occupied lands – I noticed Timmy! is back on SGT. I do so hope he starts lecturing me on credibility again.
🙂
And still a bit on topic, Anthony Weiner, whose package is making a run at being mayor of NYC, recently said that the West Bank is not being occupied by Israel. Maybe he got his definition from faulty ‘Occupied’ signs on airline restroom doors.