Careerbreaker Destinations - Thailand
Known as 'the land of smiles', Thailand draws in more visitors than any other country in South-East Asia, it has a breathtaking combination of natural beauty, fascinating history, inspiring temples, mouth watering cuisine and hospitable people. Situated in the heart of the south east Asia mainland, Thailand borders Laos to the north east, Myanmar to the north, Cambodia to the east and Malaysia to the south.
Despite being south east Asia’s primary holiday destination Thailand, known as Siam until 1949, has retained its cultural integrity. Its population of 65 million people is made up of ethnic Thai’s, Chinese and other smaller groups. There are a number of fascinating hill-tribes known as ‘chao khao’ who continue a very traditional way of life. Over 90% of the population is practicing Theravada Buddhist and there is a significant number of Muslims, particularly in the south of the country. The culture is very rich, having been shaped by the country’s beauty, religion, monarchy and military.
With their own alphabet, the Thai national language can be a challenge for foreigners, and there are many ethnic and regional dialects. English is widely spoken, although rarely to a very proficient level. The Thai people are very courteous and welcoming and place great store by social hierarchy, their King is highly revered and respected. There are a number of fascinating cultural ‘faux-pas’ to be avoided including touching anyone’s head or baring the soles of your feet. Books and documents are highly revered and should not be slid across tables or placed on the floor.
Despite Buddhist beliefs, many Thais believe that spirits are able to inhabit the physical world and may well cause trouble if they don’t receive enough attention. Whenever a new building is built a small Spirit House will also be built on the site and daily offering of flowers, incense and even morsels of food are placed inside the house. These are fascinating constructions, often found on the ‘best’ part of a building’s site and tend to reflect the main building's architecture.
Whilst tourism is the country’s main industry, 50% of the population continue to earn a living from the land. Currently 28% of the population live on less than $2 per day. Hidden unemployment in the countryside, where at least 80% of the population lives and works, is also substantial, and poverty is concentrated in rural areas.
The location of our projects in Thailand in 2006 is in the northern region of the country, in the Chiang Rai province, which offers some of the most beautiful mountain and rainforest scenery in Thailand. With 12.5% of the local population coming from hill tribes, it has a diverse cultural heritage and a reputation for the most delicious lychees!
The hill tribes in rural areas are amongst the poorest in Thailand and are at risk of abuse, the sex trade and rarely receive a proper education. Many of these communities have crossed the border from Burma due to persecution from the government, others are born in Thailand but have not been granted citizenship; therefore they have few or no rights to education, healthcare and clean water.
Our projects in this region are undertaken in partnership with local NGOs who seeks to empower communities and promote social change through mutual co-operation, self education and a pro-active community.
Lying within the tropics, this a land of breathtaking beauty, a rich culture, inspiring temples, fascinating city’s, fabulous beaches, renowned hospitality and famed gastronomy. Whatever project programme you become part of you are guaranteed a warm welcome from the people of this enticing country. Weekends and project breaks provide opportunity for sight-seeing and there is the option to do some adventurous travel after your volunteer placement with our in house travel agent Gap Club. Why not finish your time as a volunteer learning to scuba dive, visiting Bangkok or taking a ride on the famous and scenic Death Railway by the River Kwai?
What Can I do In Thailand?
Community Development Projects
Adventurous Travel
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Destinations Homepage
About Thailand
Full Name
Kingdom of Thailand
Capital City
Bangkok
Area
517,000 sq km
199,614 sq miles
Population
65,000,000
Time Zone
7 hours ahead of the UK
Languages
Thai (official)
Religion
95% Buddhist, 4% Muslim
Currency
Baht (Bht)
Famous For
Tropical beaches, diving, spiritual enlightenment, temples and monsoons
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