Thailand Tourist

Take a Vacation to Thailand

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:26:08 +0000

Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, strategically located in the heart of South-East Asia. Bordering Myanmar to the north and west, Combodia to the east, Laos to the north-east, and Malaysia to the south, this stupendous destination is well-known for its breathtaking islands, incredible beaches, ancient as well as historic Buddhist wats, interesting museums and art galleries, rich cultural heritage, lively nightlife, and above all, the presence of amicable Thai people. Thailand also holds the distinction of being the only nation in South-East Asia that has never been colonized.

Occupying an area of more than 500,000 square kilometers, Thailand has been geographically classified into four different regions such as the mountainous North, the fertile Central Plains, the semi-arid plateau of the Northeast, and the peninsula south. Likewise, by region wise, the country is divided into six distinct areas such as the Central Thailand, North Thailand, North East Thailand, South Thailand, South East Thailand, and West Thailand.

Each of these areas comes with a host of mind boggling attractions. Located on the central plains of the Chao Phraya River as well as the Meklong River Valley, Central Thailand is sometimes acknowledged as ‘the Rice Bowl of the Country,’ since it is the most fertile region in the country. As a tourist spot, this area contains a host of attractions that are of historical significance.

Central region of the country is dominated by Bangkok, with its mind blowing palaces, beautiful wats, hundreds of museums, and expansive shopping areas. Highlights of this region also cover Ayutthaya, which once served as the capital of the country, and now featuring attractions such as the Bang Sai Royal Arts and Crafts Center with traditional Thai handicraft items, Bang Pa In Summer Palace, and Ayutthaya Town; Saraburi, whose focal point is the Phra Buddha Bat Woramahavihan Temple with a rock that is believed to have the Buddha’s footprint; Lopburi, which was an important settlement during the reign of the Khmer empire in the tenth century.

Suphanburi, boasting of one of the oldest national parks in the park, namely, the Khao Yai National Park; Nakorn Pathom, with attractions such as Phra Pathom Chedi – the largest of its kind in the world, and Floating Market; Kanchanaburi, which is home to Death Railway, Raft Trips and Houseboats, and Three Pagodas Pass; Petchaburi, with landmarks like Phra Nakorn Khiri, Khao Luang Caves, and Cha Am; Prachuap Khiri Khan, whose prime attractions are Hua Hin – a beachside resort, and Khao Sam Roi Yod National Park – one of the most enchanting parks in the nation.

North Thailand is regarded as the country’s cultural heart. Among the points of interest in this area are Chiang Rai, with attractions such as Chiang Saen, a fourteenth century town, and Mai Sai, which is on the Burmese border; Kamphaeng Phet, whose centerpiece is the Old City that dates back to the time of the kingdom of Sukhothai during the 13th century; Lamphun, with a highly revered shrine, namely, Wat Phra That Hariphunchai; Sukhothai, which is homes to attractions such as Sukhothai Historical Park and Sri Satchanalai with an incredible elephant temple.

When comes to the Southern Thailand, this area is bestowed with some magnificent as well as excellent beach resorts of international standards. Perhaps the greatest of all beach resorts in the region is Phuket, with an international airport and more than half dozen beaches.

Popular destinations in Southern Thailand also include Samui Island, whose highlights, among many others, are Grandfather and Grandmother Stones and Angthong National Marine Park; Krabi, which is much favored for its breathtaking landscape consisting of dazzling white sandy beaches, magnificent coves and bays, and fantastic limestone cliffs; and Phi Phi Islands. Other places of interest in Southern Thailand are hot springs that are found nearby Ranong town, and Victoria Point, where you can spot a number of casino centers.

Above all, Thailand provides tourists visiting the country with a continuum of facilities in order to indulge in an array of activities such as hiking, trekking, sightseeing, swimming, rafting, deep sea fishing, and much more. In order to cater to the growing number of tourists in the country, Thailand comes with a number of accommodation options from upscale hotels to apartments and villas that are mostly replete with facilities that a world-class resort renders.

By: Wolfgang Jaegel

Thailand Tourist Destination, Ayutthaya

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:49:38 +0000

Ayutthaya was one of the most important and great ancient capital of the Kingdom of Thailand in the old days. Nowadays, Ayutthaya is one of the most impressive ruined cities in Asia. UNESCO declared the Ayutthaya Historical Park a World Heritage Site in 1991. Ayutthaya is not far away from Bangkok. (It is just about 85 kgs. north of Bangkok.) Most tourists love to join sightseeing tours for a one-day trip from Bangkok by bus or by boat. (the excursion on the Chao Phraya River would be quite delightful.)

There were a lot of beautiful temples, palaces and religious sculptures, but most of them were destroyed during Burmese’ s invasion. The holy and historic ruins, the wealth of history and its splendor impress and attract most tourists. There are many fascinating places in Ayutthaya where you can look around for the whole day. This maybe the main reason why those who have real interest in Thai history remark Ayutthaya as “Thailand Tourist Destination”.

Ayutthaya is surrounded and confluenced by three rivers; Chao Phraya River, Pasak River and Ropburi River, which create Ayutthaya as a most favorably island-city. This ancient city at dawn and dusk is the most magical and beautiful scenery. You can watch the sun set behind the magnificent temples. You will enjoy exploring the ruins. You can also see several small chedi and Buddha images with broken limbs. The calm atmosphere with the ruins will attract you to come and see Ayutthaya again.

The list of must see places is endless. Here are only a few samples:

*Wat Pra Si Sanphet : one of the grandest temples in Ayutthaya.

*An older temple Wat Phra Mahathat was built to house the relics of the Buddha. The most interesting thing here is a stone head of the Buddha which is covered by the root of a fig tree. It is very amazing.

*Another city’s splendor is the Bang-Pa-In Summer Palace. It is a photogenic complex of European and Chinese-style palace building.

In short, we can say that Ayutthaya offer a fascinating insight into Thai history. Whatever your interest from temples, ancient palaces, Ayutthaya is the place to go. Whenever you decide to travel to Ayutthaya, you can be certain of one thing; warm hospitality, making your holiday as happy as it will be memorable as Thailand Tourist Destination.

By: Bass

Overseas Property for Sale Thailand Can Offer

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:27:11 +0000

If you’re looking for an overseas property for sale, Thailand is a country to seriously consider. There is more to Thailand than a paradise location for backpackers. Many overseas visitors are choosing to retire in Thailand and other visitors are staying for part of the year to enjoy what Thailand has to offer.

Property Investments

Imagine coming home to a luxury villa on a large plot of land, built to blend in with the existing coconut trees, flora, fauna and rock formations, which maximises the feeling of privacy and space. This is just one of the property options Thailand offers.

Another type of property for sale Thailand can offer is golfing property – property in and located around a golf course facility or club. A golfing property can mean open space and pleasing views, gated security, facilities which could include hotels, spa’s, sports facilities, supermarkets, entertainment, restaurants, swimming pools. All of this has huge rental potential, and sometimes this is ‘guaranteed.’

Thailand currently has much to offer investors in terms of off-plan villas, townhouses or apartments. Almost all the off-plan property for sale in Thailand is located in the major investment hot-spots. Property prices remain good value for money and the property market has recovered from the downturn in the late 90’s. The recovery was helped, for example, with low interest rates, strong domestic consumption, and tax measures to stimulate the property markets.

Most property is purchased directly from a developer or via an agent. A solicitor will represent you in the property purchase and complete all the legal requirements of the sale. Solicitors carry out the usual range of checks: that the vendors have the correct title and are able to transfer it to you; search for any charges and liabilities that are attached to the property; advise you on all of your obligations; assist with the transfer of your funds.

Tourism

Thailand’s major Unique Selling Point (USP) is tourism and the government promotes Thailand on a global scale. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) predicts continued growth for 2008, with an estimated total of 14.8 million tourists, generating Baht 547 billion in the process.

Thailand offers visitors many benefits including beautiful beaches, tasty food, friendly people and excellent health care. Phuket is the main tourist destination which lies at the bottom of mainland Thailand. Thailand is also a divers’ paradise with the marine national park of Koh Similan renowned as a world class diving site.

Due to its popularity as a tourist destination, Thailand is one of the cheapest places to fly to in Asia, with direct flights readily available to Bangkok from many international airports. There is an excellent rail service covering the majority of the country, the trains are comfortable and cheap, and timetables are in English.

Geography

Thailand is predominantly a Buddhist kingdom and is located in Southeast Asia surrounded by Myanmar to the north and west, Laos to the northeast, Cambodia and the Gulf of Thailand to the southeast and Malaysia and Myanmar to the south.

The largest city in Thailand is Bangkok, with about 6 million people. As well as being the largest city and the main seaport, Bangkok is the Capital of Thailand. The climate is sub-tropical with long hours of sunshine and high humidity. The temperature is hot from March to June, rainy from July to October, and cool from November to February.

Conclusion

Thailand has recently seen economic growth and investors now view Thailand as a very promising destination. There are different types of property for sale Thailand has to offer the investor, with price ranges to suit all pockets.

By: Kelly Peck

Property in Thailand

admin — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:12:14 +0000

One of the most picturesque countries of Asia, Thailand is a top-notch global tourist hotspot. Be it the coastal lifestyle or the mainland Thai locales, the entire country is full of amazing spots that allure you no end. Thailand’s major USP is tourism and the government knows this fact and has always promoted it on a global scale.

The response from tourists flocking to the country has been overwhelming and they seem to return to Thailand in abundance year after year. Political uncertainty notwithstanding, tourists tend to flock to the country on a year round basis. Though the country is not quite open to full foreign ownership of Thai property, there is no dearth of investors’ interest in the Thailand real estate.

The charm that is Thailand

The special Thai charm assumes much greater significance for the development of the entire Southeast Asia. The miles and miles of pristine sandy beaches, including the world famous Pattaya Beach, dotted with exquisite palms have a unique magical effect on the visitor, which makes it a favourite honeymoon destination for couples tieing the knot!. Phuket and Koh Samui occupy the pride of place on the coastal regions Thailand.

Thai spa’s are world famous for their soothing, calming, and relaxing effects on a tired body. This makes the country one of the best getaway spots in the world to relax the tired mind, body, and soul. The Buddhist monasteries make for a profound experience and worth visiting at least once during your stay. Being the major Thai religion, Buddhism is all-pervasive in the lifestyle of people here. And it’s an open secret how much the Westerners are attracted towards Buddhism and the Buddhists.

Though not an absolute monarchy, yet Thailand has the longest reigning monarchy of the world since 1946. And this has been a constant cause of several coups in the country in the recent years. The country has also seen some of the worst natural disasters in recent times, like Tsunami, SARS, and Bird Flu. But all this has virtually zero effect on the minds of visitors in Thailand.

The capital Bangkok is just like any other advanced European city, with casinos, nightclubs, pubs, bars, cafes, restaurants, theatres, cocktail lounges, and massage parlours easily accessible. Thailand is also a haven for the shopping freaks with quality leather and electronic equipments available at much cheaper prices than Europe and the USA.

The regular flights to and from Thailands Airports connecting major European, American, Australian and Asian cities have spelled boom time for Thai tourism and economy.

Property Investment in Thailand

Unfortunately, Thai government is not so open when it comes to inviting global real estate players for developmental purposes. There is a bar on property investments by foreigners in the Thai real estate. As an individual, you cannot own any land, and even as a company, only the Thai partner is allowed to own land and that too with considerable amount of restrictions. The government is particularly strict in this regard post-2006 coup.

The freehold land might not be available for direct purchase by a foreign national, but you certainly can lease the property on a 30-years lease period. The foreign purchasers of condominiums may buy the freehold so long as total foreign ownership does not exceed 49% of the whole structure.

Investment in Thailands real estate should never be completed without soliciting the help of local expert adept in property transactions. This is because the Thai real estate industry is largely unregulated and you’ll hardly find any regulations governing real estate transaction in the country. While a lawyer is not a necessity in completing the contract, if the documents are in Thai, it’s better to hire either a good translator or a real estate expert.

The best property to invest in Thailand is the holiday resorts and other vacation property at prime tourist centres. A beautiful Thai villa can be yours for just £121K at ChiangMai, while a resort property is available for upwards of £50K. Condominiums in Pattaya are available at £30K onwards, while villas for slae in Phuket are heavily priced at a minimum of £480K.

These properties will ensure you get a commanding rental income throughout the year, and you can also enjoy an annual stay for a couple of weeks (or more!) in these accommodation sites.

It’s better to research the country for an appropriate and legally acquirable property because tourism potential notwithstanding, there can be lots of crooks and goons on the prowl waiting for the gullible foreign investors. Make adequate inquiries and research about the individuals and property you are dealing with. The lax political and administrative will has resulted into several criminal elements making Thailand their den. However, if you approach the real estate transaction with due diligence, chances are you’d be able to strike a good and legitimate deal.

By: Les Calvert

Facts About Thailand For Those Who Dream Of Going There

admin — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:52:10 +0000

Thailand is one of the most beautiful and culturally diverse areas in Southeast Asia. Because it was never colonized, it retains much of its original culture.

The people of Thailand are very friendly and hospitable. There is no language barrier because the staff speaks English and other European languages in most of the hotels, restaurants and tourist places. There are many different modes of transportation in Thailand. Tourists can hire a taxi, take a bus, ride on a train, rent a car or motorcycle or hike on foot through the beautiful countryside. The most interesting ride is the Tuk-Tuk, a three wheel bike, which provides a fantastic open air ride around any city.

Thailand means “the land of the free”, and is blessed with three seasons. Summers runs from February to May. The rainy season extends from June to October. The cold season lasts from November to January. Many people vacation in Thailand during December and January to get away from the cold in their countries over Christmas and New Year’s. Thailand has vacationers from all over the world.

Thailand has a very diverse geography. Tropical islands are found in the southern peninsula. There are many beautiful beaches surrounded by clear, blue waters on one side and tropical jungle on the other. The people here are involved in rubber cultivation, tin mining, and fishing. In the central part of Thailand are paddy fields, farms and many varieties of edible fruits. Here, too, are the ancient ruins of Ayuthaya, the royal capital of the kingdom of Siam, and Sukhothai. The mountains and forests of Thailand are in the north. Many different tribes are located in the mountains. Tourists can visit them from boats or by crossing the rail road lines over the famous river Kwai. They can also see unusual native handicrafts and multicolored orchids. The northeast plateau is famous for its rich archaeological and anthropological findings.

Thailand is the perfect vacation spot for those seeking a romantic getaway or who want to shop. Gourmets will love the many varieties of sea food. Many travelers also come here for an adventurous vacation. Thailand offers aquatic sports for all ages, including scuba diving, snorkeling, wind-surfing and water-skiing. Afterwards, tourists can relax on the beautiful beaches, sipping their favorite cool drink in good company.

Thailand offers something to every traveler:

Phuket is known for its exotic islands and beautiful beaches. Tourists can sunbathe on the beach, relax around a hotel pool or go on a number of popular excursions. Phuket’s nightlife is very lively. The multi-cuisine restaurants and bars are always filled with tourists.

Chiang Mai is a combination of modern city life and old village charm. Tourists can visit a working elephant camp, the Mae Sa Waterfall and an Orchid Farm. There are temples which are close to 700 years old. The Doi Suthep monastery sits on the top of a mountain 3500 feet above sea level, overlooking the fertile valley embracing Chiang Mai. The monastery is famous for its many holy relics of the Lord Buddha. Chiang Mai’s night bazaar is a favorite shopping place of tourists. Almost anything can be bought there at bargain prices.

In Chiang Rai, tourists can see the local hill tribe villages of the Akha and Yao. They can also see the ruins of Chiang Saen, Mae Sai and the Golden Triangle. The triangle is where the borders of Burma, Thailand and Laos meet. Together with Chiang Mai, the city sits in one of the artistic and religious centers in Thailand.

Bangkok is the capital of Thailand. The name means “city of angels.” Bangkok is a centre of commercial, industrial and cultural activities. The Grand Palace; Wat Phra Keo, which houses the Emerald Buddha; and Dusit Maha Prasat Hall are three of Bangkok’s largest attractions. Here tourists can see large, gleaming golden spires, soaring roofs, intricate paintings and ornate statues.

By: Joe Goertz