THAILAND CULTURE

 ASSOCIATED WITH DOMINANT ETHNIC GROUPS.  IT WAS A MONARCHY UNTIL 1952. IN 1939 THEIR NAME CHANGED TO SIAM VS. THAILAND.  MILITARY  DICTATES RULED UNTIL THE EARLY 1970'S.  SINCE THEN THE MILITARY DICTATORS RULED THE NATION, BUT DIMINISHED IN THE 1990'S.  MORE LIBERAL POLICIES WERE ADOPTED.  THE KINGDOMS OF THAILAND HAS 4 MAIN REGIONS.  THE THAI LIVE MAINLY IN THE CENTRAL REGIONS WITH HILLS IN THE CENTRAL REGION.

BANKOK, THE CAPITAL, WAS INVADED IN 1767 BY BURMESE.  IT HAS OVER  10 MILLION FOLKS.  THEY HAVE 75 ETHNIC GROUPS.   THEY HAVE 75 ETHNIC GROUPS WITH 84% OF THE POPULATION.  THEY HAVE CHINESE AND MALAY SPEAKING MUSLIMS.  MANY ETHNIC GROUPSSPEAK NON KHIMER.

THEIR MOST POTENT NATIONAL SYMBOL IS THE KING AND THE IMAGE OF BUDDISM.  THEIR EARLIEST BRONZE ARTIFACT DATE IS 3000 YEARS AGO.  THEY HAD AGRICULTURE THAT FAR BACK.  IN THE 8TH AND 9TH CENTURIES  INDIAN CIVILIZATION WAS IN THIS COUNTRY.  AS EARLY AS THE 5TH OR 6TH CENTURY.   THAI SPEAKING PEOPLE MIGRATED TO THE SOUTH.  THE FOUNDER OF THE KINGDOM PROMOTED BUDDISM.   BY 1580 A PART OF THAILAND WAS REJUVENATED .  THAILAND  IS A MAJOR PRODUCER OF AGRICULTURE PRODUCTS,

THAILAND IS A HOMOGENOUS COUNTRY WITH 75 ETHNOLINGUISTIC GROUPS. THE CHINESE HAVE BEEN HERE FOR CENTURIES  THEY EXPORTED RICE .  BY THE 20TH CENTURY THEY HAD THEIR OWN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.   BY 1930 THE GOVERNMENT CLOSED THEIR NEWSPAPER.

THEIR TRADITIONAL HOUSE IS RAISED ON A FRAMEWORK OF WOODEN POSTS TP PROTECT FROM FLOODS. UNDERNEATH THE PORCH THE WOMEN  COULD SLEEP.  THE HOUSE IS MADE OF PRECONSTRUCTED FABRIC THAT FITS TOGETHER.  THE REAR OF THE HOUSE HAS A PLACE TO CLOTHES.  TYPICASLLY THEY SAT ON MATS AND HAD LITTLE FURNITURE.  IN LARGER HOUSES THEY HAVE A SEPARATE KITCHEN AND GRANERY.

RICE IS THE STAPLE AT EVERY MEAL.  THEY BRING DISHES OF SIDE PLATES, SOUP,  AND SALAD.  SOME EAT STICKY RICE.  FISH IS POPULAR AS ARE CURRIES.  SOME FOLKS EAT MEAT.  CHINESE MAKE NOODLE DISHES.  SWEETS ARE EATEN AS SNACKS.  THEY EAT GREEN PAPAYA SALAD.  THE WOMEN USED DECORATIVE CARVING OF VEGETABLES AND FRUITS.  THEY PRODUCE COMMERCIAL ALCOHOLIC  DRINKS.

THE LAND HAS A DIVERSIFIED ORIENTED ECONOMY THAT GREW RAPIDLY IN THE LATE 20TH CENTURY.  TOURISM HAS LED TO IT'S GROWTH.  AGRICULTURAL PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO OVER 60 PERCENT OF THE WORKFORCE.  85% ARE BUDDISTS.  LARGE ESTATES ARE RARE.  ABOUT 90% OF FARMERS OWN LAND.  THEIR PRIMARY AGRICULTURE CROPS ARE RICE, TAPIOCA, SUGAR CON AND FRUITS.  IN ADULT TO FRESH AND FROZEN AGRICULTURE PRODUCTS.  THEY HAVE LARGE FISHING INDUSTRY.  THEY ARE ONE OF THE WORLD'S LEADING PRODUCERS OF RUBBER. THE COUNTRY IS A CENTER CUTTING AND SELLING GEMS.  IT IS A PLACE FOR TOURISTS DESTINATION.  THE U.S.  IS A MAJOR SOURCE OF INVESTMENT.

THEY EXPORT COMPUTERS, CIRCUITS, AND OTHER ELECTRICAL GADGETS.

FOLKS FIND THEIR OWN PARTNERS. DURING MARRIAGE THEY GET MANY GIFTS.  POLYGYMY WAS COMMON IN THE PAST BUT NOT NOW.  THEY ALSO HAVE DIVORCE WITHOUT LAWYERS.

IDEALLY A MARRIED COUPLE HAS THEIR OWN HOUSEHOLD.  MANY LIVE WITH THIS KIND OF HUSBAND  OR WIFE.  IT OFTEN INCLUDES MEMBERS OF THE EXTENDED FAMILY.  THIS COULD INCLUDE INCLUDE SISTERS, BROTHERS, WIDOWED, PARENTS, OR DISTANT RELATIVES.  THE HUSBAND IS HEAD OF HOUSEHOLD, AND THE WIFE HAS SPENDING AUTHORITY.  SHE TAKES CARE OF THE CHILDREN.  ADULTS ENJOY THEIR CHILDREN.  A MOTHER KEEPS HER BABY WITH HER WHEN OUT OF THE HOUSE.   KIDS ARE GIVEN FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT.  THEY ARE NO LONGER BREAST AFTER TWO TO THREE YEARS.  CHILDREN LEARN HOW TO USE  IMPLEMENTS THST THEY WILL LATER USE AND SEE ADULTS PERFORMING AGRICULTURE.  GIRLS ARE EDUCATED AT HOME UNTIL 1932 WHEN THEY DEVELOPED PUBLIC SCHOOLS.  BOYS ATTENDED BUDDHIST MONASTERIES.

THERE WAS AN ECONOMIC CRISIS IN THE LATE 1990'S WITH AN INCREASE IN CHILDREN UNIVERSITIES, TECHNICAL SCHOOLS, AND RELIGIOUS UNIVERSITIES.  THE FIRST UNIVERSITY WAS BUILT IN 1916.   IN THE 20'S AN ARTS AND CRAFTS SCHOOL WAS BUILT.  ALL OF THE UNIVERSITIES ARE IN BANGKOK. BY 1945 THEY BUILT ANOTHER UNIVERSITY.  THERE ARE ONLY PRIVATE UNIVERSITIES THAT FOCUS IN BUSINESS AND EDUCATION.

THE THAI AND BUDDISTS FOLLOW A CUSTOM OF NOT TOUCHING A PERSON ON THE HEAD.  THEY REMOVE SANDALSWHEN ENTERING A TEMPLE COMPLEX.  MONKS ARE NOT TO COME INTO CONTACT  WITH WOMEN.  YOU SHOULD MEET A PERSON IN PRAYER LIKE GESTURE.  MANY LARGE TREES ARE CONSIDERED TO SERVE AS THE HOME OF SPIRITS WITH OFFERINGS.

THEY NO LONGER HAVE A SIGNIFICANT PRODUCER OF NARCOTICS, BUT IS A ROUTE FOR HEROIN.  THESE DRUGS ARE AFFECTING THERE SOCIAL PROBLEMS.  THEIR TRADITIONAL HEALERS ARE GENERALLY MALE. TRADING IS CONDUCTED BY BOTH SEXES.

KIN GROUPS MAY SHARE DOMESTIC TASKS. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS THAT ARE HELD THROUGHOUT THE THE COUNTRY. THERE ARE LOCAL EVENTS RELATED TO CERTAIN PLACES RELATED TO AND INDIVIDUALS.  THE BUDDIST CALENDAR BEGINS IN MID APRIL WHEN BUDDAS ARE WASHED.  THE CELEBRATION IS MARKED BY DOUSING PEOPLE WITH WATER.  THEY ALSO HAVE FESTIVE BEHAVIOR WITH DANCING, SINGING, AND THEATRE.  IT INCLUDES CEREMONIESOF BANYON TREES WHERE BUDDHA SAT.  LENT IS A PERIOD OF CEREMONIAL RETREAT. FOR MONKS.  THEY HAVE A FEBRUARY CELEBRATION WHERE CANDLES ARE LIT AT TEMPLES.  BUDDISTS BELIEVE THAT THOSE WHO DIE ARE REBORN IN A FORM THAT IS APPROPRIATE TO THE AMOUNT OF MERIT THEY ACCUMULATE WHILE ALIVE.

THEY HAVE AIDS EPIDEMIC AND THE GOVERNMENT AND THE GOVERNMENT IS IS DEVOTING RESOURCES TO PROVIDE FOR ASSISTING PATIENTS.  IN THE 1990'S THE GOVERNMENT ADOPTEDA POLICY OF SELF RELIANCE THAT INCLUDED ATTENTION TO TRADITIONNAL MEDICINE.  MANY HEALERS ARE UNLICENSED.

THERE IS SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS THROUGH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTORS.  THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ARTS AND DANCE RUNS PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.  THEY HAVE PRIVATE ART GALLERIES, HOUSES, AND AUCTIONS.

THEIR WRITTEN LITERATURE DATES BACK TO 1250 TO 1350  THEY HAVE POETRY FROM THE 15TH CENTURY.

DURING HISTORIC TIMES THERE WERE ROYAL AND COMMON TEXT TRADITIONS. THE MOBILITY IMPORTED TEXTILE FROM CHINA, INDIA, AND PERSIA.  PAINTING WAS DONE AS WELL AS   WEAVINGS..  THEY HAVE AN ITALIAN BORN SCULPTURE WHO IS THE CENTRAL FIGURE. OF MODERN ART IN THAILAND.

CLASSICAL DANCE DEVELOPED FROM FOLK DANCES AND ELABORATE DANCING.  TEACHER TRAINING  AND PUBLISHING IN  IN SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES ARE WELL DEVELOPED.  THE GOVERNMENT HAS PROGRAMSTO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO TAKE PHYSICAL SCIENCE.

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