National Flag of the Kingdom of Thailand
by xuessium
Information extracted from Flags Of The World:
The flag is called the Trairanga, meaning Tricolour.
The story goes that during the 1916 flood the king of Siam (the old name for Thailand) saw the national flag - red with a white elephant - hanging upside down. A new flag was adopted that could not be hung upside down. Initially it was a red field with two white bands, but it was claimed that on 28th September 1917, the middle stripe was changed to blue to show solidarity with the Allies during the First World War.
Although not an official interpretation of the Thai flag, the prevailing view is that the central blue stripe represents the monarchy, the two white stripes the Therevada Buddhist religion, and the outer red stripes represent the land or the nation.
Wat Pho: the amazing reclining Buddha
by jrs1234
Don't miss seeing the reclining Buddha in Wat Pho, round the corner from the Grand Palace on Chetuphon Road. It's an amazing sight - here's a detail. There's a small entry fee of 20 baht.
Wat Pho is also home to a famous Thai massage school: so you can also get a massage if you want; take a look at:
http://www.into-asia.com/bangkok/attractions/watpho.php
for much more information.
The grounds of Wat Pho have some amazing architecture, too - so don't forget to allow enough time for a wander around.
It's open from 8am to 5pm daily.
The Thai People.
by Sharrie
The Thai people - I wish I could speak Thai when I was here. There's so much to discover & understand. Most of the locals don't understand English & one has to be adventurous to venture out on your own. For me, I enjoy a trip more when I'm on my own schedule & just enjoy a sense of being. Surprises are great when one learns how to embrace them. This is one place where I'll be back for a more indepth exploration.
Don't Touch The Head!
by RoyJava
In a spiritual as well physical way the feet are the lowest part of the body. That means you better do not put your feet on a table to slouch in a chair. Also donot point your feet to people's direction around you. And Thais believe in the same context (like Indonesians), the head is regarded as the highest part of the body; the most sacred part of the body! So, refrain from touching the head, even not ruffling their hair!
That's why it is strange to see people (tourists ofcourse ...) touching the head for some luck of the famous fat Buddha statues. Mostly located in museums these images can be in parks, too. I saw locals do touch the feet, or his belly and, preferred to do the same. I really do not know where the luck will come from ... ;-)
Covering up
by clueless83
If you're planning to go to any temples, the Grand Palace in particular, make sure you bring some lightweight clothing that covers your shoulders and legs. When I went to the Grand Palace I wore light combat trousers which I was able to roll up to the knee while walking around the city and down to my ankle when in the palace. I took a sarong to wrap around my shoulders in the palace but they wouldn't let me in so I had to hire a horrible baggy shirt that made me sweat so much in my life (and just think about all those other people who have sweated in the shirt!) Gross! Ladies - bring a kaftan!!!
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Hawking their wares
Bangkok - Thailand
In-patient room
BTS Skytrain station Ratchathewi
