The traditional music and dance of a country represents its culture and history. You will find out more about the culture and history of Thailand attending some shows that depict this aspect of the country.
The Thai Khon dance is showcases the stories from the Hindu epic Ramayana. You will see the Monkey God, Hanuman very commonly depicted as a white monkey. Hanuman served King Rama and helped to defeat a demon named Thotsakan and his army. Usually meanings of some movements are explained to the audience. The audiences are also told which mask represents which character. English narration helps the western audience to understand the story. The masks which represent the Gods, demonic creatures and the celestials are vibrant and the performers sing, act, dance and perform aerobics all through the show.
If you want to have a different experience, then go for Siam Niramit which has a night dinner show with the new effects that lights up the night sky and the nearby Himapaan Forest.
The National Theater of Thailand is open throughout the year, but the theater stages Thai music and dance show only on the last Friday and Saturday of the month. The National Theater is a huge building with the red roof with gold eaves. It is made up of three parts consisting of a theater, workshop and an auditorium which is next to the open air sala.
The performance given by the performers is long and original. If you are person who cannot sit for two hours listening to traditional music of Thailand, then go to other theaters before visiting the National Theater.
For the tourists who are staying in five star hotels, usually the hotel will have traditional music and dance performances during the weekends. In fact, hotels like the Oriental Hotel, Shangri-la Hotel and Marriott Hotel and Spa are renowned for their shows.
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As a longtime resident of Thailand I have a certain insight into whether or not Thailand is safe for visitors or those wishing to stay longer term.
There are usually multiple instances of unsafe activities going on in the country at any chosen time. I will review the major areas where foreigners need to take extra precautions to stay safe during their stay.
Bangkok, the Capital of Thailand, is ground zero for political movements. The country has not seen stability politically in a very long time. Some would say it was never stable in modern times. Currently there are red shirt groups and yellow shirt groups that are in opposition. The military sometimes gets involved and stages military coups - and there is always fighting - sometimes lethal as groups confront each other, and attempt to change the power structure that exists. This is a constant struggle and matters little who happens to be in power at the moment, there is always unrest in Bangkok.
The problems are compounded when police and military are called on to preserve order in the streets... sometimes the hand is heavy and they end up killing protestors. This does not help the situation and it can escalate from there.
As a visitor to Thailand you would not want to be spending your vacation or any time at all in Bangkok when there are bombs going off and military and/or police in the streets to control the demonstrations. It is just a very bad idea. It is not safe and you will not have a good time. If all you are coming to Thailand for is to spend time in Bangkok, choose a time when there is peace in the country or at least a small risk of violence letting loose.
Another area that is often times not safe - and currently it is not, is the deep south. Muslim separatists in the southern Thailand provinces have waged a violent campaign against both Thai Buddhist and Thai Muslim believers that have not joined their radical organization. There have been approximately 3,000 deaths in the south over the past few years, though no foreigners are known to have been killed yet. Thailand tourism officials do not recommend that foreigners visit these southernmost provinces and you would be wise to limit your travels to the other provinces.
Natural disasters like the devastating tsunami of 2004 have the potential to re-occur any time, though the chances are apparently not high that a similar even will recur in Thailand anytime soon.
Pattaya, Patong Beach, Patpong, and other tourist filled areas can be bad news at night. There are robberies and assaults that occur nightly, but if you are not one of the ones bar-fining girls or ladyboys for a night of fun in your room you will probably be OK. There are a number of things you should know about Thai culture - which goes well beyond this article. In my last paragraph of this article I will give you another resource that will help you immensely.
Is Pattaya safe? Sometimes. Is Patong Beach safe? More often than Pattaya, yes. Is Patpong safe? Not so safe in general, no I would not consider it safe.
Your mileage may vary during your trip if you plan on availing yourself of the adult carnival of fun in Thailand. You may well find yourself beat up and in the hospital or you might have a perfectly safe time, despite indulging in outrageous nighttime activities. It is hard for me to give a blanket statement about whether Thailand is safe for all people because all people are different.
The last time anyone ventured a guess there were approximately 100,000 foreigners living in Thailand as long-term expats here for more than vacation. During a typical year when there is not much political fighting in Bangkok there are over 12 million foreign tourists per year enjoying the country. Very few of them have a problem with their physical safety while they are here. Most of them take some precautions. Many of them are frequent visitors.
Visiting or staying in Thailand can be dangerous or it can be relatively safe and enjoyable. Probably the biggest factor in the equation is you. If you are the type that looks for trouble or does not try hard to avoid trouble you might find it in Thailand. If you do not have any experience in the country you will probably be doing yourself a substantial favor by researching more about Thai culture and the experiences of foreigners in the country.
If you're considering a trip to Thailand and are concerned about safety during your stay, there is an informational article I just published at my main Thailand-focused site, www.ThaiBlackBook.com that will supplement the information you learned here. The name of this Thailand informational article is, "Is Thailand Safe to Visit?"
Planning a vacation to Thailand is fun and exciting. What will you see and what will you do? No matter if you are planning your trip alone or with your family, the following activities are sure to please everyone in your group.
Big Buddha Hill, also known as Pattaya Hill, is a great place to see. There is a gigantic golden Buddha statue that will make you feel tiny. It can be seen from far away and is a great sight to see. The giant Buddha was built by hand and took over a year to complete. This area also has many smaller Buddha statues.
International Walking Street in Pattaya is also a major tourist attraction. The area has a great night scene, with clubs, bars, pubs, Thai restaurants, shopping malls, and more! Shop until 11pm and then party the rest of the night in a club. This famous street even has boxing to watch.
Chanthaburi offers great sights to see and splendid tours. Go through thick tropic rainforest and see amazing waterfalls or just see the Chanthaburi River flowing throughout the town. This area is well known for it's fruits and gems. Nearby is Oasis Sea World with Dolphin shows scheduled five times daily.
Koh Larn is an island just a hop and a skip away from Pattaya. If you travel to the island by ferry the ride is 45, or hop on a speed boat to get there in ten! Koh Larn is famous for their white sandy beaches and off shore coral reefs. Go snorkeling or take a tour on a glass bottom boat. The water contrasts the white sand as it is turquoise, clear, and warm. The island also offers water skiing, parasailing, jet skis, henna tattoos, and wonderfully exotic cuisine.
Making vacation plans to go to Thailand is very exciting! All the places and activity seem endless. By visiting some of the locations listed above you can guarantee that you'll have an unforgettable trip.
Thailand, the perfect place to visit for hot, sunny holidays.
After traveling a lot to Thailand and around the country I want to share some of my experience with you. You can find almost everything you want there except snow.
When you plan your trip to Thailand there are 3 usual places to arrive, Bangkok, Phuket or Chang Mai.
If you arrive in Bangkok you are in the middle of the country and have lots of opportunities from there. Bangkok is a huge city with lots of people (estimated 12 million with tourists) and it is a very busy place to stay for a long period. There are a few things that should be seen in Bangkok and one of them is Grand Palace.
To get in there you need to follow the rules of clothing (shorts is not allowed in there). A boat trip on the river is very nice and you can see a t from the boats. Bangkok also have great opportunities for shopping with many huge shopping centers. When you stay in Bangkok, make sure you also visit the floating market and the Silom area. From Bangkok the drive is not far to the party place Pattaya or the quiet city of Hua Hin.
If you arrive in the south of Thailand, Phuket, you will find a more quiet place with great beaches. The area in the south also offers a lot of sights. If you go south and want to go for a party you can visit Patong, which is a smaller scaled Pattaya. The south of Thailand has the same temperatures as the central parts of the country, but the south is a bit more wet and rainy. While staying in south you should consider a trip to the many islands, you will find a lot of great untouched nature there.
The north of Thailand i quite different from the other 2 places. The temperatures are lower there and the air feels more fresh. Chang Mai is the biggest city, but Chang Rai is also of a certain size. The north can not offer sea and beaches like the central parts and the south, but they have a lot of great nature. It is known to be a very "green" area, some people call it the lounges of Thailand.
This was just a short summary from my trips in Thailand, and after visiting the country lots of times I will very strongly recommend it to absolutely everyone.
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