Capital:	Bangkok
Population:	63.4 Million (Year 2004)
Ethnic Groups:	Thai	89%
	Others	11%
Religions:	Buddhist	94-95%
	Muslim	4-5%
	Others (Christian, Hindu & Brahmin)
Languages:	Thai (Official language)
	English (as the second language)
	Regional dialects
Introduction Thailand is a country equivalent to the size of France, that is about 513,115 sq.km. Thailand enjoys a tropical climate with three distinct seasons, which is summer from March to May, rainy with plenty of sunshine from June to September and cool from October to February every year. Economy The currency of Thai is Baht, which is worth a little less than US 4 cents. One US dollar is approximately 39 Baht. US Dollar traveler cheques can be conveniently cashed at all provincial banks and authorized money changers. People and Culture Thailand’s population is relatively homogenous. More than 85% speak a dialect of Thai and share a common culture. The population is mostly rural, concentrated in the rice-growing areas of the central, northeastern, and northern regions. The constitution mandates 12 years of free education. However, university education is optional and accounts for 19% of the total government expenditures.