5 Delightful Things No One Tells You About Thailand

When you plan a trip to Thailand, you tend to hear all about the elephant rehabilitation centers, the amazing temples, the island parties, and the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. But Phuket and the Wat Pho aren't the only destinations and attractions to put on your list. There are plenty of other interesting things about Thailand that make it fascinating to visit, from cultural background to modern attractions.

So, to better prepare you for your trip, here are five delightful things no one tells you about Thailand.

1. It's Never Been Colonized

This is more of an historical note, but travelers may be interested to learn that Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia that was never colonized by a foreign power. It's a constitutional monarchy with a king and queen, and has been independent as such for a very long time. The Portuguese called it Siam as early as the 1400s, and England wanted to colonize it later, in the 1800s. But the English ultimately made an agreement with France to leave Thailand alone so as to avoid conflict - a decision that left the country independent, but also perhaps paved the way for its partnership with Japan during World War II. History.com explains how Thailand briefly allied with the Japanese against England and the U.S. during the war. One way or another though, Thailand has made it to this point having never been occupied by a foreign nation. It's not only an interesting note on history and culture, but also something travelers may well notice. In many other countries in the region, there are still regions and "old towns" with strong European influence, from colonial days. This is not the case in Thailand.

2. Their New Year Is In April

The Thai New Year doesn't come until April, which is also one of the hottest months of the year there. This is worth knowing not only as a general point of interest though, but also because it coincides with one of the most exciting holiday celebrations anywhere in the world. To mark he occasion of the New Year, Thailand erupts in an occasion known as the Songkran Festival, which consists of people arming themselves with squirt guns, buckets, and water balloons and essentially staging a nationwide, free-for-all water fight. It's the most thrilling, unique sort of party, and naturally it helps one to stay cool if visiting during this hottest of seasons!

3. There's A Thriving Gaming Culture

It is well known that, like most Asian countries, there is a strict gaming prohibition in Thailand. Most forms of gaming are illegal here, except state-run lotteries and sanctioned Muay Thai betting. But this ban in gaming has not extinguished the Thai's love for this pastime. Put simply there is a thriving game culture in this country. Khaosod English in their report on a recent gaming survey detail that 3 in 5 Thais, or 30.42 million locals, have played casino games at least once. This number represents a 14% increased from 2017, underpinning a growing gaming culture. Additionally, a portion of these gamers even travel to nearby Cambodia to play. ExpatBets in their feature on Thailand’s casino industry explain how most locals cross the border and visit Poipet in Cambodia. Poipet is one of Cambodia's thriving casino border towns, with its success largely fuelled by Chinese and Thai visitors. Its proximity to Thailand means it is a favourite spot of Thais who want to play a game or two. That they actually cross the border is a testament to the country's robust gaming cultu

4. Bangkok's Best Eats Aren't All On the Street

Local street vendors are often a fun part of any travel experience, whether you're in Asia or on another continent altogether. And in Thailand, some of the street food is legendary. Yet even in Bangkok, where the pad thai and papaya salad on the streets is famous, it shouldn't automatically be considered your best dining option. As has been pointed out here before, the city's rooftops are also iconic, and happen to have great dining options as well. So while we aren't saying you shouldn't try that renowned papaya salad, we'd encourage you to try some other exciting options also.

5. Not All Skyscrapers Are Glamorous

Bangkok's rooftops, noted above, provide visitors with a lot of incredible views and sophisticated bars and restaurants to enjoy. However, don't let that give you the impression that it's a city full of glamorous skyscrapers. Some are far less so, and one in particular - the Sathorn Unique - is actually known as a ghost tower. The company that started building it never finished, so the tower stands 49 stories tall and completely empty. Like something out of a dystopian fantasy novel, the building serves as a reminder of how far the Thai economy has come since the late 1990s when the project was abandoned. Don't attempt to climb it - it's illegal and unsafe (though people do find their way up). Instead, if you're desperate to see the top, go for a helicopter tour of the city and ask them to fly around the tower for a closer look. It's fairly amazing to look at what happens to a skyscraper in 20-plus years out of use.

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I fell in love with traveling much earlier than I fell in love with my first man. And I'm still faithful to that love (But I have exchanged some men since my first one). I have never had a reason to regret my passion. I constantly dream of going further, it gives me indescribable emotions and meaning to my life.

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