Team+Thailand

=**Team Thailand**= = = media type="custom" key="6605"
 * Members:** Peter, Sarah and Lisa.

Team Contract
• Let the team members know if you can't make it to class. • Arrive on time to class. • Share work evenly and fairly. • Ask for help if needed. • Do not isloate yourslf from the group. • Share constructive critisism.

Tasks to be completed are: • Which country you will visit (Everyone) • How you will travel (Sarah) • Where you will stay (Sarah) • Demographics and Population (Peter) • Climate and Environment (Peter) • Culture (Sarah) • Laws and Government (Lisa) • Places of Interest (Lisa)

Which country you visited
Thailand- Is a country in southeast asia, bordering Laos and Cambodia to the east, the gulf of Thailand and Malaysia to the south and the Andaman sea and Myanmar to the west. It used to have the name Siam until May 11 1949. The word Thai means freedom in the Thai language and is also the name of the majority Thai ethnic group. Reasons for your visit to Thailand are: • Nice tropical environment. • Interesting and different culture. • Friends that we know where born in Thailand.

How you got there
To get to Thailand we will be traveling by Thai Airways. Our flight is from Sydney to Bangkok, the flight number is TG992. The plane leaves Sydney airport on the 9 April 2007 at 8:00 am and will land in Bangkok at 1:13 pm, therefore the flight is eight hours and fifteen minutes. We will be traveling Economy. For the three of us to travel to Thailand it costs $729.00, the tax is $230.20 for the three of us and the booking fee is $14.95. The total cost for the three of us to travel to Thailand is $974.15. Here is a picture of Thai Airways plane.

Where you stayed
–Baiyoke Sky Hotel Bangkok The Baiyoke Sky Hotel is the world's tallest hotel, located in the heart of downtown and surrounded by market, entertainment and attractions. Easy walking distance to the major shopping centers: World Trade Centre, Gaysorn Plaza, Peninsula, Sogo Department Store, Siam Square, MBK Centre, etc. This hotel's rooms are very comfortable and is a great location for relaxing or for even business, the services was pleasant. This is a picture of the bar in the Baiyoke Sky Hotel Bangkok

–Sheraton Hotel Pattaya Thailand Pattaya attracts visitors with its sports facilities, daytrips, island tours, wildlife, amusement parks, nightlife, museums, botanical gardens and beaches. The hotel has three restaurants, all serving fantastic dishes for dinner. It has an open garden area, this is a great location to hold conferences, parties or events. This is the view from the hotel, isn't it beautiful!!!

What you ate
–"Khao Soy" (Chiang Mai Noodles) It consists of a creamy curry sauce that is served over egg noodles. This particular dish is named after the Northern Thai city from which it was created: Chiang Mai. 4 ounces fresh egg noodle 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1 tablespoon red curry paste 1/2 cup of coconut milk 4 ounces of ground pork 1 cup chicken stock 1 tablespoon curry powder 1 pinch of turmeric powder 2 tablespoons of fish sauce 1 teaspoon lime juice
 * Ingredients:**

–"Goong Gah Tee-em" (Garlic Shrimp) Goong Gah Tee-em is easy to prepare. This dish is usually served with rice. It is not a meal in itself per say, but it is normally served as part of a typical Thai meal, alongside several other dishes. 8 cloves of garlic, crushed to release their flavor 2 tablespoons fish sauce 2 tablespoons coriander root, minced 1 lemon 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1 - 2 pounds shrimp (you can use any size you desire) Vegetable Oil
 * Ingredients:**

Demographics and population
The population of Thailand reached about 63.36 people at the end of 2003, approximately 25 percent are under the age of 15. More than half of Thai's population is dominated by Lao or Isan, not Thai, however Lao is no longer officialy recognised as Isan is prefered as the national identity.Theres a fair bit of intermixing between Thai.Chinees and Lao however many prefered to be known as Thai to keep simplicity.94.6% are Buddhists, the second are Muslims containing 4.6% and Catholics containing about 0.75% of their population. The Thai language is Thai's national language, written in its own alphabet, english is taught however proficiency is low.

Climate and Environment
Thailand's climate is ruled by monsoons that produce three seaons in northern, northeastern and central Thailand and two in southern Thailand. Generally the 'dry and wet monsoon climate' arrives sometime between May and July and lasts into November. It is followed by a dry season from November to May in which temperatures are relatively lower until February and then begin to soar from March to May. Thailand shares borders with Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Laos and Cambodia. The country's east coast borders the Gulf of Thailand and the west coast abuts the Andaman Sea. The country is divided into four main zones: the fertile, central plains of the Chao Phraya River; the poorer region of the 300m (985ft) high northeast plateau; the fertile valley and mountains of Northern Thailand; and the rainforested southern peninsula. The highest peak is the 2596m (8512ft) Doi Inthanon in Chiang Mai province. One-fifth of Thailand is covered by monsoon forest or rainforest, and the country has an incredible array of fruit trees, bamboo and tropical hardwoods. There are 80 national parks and 32 wildlife sanctuaries, covering 13 per cent of the country. They contain more than 850 resident and migratory species of birds and dwindling numbers of tigers, leopards, elephants and Asiatic black bears. Unfortunately, attempts to stop the logging of rainforests and illegal trafficking in endangered species are fighting an uphill battle against corruption, officials only too happy to make a buck on the side, and tourists packing an exotica or two down their dacks as they walk through customs. The tiger, for instance, is one of the most endangered of Thailand's mammals but the market for tiger organs, particularly in China, is so lucrative that poaching is still a viable career option.

Places of Interest - identify interesting places and events to visit
One of the greatest, most memorable things to do in Thailand is to get an ancient Thai massage. Ancient massage or Thai massage is an extraordinary method of aligning the energies of the body, and originates from the time of Buddha. Some of the benefits of receiving an ancient massage are as follows: http://www.43places.com/entries/view/1190735
 * The joy of receiving
 * Calmness and rest
 * The simplicity of accepting
 * A refreshed spirit
 * A general increase in energy
 * An opening of the meridians and blocked parts of the body
 * Relief for pain and muscle tension
 * The body and mind (heart) are strengthened and rejuvenated
 * Blood and lymph circulation are improved
 * An increase in flexibility
 * The nervous system is balanced
 * Deep relaxation is facilitated

One of the biggest events on the thai calander ins the annual New Year celebration, or Songkran. this usually falls around April 13, when th sun moves into Aries. The word Songkran comes from the Sansrkit, meaning 'the begining of the solar year'. This celebration lasts around three days which is greatly accepted by the holiday-loving Thais, who celebrate the New Year three times a year: the Western New Year on January 1, the Chinese New Year in February, and the Thai New Year in April. Traditionally, Thais visit temples to offer food to the monks and to participate in bathing ceremonies for Buddha images. At home, young people pour scented water into the hands of their parents and elders as a mark of respect and to receive their blessing. These days, Songkran has turned into a water-throwing funfest, in which anyone and everyone is liable to get thoroughly drenched, which isn't unwanted as this is the hottest time of the year.

There is a huge range of ancient temples and to palaces to visit throughout Thailand, some of them are:

Temple of the Emerald Buddha (Wat Phra Kaew) in the grounds of the Grand Palace, Bangkok. The temple buildings are extremely colourful, being comprised of gleaming, gilded chedis, polished orange and green roof tiles, mosaic-encrusted pillars and rich marble pediments. Marble Temple (Wat Benchamabophit), Bangkok. The temple is made of white Carrara marble and was built about 100 years ago by King Rama V. His ashes are kept under the main Buddha image. Wat Phra That Hariphuchai, Lamphun, northern Thailand. The temple buildings date back to 1157.

Culture - arts, society, music, language, traditions and customs
The official language of Thailand is Standard Thai, also known as central Thai or Siamese. Standard Thai is composed of several distint registers, forms for different social background: – Street Thai: informal, used between close relatives and friends; – Elegant Thai: offical and written version, used in simplified form in newspapers. – Rhetorical Thai: used for public speaking. – Religious Thai: used when discussing Buddhism or addressing the monks. – Royal Thai: used when addressing members of the royal family or describing their activities. Less educated Thais usually can speak at only the Street Thai or Elegant Thai levels, though they will understand the others. Thai alphabet derived from the Khmer alphabet. In Thai society, people earn respect with increasing age, wealth and education. The social structure in Thailand is that if you are "inferior" you place your palms higher and keep your head lower than those who are superior. Thais have a general rule that subordinates listen to, serve and follow the directions of there superior without comment or question. Whoever, the superior takes care of the subordinate. To the people in Australian Thais may ask questions that may seem rude, whoever they are not meant to be, such as asking about your age or salary. In Thailand there are two things that you must respect during your stay in this country is the royal family, and religion. Theravada Buddhism is central to modern Thai identity and belief. The basis of the Thai customs and traditions lies in the family. Like many societies like the Chinese, the young are taught to pay respect to and follow the admonitions of parents, elders, teachers and Buddhist monks. One of the most common customs in Thailand is called the "wai", this is when they are acknowledging each other, saying farewell or when greeting each other. It involves a prayer-like gesture with the hands and a bow of the head. Some of Thailand's customs: In Thailand unlike in Australia, it is consided extremely rude to step on a Thai coin because the King's head appears on it. You are expected to remove your shoe's before entering a home or temple. In temples you are expected to point your feet away from images of the Buddha, or any religious icon. At home shrines are usually placed on the same wall as the head of the bed, to ensure that you do not point your feet at the images. Thai monks are prohibited physical contact with women, women make way for passing monks to ensure that accidental contact does not occur. Dance in Thialand is considered graceful and interpretative. People in Thailand dance according to there beliefs, customs, traditions and culture. Therefore, dance is very important to Thais. Thai music is part of its oral culture. Thai classic musical instruments include plucking, drawing, percussion and woodwind. Thai classical music is played in some religious ceremonies, traditional rites and on festive occassions. Thailand has a number of art galleries. Some art galleries in Thailand are private that display work of contemporary artists, and others focus on Thailand traditional art forms.
 * Language**
 * Society**
 * Traditions and Customs**
 * Music**
 * Art**

Laws and Government - find out about local laws, including issues that may lead to cultural difficulties or misunderstandings
At the moment, Thailand is in the later stages of a coup, which means the miltary has taken over the government. Australians traveling to thailand are warned to exercise extreme caution and to stay away from demonstrations, political rallies and concentrations of military personnel. Certain parts of Thailand have been put on high alert for terrorism and tourists are being advised to stay away from these areas. Thailand is a Constitutional Monarchy. The Thai Constitution allows for a division of the government into three branches: Executive, Legislative and Judicial. The Executive Branch has two acting heads: The King, who serves as Head or Chief of State, and The Prime Minister, who serves as Head of Government. The King has little Constitutional power. He serves more as a symbol of national identity and unity. The King is not elected, but rather comes to power through the Law of Succession. The Prime Minister is chosen from the members of the House of Representatives. The members of the House are elected by popular vote, and the member that can organize a majority coalition is chosen as Prime Minister. The Legislative Branch is a bicameral system composed of a Senate and a House of Representatives. The members of both the House and the Senate are elected by popular vote. The House has 500 members, which serve for four year terms, and the Senate has 200 members, serving for six year terms. The two largest parties represented in government are the New Aspiration Party and the Democratic Party. There are 12 total parties represented in government today. The Communist Party is not allowed in Thailand. Some dumb laws in Thailand are:
 * It is illegal to leave your house if you are not wearing underwear.
 * You must wear a shirt while driving a car.
 * You must pay a fine of $600 in Thailand if you're caught throwing away chewed bubble gum on the sidewalk.
 * No one may step of any of the nation's currency.