Thailand

Geography of Thailand: Important Geographical Information about Thailand

The Kingdom of Thailand lies in the heart of Southeast Asia. It is bordered in the north by Laos and Myanmar (Burma) and in the east by the Gulf of Thailand and Cambodia. The west is bordered by Myanmar and the Andaman Sea while Malaysia shares its border with Thailand in the south. A strip of land protrusion connects the only road route from mainland Asia through Thailand to Malaysia and Singapore. With a total landmass of 513,120 square kilometers, Thailand is about the size of France, with a large population which is estimated to be over 66 million. The majority of the population is of Thai ethnicity. Thailand had been secluded from the rest of the world as it was the only country that was not under any Western rule in its entire history, so for the most part, the country was considered mysterious. It was just recently that Thailand began to open its doors to welcome the rest of the world, and turned Thailand into a major tourist destination in Southeast Asia.

Sharing borders with volatile nations like Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia, Thailand is not immune to external and internal strifes. It also had to contend with the Asian financial crisis, power struggles, coup attempts and other civil unrests. There was growing poverty in the rural areas, corruption and prostitution, opium trade as well as health issues, including HIV/AIDS.

Products
Thailand is one of the major rice producers in the region, having fertile floodplains that are very suitable for rice cultivation. These fertile lands easily attracted settlers in the area. Thailand is the second largest producer of tungsten in the world and the third when it comes to tin. Soybeans, tapioca, rubber, sugarcane, coconuts, and corn are some of its agricultural products for domestic and international markets.

River Systems
The Mekong River and the Chao Phraya River support the agricultural economy of Thailand. The terrain is divided into three – mountains in the north, a central plain and there is also an upland plateau. The central plain is the lowland area where the Chao Phraya River and its tributaries drain. On the northeastern part is the Khorat Plateau where gently rolling hills and shallow lakes can be found, draining into the Mekong River via the Mun River. The Mekong River system in turn empties into the South China Sea. The Chao Phraya and Mekong river systems provide the means for the transport of people and goods.

Climate
Climate in Thailand is varied based on the region. Most of the country experience tropical weather while the southern part as well as the eastern tip of the eastern region has a tropical monsoon climate. Average annual high temperature in the whole of Thailand is about 100.4° F while the average low temperature is about 66.2° F. The hottest times of the year is usually experienced in the second half of March when the temperature can soar to about 104° F. The dry season can last up to April before the southwest monsoon blows in as early as May or in July, although this is not true in the southern part of the country. The rainy season lasts until October when the cloud cover creates reduced temperature but raises the humidity level.

November or December is the start of the dry season and cooler temperatures, including light frost can be experienced in the uplands. In some areas, like in southern Thailand, which is near the sea, the dry season can be very short. The whole of Thailand gets enough rainfall but the duration varies with the altitude and from region to region, with the northeastern region having the longest dry season. Although the soil in the region has poor drainage, it is suitable for industrial-scale production of tobacco, pineapples and tomatoes.

:: Thailand’s Regions ::

Thailand is divided into six regions and each one is unique and diverse based on cultural patterns, drainage and landforms as well as natural features.

North
The northern region of Thailand is mountainous and enjoys cooler weather especially during the winter months, making the area suitable for growing strawberries and lychees. The high mountains are interspersed with steep river valleys. Upland areas border the central plains and several rivers converge in the lowland to create the Chao Phraya watershed. The valleys are also suitable for wet-rice farming. Forests cover the mountains where teak and other hardwoods that are commercially viable are harvested.

Northeast
Poor soil dominates the landscape of northeastern Thailand, so it is not suited for general agriculture. But despite the poor condition of the soil, this is suitable for the farming of sticky rice, which has been the staple grain for this region. The region has poorly drained and flooded rice paddies where this variety of rice grows. The region manages to have two sticky rice harvest annually, together with sugar cane and manioc (starch that is the source of tapioca), two of their cash crops. Rubber is also a product of the northeast region and there is a thriving silk production industry as well. The Khorat Plateau is located in this region. The region normally has a long dry season and a short monsoon season.

Central
Central Thailand is called the rice bowl of Asia. It is a self-contained basin where a complex irrigation system was developed to make it suitable for wet-rice production. The region is generally flat and quite fertile. These conditions make the region very ideal for the influx of population. Cultivated rice fields abound in the region. Chao Phraya and its tributaries are the prominent features in central Thailand. It is also the center of commerce, industry and transportation.

East
Fruits and tourism are the major products of Eastern Thailand. The region features short mountain ranges, with short rivers forming small and shallow basins that drain into the Gulf of Thailand. Eastern Thailand is situated between the Gulf of Thailand in the south and the northeastern plateau in the north.

West
Western Thailand has high mountains and quite steep river valleys. The region is near the mountainous border with Myanmar, with the Tenasserim Hills located in the region. Major dams are constructed in the region and there are several forest areas, making minerals and water the most important resources of Western Thailand. Mining is the most significant industry here.

South
The Southern region of Thailand is a narrow peninsula. Rice is cultivated for subsistence of the people living in the region while the production of rubber is its major industry. Tourism, tin mining and coconut plantations are major income sources. Rolling mountains as well as mountainous areas are part of the terrain in Southern Thailand and no large rivers are present in the area. The region is also characterized by impenetrable forests and mountain barriers, making the region somewhat isolated. This is where the Phuket Island, the biggest island in Thailand is located, along the west coast of Thailand in the Andaman Sea. Phuket Island is connected by two bridges to the mainland.

:: References ::
http://www.marimari.com.my/content/thailand/general_info/geography/geography.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Thailand
http://www.un.or.th/thailand/geography.html
http://www.asiarooms.com/en/travel-guide/thailand/thailand-overview/thailand-geography.html