If you have ever wondered where Thailand is located, here is a map of Thailand. As you can see, it is bordered by Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia. Thailand can be divided into four parts. The Central Region is where most of the rice is grown and where Bangkok is located. It is the center of the Thai economy. Thailand is the largest exporter of rice in the world the last time I checked.
The Northeast Region is next to Laos and is where most of the Thai population is located. Most call themselves I-san Thai or Lao Thai and they speak Lao as well as Thai. They are traditionally wet rice farmers but lately a lot of other products have been introduced including beef cattle for the MacDonalds' market. In my opinion, the people who live in this region are the friendliest and most hospitable. I have traveled extensively in this region and it is really interesting with a lot of old Khmer ruins.
The Northern Region is considered by most Westerners to be the most beautiful and most exotic. Chiang Mai has grown tremendously from the tourist industry. The climate of this region is also the best the year round. It is also the center for the old Lanna Thai kingdom which had a distinct history different from that of Bangkok. The Northern Thai dialect is also much more exotic than the Thai spoken by the people of Bangkok.
The Southern Region is a region of mountains and beaches. The world famous resort island of Phuket is the best know tourist location in Thailand. It is fabulous but way overcrowded and commercialized. There are still a lot of other beaches and spots in the south yet to be discovered by the travelling tourist. The Southern Region also has the largest contingent of Moslems in Thailand. Additionally, the Southern Thai dialect is a much faster language than the spoken Thai in Bangkok. It is a common TV joke to portray the Thai Southerner as a fast speaking country bumpkin that no one can understand.
